Women in History

Women in History

From great medieval queens to nurses in the First World War, the role of women throughout English history has often been overlooked. Here we highlight some of their stories – not only the women who achieved high status and success, but also those who remain largely unnamed in history, and who have quietly shaped our way of life today.    

We will be sharing Women's History Month content across our social channels during March. Join the discussion by following @englishheritage or by searching #WHM.

 

 

 

Moving forward together

Women’s History Month in March 2025 is celebrating the theme of ‘Moving Forward Together! Women Educating and Inspiring Generations’. Here we highlight some of the achievements of women who have worked together to promote women’s rights and opportunities. 

Follow the links below to discover their stories.

  • The Road to Women’s Suffrage

    We explore the individuals and organisations involved in the fight for women’s suffrage, and the legislative reforms that granted women the right to vote after decades of campaigning.

  • The Match Girls’ Strike

    One of the most important strikes in modern British history took place in 1888, when the predominantly female workforce walked out of the Bryant and May match factory and won a resounding victory.

  • Elizabeth Garrett Anderson

    in 1865 Anderson became the first woman in Britain to qualify as a doctor. Her perseverance paved the way for the acceptance of women in the practice of medicine.

  • Emily Davies

    Emily Davies (1830–1921) campaigned to open up university courses and professional careers to women, and was also an early campaigner for women’s suffrage. 

  • Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst

    Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughter Christabel led the militant campaign for women’s right to vote in the early 20th century. A blue plaque commemorates the home they shared during the First World War.

  • Eleanor Rathbone

    Eleanor Rathbone (1872–1946) was a significant social reformer and feminist thinker, who pioneered family allowances – an early step in the development of the welfare state.

Black and white still showing Una Marson recording West Indies Calling in 1943. © IWM

New blue plaques

In March 2025 two new London blue plaques have been installed to trailblazing women.

One marks the Bloomsbury home and workplace of Rhoda and Agnes Garrett, cousins who challenged traditional gender roles of the 1870s by founding Britain’s first female-run interior decorating business. They were also prominent figures in the women’s rights movement.

The second plaque celebrates the extraordinary life and achievements of Una Marson (1905–65), the Jamaican-born broadcaster, writer and campaigner for racial and gender equality. In 1942 she became the first black producer at the BBC, and the plaque marks the home in West Hampstead where she was living at the time.    


Image: Una Marson recording West Indies Calling in 1943 (© IWM)

Untold Stories

Read about some of the women whose stories have slid under the radar. Their achievements – big and small – have made a significant contribution to our lives today, yet often go unrecognised in history.

  • Experiments in Gender

    Exploring the women who adopted masculine styles of dress and the increasingly fluid ideas about gender identity and sexuality in the early 20th century.

  • A Journey into Witchcraft Beliefs

    Step into the world of early modern England as Professor Diane Purkiss describes popular and intellectual beliefs about witchcraft in the 16th and 17th centuries.

  • Weeding Women: Shaping England's Gardens

    Explore the unsung role of ‘weeding women’ in the history of English gardens, and the difficulties of tracing their stories.

  • Groundbreaking Female Archaeologists

    Read about some of the female archaeologists who worked on sites now cared for by English Heritage.

  • Bridget Atkinson, Georgian Shell Collector

    Bridget Atkinson (1732–1814) was an avid collector of shells who amassed a remarkable collection of more than 1,200 items from around the world.

  • The Wrest Park Nurses

    Find out about the lives of some of the women who worked at Wrest Park when the house was transformed into a WWI hospital.

  • Mary Middleton: On Campaign

    Read about Mary Middleton, one of the early women candidates for Parliament, the challenges she faced and the legacy of the first women to stand for Parliament.

  • Women and Garden Design

    We discover some of the women who played a key role in designing the gardens now in the care of English Heritage.

Discover more Women from history

Select the images below to learn about more inspiring women from history. All of them are closely linked with places looked after by English Heritage, or are commemorated in London by our blue plaques scheme.

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Queens of the Past

  • Cartimandua – Queen of the Brigantes

    Ruler of the Brigantes, an Iron Age people of northern Britain, Cartimandua was an important ally of the Roman Empire during the conquest.

  • The Eleanor Crosses: A Journey Set in Stone

    Discover the story of the beautiful stone crosses erected by King Edward I in memory of his beloved first wife, Eleanor of Castile.

  • Mary Queen of Scots at Carlisle Castle

    In 1568, Mary Queen of Scots fled conflict and turmoil in Scotland for England. Find out how and why her two-month stay at Carlisle Castle began 19 years of captivity.

  • Queen Bertha

    In 597, St Augustine arrived in England to convert the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity. How important was Queen Bertha of Kent, who was already a Christian, in his mission’s success? 

  • Eleanor of Aquitaine

    Eleanor of Aquitaine was queen in turn of two great medieval European powers, France and England. Read more about her life and the very active role she played in the politics of her day.

  • Queen Victoria

    Find out about Queen Victoria and her long reign, a period of immense political, social and cultural change which saw a great expansion of the British Empire.

  • Joan of Navarre

    Read about Joan of Navarre, who was imprisoned at Pevensey Castle in 1420 accused of witchcraft and plotting to kill the king.

  • Mary Tudor, England’s First Queen

    Discover the story of how Mary Tudor was proclaimed the first woman ruler of England while she was at Framlingham Castle in Suffolk in 1553.

  • Elizabeth I

    Tracy Borman examines what the accession of Elizabeth I – who famously remained unmarried – meant for women in positions of power.

Explore more

  • Eight Myths About Witchcraft

    Professor Diane Purkiss tackles the common misconceptions about witchcraft and the witch trials of the 16th and 17th centuries.

  • LGBTQ History

    LGBTQ history has often been hidden from view. Find out more about the lives of some LGBTQ individuals and their place in the stories of English Heritage sites.

  • Listen to Speaking with Shadows

    The podcast that listens to the people that history forgot. From castles on the south coast to Hadrian’s Wall in the far north, join presenter Josie Long as she seeks out stories from the hidden corners of England’s history.

  • Below Stairs at Audley End

    What were Victorian servants’ lives really like? Discover the stories of the men, women and children who worked at Audley End House in the 1880s.