North Shields has marked a powerful moment in its 800-year history with the unveiling of a new bronze statue honouring Mary Ann Macham — an enslaved woman who escaped a plantation in Virginia, survived a dangerous transatlantic journey, and began a new life of freedom in this town on Christmas Day, 1831.
The three-metre sculpture by North Shields artist Keith Barrett now stands at the top of the new Riverside Embankment Walkway, looking out over the River Tyne. Its placement is deeply symbolic: Mary Ann arrived in the town by sea, she made her home close to the river, and she is now honoured in a spot that connects the town centre to the Fish Quay — the very landscape that shaped her new life.
Funded through the North East Combined Authority’s Transforming Cities Fund and delivered by North Tyneside Council as part of its Ambition for North Shields regeneration plan, the statue is also a key feature of the North Shields 800 programme.
Our Take — Why Today Truly Matters
For I Love North Shields, this unveiling isn’t just about a new piece of public art.
It’s about truth, recognition, and finally giving a woman of extraordinary courage the place she has always deserved in the heart of our town.
Mary Ann’s story is one of survival, community and transformation. It shows what real welcome looks like. It highlights the role North Shields has played in global history — not just in fishing, shipbuilding or industry, but in abolition, humanity and acts of compassion that still echo generations later.
This sculpture is North Shields saying:
We see you. We honour you. And your story belongs here — forever.
Who Was Mary Ann Macham?
Mary Ann was born into slavery in Virginia.
At just 12 years old, she was sold at auction.
In her late twenties she made a life-changing decision: she escaped the plantation, hid in woodland for days, and secured passage on a ship bound for Europe.
From the United States to the Netherlands, and then from Hull to the North East, her journey took immense bravery.
On Christmas Day 1831, she arrived in North Shields with nothing but her will to survive.
Here, she found something that changed everything: kindness.
The Spence family, a Quaker household active in the abolition movement, welcomed her in.
They gave her stability, work, safety and community.
Mary Ann later married James Blyth, a local rope-maker who worked for the Spence family. She lived in North Shields for more than 60 years, mainly around Dockwray Square and Howard Street — just steps from where her statue now stands.
She died in 1893 aged 91, and today rests in Preston Cemetery, where a memorial stone acknowledges her journey from enslavement to freedom.
Why the Statue Matters
Mary Ann’s story speaks to themes that are both historic and painfully relevant:
- the fight for freedom
- resilience in the face of violence
- the power of community welcome
- the need to tell stories that were long forgotten or ignored
Placing her story in bronze is a public commitment to truth.
It acknowledges North Shields’ role in a bigger global history.
And it ensures future generations will learn not just about fishermen, shipbuilders and merchants — but about strength, survival, migration and compassion.
The Sculpture Itself
Keith Barrett’s sculpture captures Mary Ann at the moment she claimed her freedom.
Arms outstretched.
Chains broken.
A figure inspired partly by the carved figureheads of ships — deeply rooted in North Shields’ maritime heritage — but also by quiet, human dignity.
Barrett has said he wanted to create something that felt both heroic and deeply personal: “Mary Ann’s story will resonate with many people… she may become a source of inspiration and hope to all who struggle.”
A Deeper Dive: The Quaker Story in the North East
Because Mary Ann’s life makes no sense without understanding the community that welcomed her.
Quakers (also known as the Religious Society of Friends) have been part of North East history since the 17th century. Their impact on the region is far bigger than many people realise — stretching across social justice, abolition, industry and community welfare.
Here’s how their story connects to Mary Ann’s:
1. Quakers were among the earliest voices against slavery
While many groups stayed silent, Quakers formally opposed slavery as early as the 1600s and by the mid-18th century had made it a central moral stance.
They campaigned for abolition, wrote pamphlets, petitioned Parliament and refused to be part of slave-based commerce.
This conviction travelled with them wherever they settled — including North Shields.
2. The Spence Family — North Shields’ Abolitionists
The Spences were a well-known Quaker family involved in shipping, rope-making and local welfare.
They were active supporters of the abolition movement.
It was the Spence family who:
- welcomed Mary Ann into their home
- gave her paid work
- helped her integrate into the community
- offered her safety after years of trauma
Without their intervention, Mary Ann’s life could have taken a very different course.
3. Quakers shaped social justice across the North East
Their influence appears in:
- early education initiatives
- improved workers’ rights
- anti-poverty campaigns
- housing reform
- fair business practices
- support for vulnerable communities
They were known for treating workers with dignity, paying fair wages, and establishing ethical businesses long before such things were common.
Mary Ann found herself in a community where compassion wasn’t a slogan — it was a way of life.
4. Quaker Values Still Echo in the Region Today
You see their legacy in:
- the Old Meeting Houses across the North East
- charitable trusts rooted in Quaker families
- archives documenting abolitionist activity
- community-led welfare projects
- local heritage plaquesthat reference Quaker contributions
Their story is woven into the fabric of North Shields — often quietly, but powerfully.
Media Coverage: What the Press Is Saying
Major regional outlets have widely covered the unveiling:
ITV News Tyne Tees:
“Statue to honour escaped slave unveiled in North Shields where she settled and found her freedom.”
https://www.itv.com/watch/news/statue-to-honour-escaped-slave-unveiled-in-north-shields-where-she-settled-and-found-her-freedom/njy9wxj
Cultured North East:
“In-depth feature on the creation of the Mary Ann Macham sculpture and the artistic vision behind it.”
https://www.culturednortheast.co.uk/p/from-slavery-to-sanctuary-sculpture
North Shields 800:
Background on the unveiling, the artist, and the heritage context.
https://www.northshields800.com/news/767la8m2k1i93v5dr23e94k76zj9y5
North East Bylines:
Historical context linking Mary Ann to North Shields’ political and abolitionist heritage.
https://northeastbylines.co.uk/news/politics/north-shields-800-a-history-of-fighting-racism/
Northumberland Gazette:
Local news article covering the unveiling, with quotes and heritage context.
(Their link is not fully accessible but referenced widely across coverage.)
Final Word
Mary Ann Macham’s new statue is more than bronze, more than art, more than heritage.
It’s a moral landmark.
It’s a promise to tell stories properly.
It’s North Shields proudly recognising one of the bravest women ever to walk its streets.
And for us at I Love North Shields — this is exactly the kind of history we exist to celebrate: real people, real courage, real community.
Photo credit North Tyneside Council
