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 the Social Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of York. She was appointed Director of SPRU in 1987 and was made professor three years later in 1990. She was […]

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 St Johns.  She subsequently became Editor of  Aesthetica Magazine, now one of the leading British art and culture publications with readers across print, digital and social media.  In 2011, the magazine launched York’s […]

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 other cultures since 2005, when it was founded by Sasiki Hubberstey. Some of those people had chosen to live here, some came as spouses or following and supporting other family […]

Catherine Crane, York’s Medical Officer for Health

Catherine Beatrice Crane (1903 – 1979) trained at the London School of Medicine. In 1936 she was appointed assistant Medical Officer of Health for York and Chief Medical Officer for maternity and child welfare for the city. She became York’s Medical Officer of Health in 1946, and stayed in that post for 22 years until […]

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 as his parents who were killed in Auschwitz. Her grandmother was a concert pianist which may account for Lesley’s gift as a clarinettist. Lesley’s grandparents were Polish and not religious.   Lesley’s father was fostered in Liverpool, and […]

Almyra Gray, Magistrate

Almyra Gray (1862-1939) was one of the first woman magistrates in York and among the first in the country when she joined the Bench in 1920. She was actively involved in healthcare and women’s rights. Having formed a local National Union of Women Workers branch in York in 1896, she was elected national president of the […]

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 opened just two years later in 1975, allowing visitors to explore iconic locomotives and the past, present and future of the railways. As the first woman to be appointed to […]

York International Women’s Week 2021 – ‘Women in a Time of Plague’

‘The history of York is full of fascinating tales, but far too often it is stories about men, told by men. It’s His Story…’ Our event for York International Women’s Week 2021 YIWW2021 will: tell the story of how the HERSTORY.YORK project started, what we’ve done so far, and introduce our exciting new partnership with York Museums […]

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 her home for nearly 70 years. Edna stood for election to York City Council in 1919. A Quaker, she sat as an Independent Councillor and for 15 years was the […]

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 Methodist Church and her funeral was held there.  Her involvement in the Church gave her the opportunity to volunteer for the Guiding movement, a commitment which she pursued throughout her […]