This is a list of notable women, living and dead, from Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in the United Kingdom. Notability is based on achievements that have had a verifiable impact or public output or participation in a significant event, in the fields of art, literature, business, industry, science, culture, sport, education, politics, war, philanthropy, medicine and a range of other topics.
Notable women from Cornwall are also listed in the article List of people from Cornwall.
A
Constance Agar-Robartes, First World War nurse Victoria Amran, founder of the Cornish Food Box Company, business woman Doris Ansari, Cornish politician and former leader of Cornwall County Council Candy Atherton, ex-MP for Falmouth and Camborne
B
Morwenna Banks, actor Antonia Barber, writer of fiction Frances Basset, 2nd Baroness Basset Ann "Granny" Boswell (1813 – 1909), Gypsy wise woman and healer Maria Branwell, mother of English writers Emily Brontë, Anne Brontë and Charlotte Brontë Michaela Breeze, Commonwealth champion weightlifter Dame Alida Brittain, harpist Mary Bryant, famous prisoner who escaped Australian penal colony Katharine Burdekin, novelist, feminist, sister of Rowena Cade
C
Rowena Cade, creator, builder and founder of the Minack Theatre Elizabeth Carne, scientist and banker Vera Carne, First World War Women's Land Army Helena Charles, Cornish nationalist Evelyn Clements, munitions worker Ithell Colquhoun, artist and writer Myrna Combellack, researcher and translator of Beunans Meriasek Judith Cook, journalist and campaigner Selina Cooper, suffragist Margaret Ann Courtney, folklorist and poet
D Phyllis Doherty, folk singer, First World War commandant of Women's Volunteer Motor Corps Anne Dowriche, poet Daphne du Maurier, novelist and writer
F Liz Fenwick, writer, novelist Elizabeth Forbes, artist and storyteller Anna Maria Fox, a promoter of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society Caroline Fox, writer
G
Susan Elizabeth Gay, writer Anna Gelderd, MP for South East Cornwall Ann Glanville, 19th-century champion rower Helen Glover, rower, Olympic gold medallist 2012 Julia Goldsworthy, politician Queen Gwendolin, medieval legendary figure
H Melissa Hardie-Budden, writer, founder of the Hypatia Trust, philanthropist Faith Harris, sailor, secretary to Railway Purchasing Mission Barbara Hepworth, sculptor and artist Alice Hext, gardener and philanthropist Corona Hicks, women's rights campaigner Rose Hilton, artist Emily Hobhouse, peace activist and human rights campaigner Salome Hocking, novelist Barbara Hosking, civil servant and broadcaster
I Iseult, figure in Arthurian legend
J
Loveday Jenkin, Cornish nationalist politician; councillor for Crowan and Wendron F. Tennyson Jesse, writer Jane Johnson, writer Lucy E. Jones, founder of the Cornish Food Box Company, businesswoman; Chair Cornwall Food & Farming Group
K
Ann Kelley, writer and photographer Marguerite Kesteloot, Belgian refugee, strawberry grower Jayne Kirkham, MP for Truro and Falmouth Laura Knight, artist
L Mary Lang, writer, photographer, sailor, diarist Cassandra Latham, white witch Janet Leach, artist Katharine Lee (Kitty Lee Jenner; 1853–1936), writer Margaret Lidgey, bal captain, First World War mine manager Alice de Lisle, Lord of Alverton, founder of Penzance market Moura Lympany, musician, concert pianist
M
Margo Maeckelberghe, artist Jessica Mann, novelist and journalist Charlotte Mary Matheson, writer Margaret Mellis, St Ives school artist Chesten Marchant, last monoglot Cornish-speaker (died 1676) Anna Maria Murphy, writer, playwright, poet, storyteller Sherryl Murray, MP for South East Cornwall
N Sarah Newton, MP for Truro and Falmouth Thandie Newton, actor
P Gertrude Parsons, novelist Jean Paton, bryologist and botanist Cassie Patten, British Olympic swimmer Toni Pearce, former President of the National Union of Students in the United Kingdom Susan Penhaligon, actor Dolly Pentreath, last Cornish speaker according to tradition Thomasine, Lady Percival, benefactress and founder of a school Annie Phillips, autograph collector Elizabeth Philp, singer, music educator and composer Rosamunde Pilcher, novelist Litz Pisk, movement pioneer and instructor Beatrice Pole-Carew, First World War host for convalescent soldiers (portrait) Margaret Steuart Pollard (Peggy), Cornish language poet Agnes Prest, Protestant martyr
Q Mabel Quiller-Couch, editor, compiler and children's writer
R Joan Rendell, historian Jean Rhys, writer Mary Richards (prisoner of war), First World War prisoner of war in Germany Edith Jane Rouncefield, First World War nurse in First Aid Nursing Yeomanry and co-founder of Mevagissey Museum Jenny Rowe, lawyer and civil servant Hilda Runciman, MP for St Ives Mary Snell Rundle, nursing educator
S
Angie Sage, writer, novelist Sweet Saraya, professional wrestler Kristin Scott Thomas, actor Penelope Shuttle, poet Jemma Simpson, 800m runner Emma Smith, writer Hannah Stacey, free-diver Emily Stackhouse, scientist
T Mary Ann Tocker, early radical who exposed corruption in the Stannary Courts, 1818 Sheila Tracy, writer, broadcaster, musician, trombonist, singer Enys Tregarthen, children's writer Sharon Tregenza, writer, novelist Kate Tremayne, writer, novelist Josephine Ruby Trevorrow, first wife and consort of Iskandar of Johor (as Crown Prince of Malaysia) and mother of Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor, King of Malaysia and Sultan of Johor Stella Turk, scientist, environmentalist
V Annabel Vernon, champion rower (2008 Olympics) Clara Coltman Vyvyan, née Rogers, an author and the wife of the 10th Vyvyan baronet
W Serena Wadham, feminist activist and photographer Frances Wall, professor of applied mineralogy, first female Head of Camborne School of Mines, University of Exeter Mary Wesley, writer, novelist Mary Williams (nurse), First World War Voluntary Aid Detachment hospital organiser Venetia Williams, racehorse trainer Raynor Winn, long distance walker and writer Mary Wolverston aka Lady Killigrew, alleged pirate Brenda Wootton, Cornish poet and singer Lilian Wyles, first female police detective in Scotland Yard
References