On 5 March 1777 Caroline Herschel made her first appearance as a professional singer (her brother William conducting), at the Upper Assembly Rooms at Bath in Handel’s oratorio Judas Maccabeus.This information comes from Orlando: Women’s Writing in the British Isles…
Category: Biography
Women’s History Month: Nanna Conti (1881-1951)
Nanna Conti was a leading German midwife during the Nazi era. She was born on 4 April 1881 in Uelzen near Hanover. Her father, Dr. Carl Eugen Pauli (1839-1901), worked as headmaster of the local boys’ secondary school. Little is…
Women’s History Month: Lady Colin Campbell (1857-1911)
Lady Colin Campbell became the centre of media attention in 1886 when her husband accused her of adultery with a Duke, a general, a doctor and a fire-chief. The subsequent divorce trial was one of the longest in English legal…
LGBT History Month: Bessie Craigmyle (1863-1933)
On 27 February 1933, Bessie Craigmyle was sitting by her fireside reading a newspaper. Two days earlier she had observed the forty sixth anniversary of the death of “the friend of her life” Maggie Dale. Possibly she dozed off; at…
Slave Narratives
Between 1936 and 1938, the American Works Progress Administration conducted oral histories amongst ex-slaves and the children of slaves across America. This is the story of Ms Holmes. More information and more life histories can be found here. Ms. Holmes…
Jean Benson Wilkinson
November 24, 1914 to December 28, 2010 Jean Benson Wilkinson, a longtime defender of civil liberties and beloved teacher, passed away at the age of 96 in Berkeley, California, on December 28 surrounded by her loving family. Jean was an…
Mary, mother of Jesus Christ
Mary (in English) or Miriam (in Hebrew) or Maryam (in Arabic) was born into the Jewish community around 20BC in Nazareth, Galilee. In the Christian tradition, her birthday is celebrated on the 8th September and in both Christian and Islamic…
16 Days Against Violence Against Women: Lucy Faithfull (or was she Lady Faithless?) – Mother to Hundreds
An account of Lucy Faithfull’s life is a history of child care in the twentieth century. She was a passionate campaigner for children, Children’s Officer for Oxford, and the first social worker to sit in the House of Lords. In…
Anna Muncaster 1885-1930
“By casual acquaintances she was regarded as somewhat cold and reserved, but her friends and patients found in her a ready sympathy – devoid of sloppiness – a staunch loyalty and a keen sense of humour.”[1] This is how in…