Cradley Heath’s Mary Macarthur Memorial Gardens is set to get a piece of public art to mark the centenary of the historic chainmakers strike in the Autumn.

And Sandwell Council is organising a spring clean of the gardens this March in preparation for the 100th anniversary.

And local councillors are set to consult with local residents concerning how they want to mark the anniversary when Mary Macarthur led the chainmakers strike and changed industrial relations in this country.

Councillor Barbara Price, Sandwell Council’s lead member for Rowley Regis, said: “Given this is the 100th anniversary of the chainmakers’ strike, we wanted to give the memorial gardens a special clean up.”

watch?v=9KN5bXDddLQ&feature=player_embeddedCouncillor Ann Shackleton, Sandwell Council’s deputy lead member for Rowley Regis added: “We are looking into funding for commissioning an artist to come up with a memorial for a garden.

“It is great news for Cradley Heath and we are targeting £15,000 for the project and we have been in talks with cabinet members and the MP about the issue.”

She added: “We will also be consulting with residents on how they want to mark the centenary of this landmark event in our local and national history that changed the lives of thousands of workers.”

In the autumn of 1910, the women chainmakers of Cradley Heath, led by trade unionist Macarthur, won a battle to establish the right to a fair wage following a 10-week strike.

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