• Relevant for:
    Primary, Secondary, 16 - 19
  • Cost:
    Free

In 2019, the City of London Corporation commissioned research to explore how women from the City’s past are recognised and documented across its archives and collections, as well as its streetscape. The aim was to shine a light on how we have viewed and commemorated the past, while unearthing the stories of individuals and groups who made a positive impact to London, the UK or the wider world.

These hidden histories offer an opportunity to tell a more vivid and balanced story of the City, a place which was built on the achievements and resilience of women whose names are often overlooked or overshadowed by their male counterparts. They also enable us to celebrate a number of pioneering figures who transformed industries and advocated for the rights of their communities.

Read and watch videos showcasing some of the women whose stories were unearthed during this research, including 18th century boxer Elizabeth Stokes; founder of the African Association in London, Alice Kinloch; 17th century miniaturist Catherine de Costa; 19th century nurses Annie Brewster and Florence Oppenheim and many more.

Challenge your students to research the life of an under-represented but important person in history and present back to the class.