History & Biography
From monarchs to military heroes, notorious to unsung, we’ll feature biographies and research on women who history labelled dangerous.
Want to shine the spotlight on a dangerous woman from times gone past? See our submissions page for contribution guidelines.
In our 6th post from Scottish PEN, Margaret Elphingstone explores ideas of safety and danger in the life and work of Scottish novelist Margaret Oliphant.
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Powerful then, dangerous now?
What makes a woman dangerous 1000 years after her death? Marianne Moen takes a feminist approach to the archaeology of the Viking Age.
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Letitia Youmans and the Temperance Movement in Canada
In 19th century Canada, the liquor trade’s greatest enemy turned out to be a very dangerous woman who unexpectedly found herself leading the campaign to control it.
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The Bradford Female Educational Institute
JY Saville tells of the Bradford Female Educational Institute, an exception at a time in history when working class women’s education was a dangerous idea.
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Dangerous woman?
Was Millicent Garrett Fawcett a dangerous woman? Certainly not, but her refusal to be thwarted and her sheer determination made her seem very dangerous indeed.
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In memory of the Wireless Listeners of WWII
Ellie Woodbourne gives us a vignette of life as a ‘Wireless Listener’ in World War II, in memory of her aunt who worked for British Intelligence in Cairo.
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In this months’ contribution from Scottish PEN, Zoë Strachan takes a look at the life and career of Scottish novelist Dame Muriel Spark.
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Kate Schneider illustrates the vision of influential 20th century architect Alison Smithson and the gendered criticism she faced during her career.
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Pioneer botanist
In the 18th century, Jeanne Baret disguised herself as a young man to secure passage on a 3-year sailing expedition around the world, proving herself a skilled botanist in her own right.
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