New public square honours 'pit girls'

A new square has been named in honour of women who worked in Shropshire coalfields.

The area in Telford has become Betty Harris Square, after her experiences "as a 'pit girl' became one of the most powerful accounts of women's working lives during Britain's industrial past", the council said.

It added while she was not from Telford, her story represented thousands, many whose names were unknown, who worked in east Shropshire coalfields.

More than 1,000 people voted for the name after residents were invited to vote from a shortlist of influential women connected to the area's history.

A biography explaining the significance of Harris and the "wider contribution of the Shropshire pit girls" will be installed at the square.

This would help visitors "understand the role these women played in supporting families and communities during the Industrial Revolution".

An official naming ceremony would take place in due course, the council added, with descendants of Harris and local mining heritage groups invited to attend.

The completion of the square coincides with the opening of Telford 6th, the new home of Telford College's A-level provision.

The square was designed and managed by the council's highways team.

The authority's leader, Lee Carter, said Harris "represents a generation whose contribution is often overlooked but was fundamental to our area's industrial success".

Betty Harris Square is between The Quad digital skills hub and the new Telford sixth form centre.

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