Part of a major town centre road in High Wycombe could be changed to celebrate a woman who set up schools and charities in the town. 

A section of Abbey Way, between the traffic lights and Marlow Hill, could be renamed either Dame Frances Dove Way or Frances Dove Way. 

Cllr Lesley Clarke OBE came up with the plan with local historian Willie Reid to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Dame Frances Dove and the founding of Wycombe Abbey School, which is accessed along that section of the road. 

Dame Frances founded Wycombe Abbey in 1896 and helped set up Godstowe Preparatory School on Amersham Hill in 1900, as well as serving as governor at Royal Grammar School, the Technical Institute and Wycombe High School.

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She strongly believed women should be given the same opportunities in education as men and should be paid the same amount for similar work. 

She set up a branch of the NUWSS suffragists society in High Wycombe in 1904 and set up the Central Aid Society in 1906 to help the poor of High Wycombe, who were often seen begging at the Abbey gates. 

When women were allowed to stand in local elections in 1907, she won a seat and as a borough councillor, she served on the health, hospital and free library committees of the then-High Wycombe Town Council. 

She was nominated to become the first female mayor in England in 1908, but failed to get elected by just two votes. 

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Dame Frances also paid for and set up the Dove Window in All Saints Parish Church, depicting 17 women who played their part in history. 

She was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1921 and became a Dame of the British Empire in 1928.

She passed away days before her 95th birthday on June 21, 1942. 

Cllr Clarke's plan for the change of road name has the support of those who live and work in the area and the High Wycombe Society and now councillors on the High Wycombe Town Committee will discuss it at this evening's meeting.