When women achievers leave the scene, chance dictates how and if they are remembered. It may be that devotees take steps to ensure that they are not forgotten. A museum with an on-going programme is one such step. But sometimes things have a momentum of their own.
Amelia Earhart, the first woman to pilot a plane solo across the Atlantic, lost her life in an attempt to be the first woman to fly round the world. She perished in 1937 in the vicinity of Howland Island, a dot in the Pacific Ocean. Atrocious weather, expanse of ocean and primitive radio communications left her going blindly on. There is a mystery about how her last flight ended. The search for clues continues. The mystery is her commemoration.
Marie Curie, born in Warsaw, was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the only woman to win a Nobel Prize twice. She lost her life in 1934 as a result of experiments in radioactivity. What ensures that her name is not forgotten is the ongoing Marie Curie support services that assist those with terminal illnesses.
When George Eliot (the pen-name of Mary Ann Evans) died in 1880, she left remarkable novels such as ‘Middlemarch’ and ‘Simon Marner’ that continue to entrance readers. She is commemorated by a statue in Nuneaton and by her writing. Her admirers, wishing others to benefit from her insight into human behaviour, formed a fellowship with a proposed visitor centre, due to open this year, an annual £500 prize essay competition and an annual ‘Review’.
Barbara Hepworth was a foremost sculptress. She died in 1975. A museum and sculpture garden in St Ives, Cornwall have been established in her memory. During WW2 St Ives became an artistic centre and Barbara Hepworth had a studio and a yard there where she could practise her art. The stones speak for her.
Octavia Hill was an energetic social reformer. She left her mark on the history of urban housing, and the National Trust. The Octavia Hill society was formed in 1992 to promote interest in her ideals. The place of her birth in Wisbech is dedicated to her memory. It is large enough to accommodate courses and community events. A garden in Southwark is a reminder that she believed in promoting clean air and green spaces.
We value tangible items (personal possessions, works of art, dwelling-houses) of achievers. We regret their absence. We also name churches after apostles and others. We venerate our ancestors. No wonder the cult of saints’ relics (body parts) exerts a strong appeal to some Christians. Sometimes commemoration goes beyond rational explanation.
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