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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Laura Pollock

Scottish independence activists restore memorial to campaigner Wendy Wood

SCOTTISH independence campaigners have restored the faded memorial stone of independence patriot Wendy Wood.

On Saturday, members of the Scottish Resistance went to the memorial to Wood at the Old Calton Cemetery in Edinburgh and repaired the stone laid in tribute to her in 2021.

It lies near the north parapet wall on Waterloo Place.

Before and after images show the stone and repairs made.

Wood's real name was Gwendoline Emily Meacham and she was one of the founders of the National Party of Scotland.

But in 1932, and tiring of the lack of action by nationalists, Wood led a group of people attending the annual Bannockburn rally up to Stirling Castle, where they hauled down the Union flag and raised the Saltire.

The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in the local barracks were reprimanded for failing to stop her.

That publicity stunt led to her becoming a target for the British state’s intelligence corps.

Later, in 1972 and in protest at Prime Minister Ted Heath’s failure to deliver a promised referendum she began to starve herself to death.

Unionist MPs were aghast at the thought of her becoming a martyr and several came to see her at her home in Edinburgh to plead with her to start eating again which she did having extracted a promise that Parliament would at least discuss the issue.

Still campaigning in her 80s, Wendy Wood died on June 30, 1981, at the age of 88.

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