Memorial to the Women of WWII
the women who held the home front
A striking bronze on Whitehall hung with the empty uniforms and overalls of the women who kept Britain going through the war.
Free to visit · Whitehall · Westminster · SW1A 2ET
Opening: Always open
Standing on Whitehall close to the Cenotaph is a tall bronze monument unlike any other, its sides hung with seventeen sets of clothing, a nurse's cape, a welder's mask, a police uniform, an evening coat, all empty. They represent the hundreds of different jobs that women took on during the Second World War, stepping into the work men left behind.
The empty uniforms, hung as if on pegs at the end of a shift, are deliberately faceless, standing for the millions of unnamed women who kept the country running. Unveiled in 2005, it is free, often passed without a second glance, and quietly one of the most powerful memorials in London.
Getting there: On Whitehall near the Cenotaph, a short walk from Westminster station.
Best time to go: Any time, on a walk down Whitehall past the Cenotaph.
Insider tip: Walk slowly around all four sides to take in each different uniform, every one stands for a real wartime role. It sits right by the Cenotaph, so it is an easy and moving free pairing.
Free things to do in London · London Free Guide