CITY OF BIRMINGHAM UNVEILED: 29 NOVEMBER 1977  

Mayoress Freda Mary Cocks OBE. 29 November 1977. Birmingham New Street. Class 87 87009 City of Birmingham.

Freda Cocks will be remembered for her work on policies to clear the slums during the 1950s and 60s and to construct new housing estates. Freda Cocks was a Conservative councillor for 37 years, a campaigner and a magistrate. She was awarded both the OBE and CBE for her services to the community. Known as "Fighting Freda", she was also the first woman to chair a city council committee - housing. In 1977, she became the first Conservative woman to be Lord Mayor and famously welcomed the Queen to Birmingham during that Silver Jubilee year. Mrs Cocks was born in Harborne on July 30, 1915 and she died in 2015 aged 100.

In the background the old Rotunda building can be seen. It was refurbished in 2008.