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Women in British history A-Z by first name

Identify these female historical figures from Britain or having a role in British history.
It is not suggested that these were the most important women starting with that letter.
Ordered by first name.
Quiz by
wielblad
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Last updated: June 27, 2022
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First submittedMarch 29, 2021
Times taken307
Average score26.9%
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Letter
Hint
Answer
A
Ruled Mercia. Left only female-to-female succession in Britain until Mary-Elizabeth
Aethelflaed
B
Wife of Æthelberht of Kent, canonised for support of Augustine and spread of Christianisation
Bertha of Kent
C
Along with her mother, leader of the WSPU
Christabel Pankhurst
D
British-Zimbabwean author, recipient of the Nobel for literature, known for 'The Golden Notebook'
Doris Lessing
E
19th century prison reformer, previously on Bank of England 5 pound note
Elizabeth Fry
F
Helped "Bonnie Prince Charlie" escape after Culloden
Flora MacDonald
G
12th century Welsh princess led army against Anglo-Normans
Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd
H
Author of 'Cheap Repository Tracts', 18th century moral pamphlets
Hannah More
I
Crowned Robert Bruce at Scone
Isabella MacDuff
J
Novelist best known for 'Pride and Prejudice'
Jane Austen
K
First wife of Henry VIII, his struggle to get an annulment from her fuelled him to support the English Reformation
Katherine of Aragon
L
"Mother of the Welsh steam coal trade", first exporter
Lucy Thomas
M
First female Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher
N
First female MP who took up her seat
Nancy Astor
O
British-American actress in the period of 1930s-1980s, most known for Melanie in 'Gone with the Wind'
Olivia de Havilland
P
Artist in the British pop art movement
Pauline Boty
Q
Archer who won gold at the 1908 Olympics
Queenie Newall
R
18th century Scottish woman imprisoned by her husband on St. Kilda after she threatened to reveal his Jacobite activities
Rachel Chiesley (Lady Grange)
S
17th century courtier, influential on Queen Anne, Keeper of the Privy Purse
Sarah Churchill
T
Suffragette who whipped Winston Churchill in the face in 1909
Theresa Garnett
U
4th century Christian saint, in whose honour the Virgin Islands were named
Saint Ursula
V
19th century ruler, crowned Empress of India
Victoria
W
To marry her, Edward VIII abdicated
Wallis Simpson
X
Sister of Nicholas II of Russia, lived in Britain from the Revolution to 1960
Xenia Alexandrovna Romanova
Y
Policewoman shot in front of the Libyan embassy in London 1984, leading to an 11 day siege and a break off of diplomatic relations
Yvonne Fletcher
Z
Member of the equestrian team that won silver in the 2012 Olympics
Zara Phillips
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7 Comments
wielblad
+1
Level 66
Mar 29, 2021
X and Z are a bit tenuous, I know. Will gladly accept suggestions if anyone knows of any more suitable figures.
KuduBiltong
+3
Level 63
Dec 16, 2021
I'm male, and I'm not a historian or even a history buff so I may not be your target audience and may not be best placed to judge, but I am at least British and something of a quizzer, and quite a few of these seemed very obscure, not just x and z. Not that it's necessarily a bad thing to have some hard questions.

There's not a huge amount of time.

Not sure why Katherine of Aragon is spelled with a K, especially when the etymology is Spanish.

You could maybe be a bit more generous with the spelling as well. I knew C and O and tried several possibilities, but couldn't get them quite right.

LadyDulcinea
+1
Level 67
Dec 16, 2021
Her name is spelled with a "K" in several places. She seemed to vacillate between the two. However, on her effigy at Peterborough Cathedral(placed by Queen Mary (George V's wife), it is spelled "Katharine Queen of England".
wielblad
+1
Level 66
Jun 27, 2022
Thank you for your comment! I have extended the time by 2:30.

I made this quiz because I saw a few historical quizzes focused on people, including one on historical figures A-Z, and found them male-dominated. Given the unequality of history, this wasn't surprising, but I wanted to do one specifically about women to have a quiz with this focus instead.

The issue with X and Z wasn't so much that they were both obscure, but that they fulfil the role of being women in British history less - X because she was not British and was not particularly notable in a British context, Z because she's still alive. But I was struggling to think of alternatives, so there they went. In terms of general obscurity, there were some I found it difficult to find a person for and I didn't want to have too many answers that often show up on jetpunk quizzes, though I kept Jane Austen, Victoria, and Wallis Simpson.

Iamnotreallyhere
+6
Level 69
Dec 16, 2021
Can you accept their surnames? I didn't get a few of these because I was typing surnames instead of full names
Darcy1
+1
Level 72
Dec 16, 2021
I agree with you
wielblad
+1
Level 66
Jun 27, 2022
No problem! Surnames should work now (except for the ones known only by one name).
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