A PORTRAIT of Torfaen’s first woman councillor has been hung outside the council chamber at the civic centre in Pontypool.

It follows a motion raised in council by Councillor David Daniels to celebrate International Women’s Day in Torfaen by commemorating the area’s first ever female councillor, Fanny Carver JP.

Mrs Carver JP became the first woman councillor in the Llantarnam Urban District Council in 1931. This council later amalgamated with Llanfrechfa Upper in 1935 to become the Cwmbran Urban District Council.

Following her election to the newly established urban district council, Mrs Carver JP was re-elected in 1939 and became the first woman chairman of the urban district council.

In a highly active political career, she was also elected to Monmouthshire Council in 1941 and was appointed as a Justice of the Peace in 1943.

Lynne McCormack, a great niece now living in Virginia, United States, said: “I think this is a very fitting tribute to my great aunt for her portrait to be hung outside the council chamber as part of the council’s plan to mark International Women’s Day.”