International Women's Day: 10 inspirational women from Surrey's past and present
We take a look at 10 exceptional women with links to Surrey from our history and today.
IMAGE: Surrey Advertiser
As we celebrate International Women's Day on March 8, InYourArea takes a look at some of the inspirational women with Surrey links from the past and present.
There are many more that we could include and this list is by no means exhaustive but here is a glimpse of some of the leading women worth shouting about.
1. Hannah Russell
The Chertsey-born Paralympian won two gold medals at Rio Paralympic Games in 2016 after making her debut at London 2012.
More recently the swimming champion clinched gold and bronze medals in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
2. Dame Judi Dench
Originally from Yorkshire, Dame Judi Dench has made Surrey her home, enjoying the tiny village of Outwood.
The multi award-winning actress has also recently been announced patron of Sight for Surrey, a charity that supports and enables people in Surrey who are blind, vision impaired, deaf, hard of hearing and deafblind. She has been a long-time patron of Surrey Wildlife Trust in addition to supporting many more.
3. Ada Lovelace (1815 -1852)
Ada Lovelace is celebrated as the world’s first computer scientist.
Following her marriage to William King-Noel, Earl of Lovelace, in 1835, Ada lived at Sandown House in Esher.
As a mathematician and writer, Ada was known for work on Charles Babbage's mechanical general-purpose computer - the Analytical Engine. She died of uterine cancer aged 37.
4. Dr Julie Llewelyn
Dr Julie Llewelyn is Surrey’s High Sheriff for the year 2021-22.
As the 800th person to be a High Sheriff of Surrey, and the 10th woman to hold the role since 1066, Dr Julie Llewelyn is part of a 1,000-year royal tradition.
5. Claire Coutinho MP
Claire Coutinho MP became the first BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) woman to serve as a Surrey MP.
She is a Conservative MP for East Surrey and has served continuously since December 12, 2019.
6. Dame Ethel Smyth (1858 – 1944)
Dame Ethel Mary Smyth DBE was an English composer and a member of the women's suffrage movement.
A blue plaque in Hook Heath Road, Woking is placed as acknowledgement of her time living there between 1910 - 1944.
7. Dame Hilary Mantel
Knaphill author Hilary Mantel is best known for her 2009 Man Booker Prize winning novel, Wolf Hall.
She lived in Brookwood in a converted Victorian hospital – which led to her interest in the local area's Tudor history, including Woking Palace.
Mantel's first novel, Every Day is Mother's Day, was published in 1985 and its sequel, Vacant Possession, was released a year later.
8. Virginia Woolf (1882-1941)
Virginia Woolf was an English writer, who is established as one of the most important modernist 20th-century authors.
It was when Richmond was part of Surrey that she established Hogarth Press with her husband Leonard in 1917. They lived at Hogarth House on Paradise Road from 1915-1924.
9. Dame Georgiana Buller (1884-1953)
Dame Georgiana Buller was co-founder of Leatherhead charity Queen Elizabeth's Foundation for Disabled People.
The cause has been a disability charity based in Surrey for over 85 years.
10. Dr Jo Bailey Wells
As the first female Bishop of Dorking, Dr Jo Bailey Wells has served in the Diocese of Guildford since she was appointed in 2016.
Ordained in 1995, Dr Wells worked alongside Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, to whom she served as Chaplain.
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