Marie Stopes Blue Plaque

About This Blue Plaque

Marie Stopes was a trailblazing figure in the early 20th century, known for her pioneering work in sex education and family planning. Born in 1880 in Edinburgh, Scotland, she spent her early childhood at 28 Cintra Park in Upper Norwood, London, where a blue plaque now commemorates her legacy.

Stopes was a woman of many talents and passions. She gained acclaim as a writer, dramatist, and poet, penning influential works that challenged societal norms around sexuality and reproduction. As a palaeobotanist, she made significant contributions to the study of ancient plant life. However, it was her role as a courageous crusader for women’s rights that truly defined her life’s work.

In 1921, Stopes founded the UK’s first birth control clinic in London, providing much-needed advice and contraception to women from all walks of life. Despite facing fierce opposition from religious and political authorities, she persevered in her mission to empower women with knowledge about their bodies and reproductive choices. Her book “Married Love,” published in 1918, became an international bestseller and helped to break down taboos surrounding sexuality.

Throughout her life, Stopes faced personal challenges, including two marriages – first to geneticist Reginald Ruggles Gates, and later to aircraft designer Humphrey Verdon Roe, with whom she had a son, Harry. Yet she remained a tireless advocate for social reform until her death in 1958. Today, Marie Stopes International, the organization she founded, continues her vital work in providing sexual and reproductive healthcare services worldwide.

The London Borough of Croydon, where Stopes spent her early years, has a rich history dating back to the Anglo-Saxon era. Once a rural area known for its charcoal burning and leather tanning industries, Croydon transformed into a thriving suburb with the arrival of the railways in the 19th century. It is fitting that this diverse and dynamic borough, home to many notable figures over the centuries, should honor the memory of Marie Stopes – a visionary who fought tirelessly for the rights and well-being of women everywhere.