Celebrating International Women’s Day with a look at some of Yorkshire’s greatest

International Women’s Day, on March 8^th every year, celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women around the world. Learn more about IWD at International Womens Day

As a proud Yorkshire digital marketing agency, we feel it’s only good and proper to highlight some of our county’s greatest women who, over the decades, have made Yorkshire proud.

Amy Johnson CBE, was a pioneering English aviator born in Kingston upon Hull in 1903. Flying solo or with her husband Jim Mollison, she set several long-distance records during the 1930s and was the first female pilot to fly alone from Britain to Australia. Amy flew in the Second World War as part of the Air Transport Auxiliary and died, tragically, in 1941, during a ferry flight.

The Bronte Sisters, Charlotte, Emily and Anne, were novelists born in Thornton near Bradford in the second decade of the 1800’s and between them wrote some of England’s best known literary classics. Charlotte is best known for her novel Jane Eyre, originally published in 1847 under the pen name of Curer Bell. Emily’s one and only novel, Wuthering Heights, is considered a classic of English literature. Anne, the youngest sister, is perhaps the least heard of; her best known piece of work is The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Who knows, if they had lived in our time they may have been as popular as JK Rowling or could even have been high profile bloggers!

Betty Boothroyd, was born in Dewsbury in 1929 and studied Art at Dewsbury College of Commerce and Art. Baroness Boothroyd, as she later became, was the first and only woman to hold the position of Speaker of the House of Commons, a position she held from 1992 to 2000.

The world of film and theatre would not be the same without Dame Judi Dench. Born in Heworth, York in 1934, Judith Dench made her professional debut in 1957 with the Old Vic Company. Going on to achieve success in theatre and on television, she is perhaps best known for her roles on the big screen, including M in James Bond (from Goldeneye through to Skyfall). She has won and been nominated for Oscars, BAFTAs and Golden Globes during her long and glittering career.

And most recently, Jessica Ennis-Hill, the golden girl of British Olympic sport, put Yorkshire well and truly on the map with her 2012 Heptathlon Gold medal. Jessica was born in Sheffield and along with her Olympic win is also the former European heptathlon champion and former world indoor pentathlon champion as well as the former British record holder for the 100 metres, the high jump and the indoor pentathlon.

So, a slight deviation to our regular discussions related to websites, digital marketing and SEO, however, it’s International Women’s Day, so we felt it was appropriate to gloat about our famous Yorkshire lasses!

Let us know who your favourite, greatest Yorkshire Woman is and why, we’d love to hear from you.