100 Women

Sue Sykes, Musician and Band Conductor
Sue’s dad was a lorry driver and her mum a cleaner. Her father was a POW in Poland for three and a half years having

Alison Owbridge, Bus Driver
In 2014 Alison was hailed as the country’s top female bus driver. She started working in the bus industry in York in 1988. The bus

Joan Maw, Air Raid Warden
On the 28th October 1940 the Luftwaffe bombed the city of York. The A.R.P. report of this raid states that Miss Joan Maw of No.41

Haleh Afshar, Crossbench Peer
Haleh Afshar (BA York, PhD University of Cambridge) teaches Politics and Women’s Studies at the University of York and serves as a Crossbench Peer in

Florence Umpleby, Teacher
Florence was the Spinster daughter of Thomas, a Railway Porter, and Ann Umpleby of 214 Burton Stone Lane, York. She was an Assistant Mistress at

Plummer Sisters, Milliners
The two Plummer daughters bearing the business name, Emma, born 1856 and Alexandra Annie, born 1864 were set up in their millinery business by their

Rana Nasr, Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon
When meeting Miss Nasr, as a patient or interviewer, you are immediately struck by her amazing smile and the calmness about her. You feel safe.

Kath Gent, Psychiatric Nurse
Kath Gent (1930 – 2017) Kath Gent worked her way up the ladder in Nursing and became a pioneer in dementia. She was a bright

Florence Wright, Education Officer, Castle Museum
Florence Wright (1917 – 1991) was education officer at the Castle Museum and used to give informative, historical talks to groups of schoolchildren about 45

Margaret Barnet, Doctor, York Public Health Service
Margaret Campbell Barnet (1917 – 2008) was born in Sunderland, daughter of Peter Campbell Barnet and his wife Margaret Bell. Educated first at Sunderland Church

Lisa Winward, Police Officer, Commander for the City of York
Lisa started her police career in North Yorkshire Police in 1993 as a Special Constable in York. She joined as a regular officer in 1994

Nellie Nelson, Railway Porter
Nellie Nelson joined LNER York as a porter in 1940. In the second World War the Government needed to replace railwaymen who had joined the

Gina Huntingdon, Tennis Coach
Gina was born in 1938 in Hillsborough, Sheffield. She showed an early talent for tennis and on leaving school went to London to work for

Mona Armitage, Lord Mayor of York
Mona Armitage was the youngest of eleven children and her father was a furnace man. Born in Wallsend, Tyneside, she recalled that a day trip

Jenny Zobel, Centre for Global Education
Throughout her life, Jenny Zobel (1946 – 2018) never failed to connect with her ancestors. In her own words “I wanted the portrait of my

Kathleen Jones, Professor, University of York
Kathleen Jones (1922-2010) founded the department of social policy and social work at the University of York in 1965. Daughter of a lorry driver and a dinner lady,

Wendy Mitchell, NHS worker and Dementia Champion
At the age of 56, Wendy was enjoying living by the river in York and her job in charge of a team preparing the Nursing

Dianne Willcocks, Vice Chancellor, York St John University
Dianne was born 3 days before the end of WW2. At 18 she left home, went to London, refused to go to University, married a

Vivienne Faull, first woman Dean of York Minster
After some one thousand years, in December 2012 Dean Vivienne Faull was appointed as the first woman Dean to York Minster, breaking a tradition and

Mary Hughes, Co-founder York Refugee Committee
Mary Stuart (1886-1953) was born in Sudbrooke, Monmouthshire, Wales in 1886, the daughter of Alfred Donald Stuart and Emily Humble. By 1901 the family were

Rachael Maskell, York’s first woman Member of Parliament
Rachael Maskell was born on 5 July 1972 in Winchester, on the anniversary of the NHS. She had a good childhood, growing up with her

Moyra Johnson, President Yorkshire Gliding Club
Moyra Johnson (1915 – 2009) said that she “grew up a bit of a tomboy. I could drive before I was 17, and other girls’

Irene Whittaker, Headteacher and JP
Irene Whittaker (1923-2010) was from Lancashire and went to Liverpool University where she graduated in Geography. She became Head of Queen Anne Grammar School in

Ann Gurnell, Master, York Guild of Media Arts
Ann first worked in York for the York Area Economic Development Unit with a small marketing agency in the city. She then moved to the

Sally Baldwin, Director of SPRU
Sally Baldwin (1940-2003) came to York to study social administration and, on completing her diploma, was appointed the first research fellow at what would become

Cherie Federico, York’s first International Film Festival
Cherie Federico came to ‘old’ York from New York, moving to the UK in 2002 to study for her Masters Degree at the University of York

Sasiki Hubberstey, Founder of YUMI
YUMI (York Unifying and Multicultural Initiative) has had a major, positive impact on the lives of many who have come to live in York from

Catherine Crane, York’s Medical Officer for Health
Catherine Beatrice Crane (1903 – 1988) trained at the London School of Medicine, graduating in 1930. In 1936 she was appointed assistant Medical Officer of

Lesley Schatzberger, Clarinettist and Founder of Jessie’s Fund
Lesley’s family were Jewish Refugees from Vienna. Her father was brought to England in the Kindertransport at the age of twelve and he was saved from the same fate

Almyra Gray JP, York’s first woman Magistrate
Almyra Gray (1862-1939) was was the first woman magistrate in York and among the first in the country when she joined the Bench in 1920. She

Margaret Weston, National Railway Museum
In 1973, Dame Margaret Kate Weston (1926-2021), announced that the historic city of York would become home to the National Railway Museum. The museum duly

Edna Annie Crichton, York’s first woman Lord Mayor
Edna Annie Crichton (1876 – 1970) was a remarkable woman. At the age of 25 she came to live in York, which was to be

Nellie Buckley, Brownie and Girl Guides Leader
Nellie Buckley (1914 – 2008) was born in 1914 in Southlands, York and died age 94 on 18 April 2008. She was baptised at Southlands

Magdalena Chavez, York’s first vegan restaurant
Magdelena (1953 – ) ran El Piano, a vegan and gluten free restaurant in Grape Lane, York. As a coeliac, I knew that it was

Lynn Moffat, Breast Nurse Practitioner
Lynn was born and bred in York and on leaving school in 1977 worked as a cadet nurse at the old private hospital, The Purey Cust Nursing Home. Cadet nurses

Sally Hutchinson, Chief Officer, Age UK, York
Sally grew up in London and describes herself as the daughter of a strong woman. She started work at the GLC – in sewers (actually an administrative role in the Public

Ivy Wightman, Lord Mayor and Viking Congress Host
Ivy Wightman (1910 – 1982) was Lord Mayor of York from May 1961 – May 1962 and the second woman to be Lord Mayor after

Delma Tomlin, Musician and Merchant Adventurer
Delma Tomlin is the Director of the National Centre for Early Music (NCEM) on Walmgate, York. A musician (singer), she came to York in 1984 to

Sheila Dronfield, Doctor and Magistrate
Sheila Dronfield (1912 – 1996) made a big contribution to public life in York as a doctor, and as a magistrate – she chaired the

Mary York, Chemistry Teacher and Guide Leader
Mary York (1931 – 2010) was born in Maltby, South Yorkshire where she began her guiding life by joining the Brownies. She studied at Leeds

Marion Paton, Code Breaker
Marion Paton (nee Hendry) (1923 – 2016) was born in Aldborough, near Boroughbridge and came to York when she was thirteen. She attended Mill Mount

Carol Miller, York Cancer Support
Carol Miller (1949-) formed the York Haematology Support Group (YHSG) in 2012 for people with blood cancer. In 2004, Carol was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid

Dolly Cooper, Trade Unionist and Politician
Dorothy (Dolly) Cooper (nee McGrath), was born on 21 May 1921. She had 6 siblings. Her parents both died of tuberculosis by the time she was

Janet Looker, Lawyer and Politician
Janet moved to York in 1965, when her husband joined the, then very new, York University. She was pregnant, and looking after a two-year old. She

Sarah Fraser, Medical Officer, Doctor
Sarah Louise Fraser was born in Inverness in 1874. Her father was an iron founder manager, and she was educated at Bedford College, London. Sarah

Christian Howard, Ordination of Women
Christian Howard was the eldest daughter of Gerald Howden of Castle Howard, a Liberal politician and his wife Ethel Christian Methuen. Both her parents died

Nellie Hewitt, Workhouse Nurse
In 1914, when war was about to engulf Europe, a young parlour maid in domestic service applied to become a probationer nurse at the York

Janet Walker, Social Worker
Janet Walker (1935-2017) was a remarkable woman; a nurse, social worker, scholar, teacher, bibliophile, craftswoman and singer. Janet was born Janet Taylor, on 27 October

Marilyn Crawshaw, York Human Rights City
Marilyn (born 24 December 1949) was a social worker for many years, later coupled with her work as a Senior Lecturer in Social Work at

Karen Stanton, Vice Chancellor
After a significant career in higher education, Professor Karen Stanton joined York St John University as Vice Chancellor in September 2015, one of the few

Esme Madill, Refugee Action York
Esme Madill, born in 1966, lived in York for nineteen years (1999-2018). A passionate campaigner on behalf of refugees she co- founded Refugee Action York

Violet Rodgers Wloch, Curator, York Castle Museum
Violet Rodgers Wloch (1914-1978) was born in Bradford and began working for Dr John Lamplugh Kirk in 1938, age 24. Dr Kirk, of Pickering was

Yvonne Copley, Founder of Kyra
Yvonne Copley is the Executive Director and founder of Kyra, an organisation run for women by women in York which provides a safe, supportive haven

Florence Oloman, York Adoption Society
Florence Oloman on the left, next to her husband, Robert Oloman and women from the WVS Meals on Wheels team, 1959/60 Sophie Johnson’s book on

Mary Storey Richmond, Bomb Maker
Mary Storey Ansell, formerly Storey Richmond. 20 May 1923 – 3 September 2018 In 1939 Mary Storey-Richmond was working at Rowntrees as a Centric Filling

Janet Kay, Matron, St Leonard’s Hospice
Janet Kay (nee Burdett) 1947 – 31 July 2020 In 1984 Janet became the first Matron of St Leonard’s Hospice. Her career started in York

Helen Little, Restoration of the Five Sisters Window
Helen Drage Beckwith (1872 – 1933) was born in Winchester, Hampshire, the daughter of a clergyman. She had an older sister who died aged two in 1872

Elizabeth Jane Nattrass, Priest
The Reverend Jane Nattrass was for nine years Priest in Charge of many York City Centre Churches, in 2015 amounting to seven churches – All

Brenda Swinbank, Archaeologist
Brenda Swinbank (1929 – unknown) was born in Ackworth, West Yorkshire in 1929. She went to Hemsworth Grammar School where she excelled and achieved a

Hilda Appleby, Women’s Voluntary Service WW2
Hilda Appleby (5 June 1902 – unknown) was living in Fulford at the beginning of the Second World War. While walking her dog, she met