Brilliant Bradford Lasses project celebrates strong, successful women

Irene tells us more about the project:

Bradford women have been pioneers and activists for a long time - and Bradford Brilliant Lasses celebrates their enterprise, entrepreneurship, achievements and inspirational lives.

It was a fantastic surprise to see the coverage of the unveiling of the blue plaque for Daphne Steele a few weeks ago, especially as she’s one of the women I had been researching. As the first Black matron in the NHS at the hospital in Ilkley, she is indeed a Brilliant Bradford Lass.

I have been delving into local study and museum archives, newspapers old and new, as well as digital records to uncover and explore forgotten females, and those who may not feature often in the ‘limelight’; women making a difference to people’s lives, pushing science boundaries, developing business ideas and record-makers.

Forgotten females like Mrs Ripley who, with her husband George Ripley, dyed yarn. Being enterprising, Mrs Ripley thought there were possibilities in dying woven textiles; to confirm her theories, she asked cloth merchants, took trial orders that became repeat orders, meaning the Ripleys needed to expand - which continued into the future and was the basis for the Bradford Dyer’s Association.

Ann Daniels who grew up in Allerton was the first woman to reach the North and South Poles (Image: Martin Greenwood)

There are contemporary women, like astrophysicist Dr Anna Watts exploring space; musician/actor and LGBTQ+ activist Heather Peace; polar explorer Ann Daniels - one of the record-making All Women’s Team who first reached the North Pole, and she’s done it solo. Making a difference to others is what Dr Elaine Laycock has been doing as a humanitarian aid worker to war-torn conflict areas; for over a decade she’s been campaigning to have a permanent memorial to humanitarian aid workers who died in conflict - which may happen soon in Westminster Abbey.

Astrophysicist Dr Anna Watts (Image: Dr Anna Watts)

Closer to home, co-ordinator at the Anchor Project, Indi Elcock, has been supporting refugees, asylum seekers and low-income families through a variety of services.

These are just a few of the women in the session, which is interactive with games, collaborative writing/drawing and an opportunity for students to nominate their own inspirational women. It’s a fun way of discovering local women who have made a difference, challenged perceptions, created new ideas, established businesses, inspired others.

By nominating women who have inspired them, students will add to the workshop archive, which will celebrate even more Brilliant Bradford Lasses.

We have to thank all of the women who agreed to be included. Also those who have given permission for images.

And of course Brilliant Bradford Lasses could not have been created without the support/partnership with Historic England’s Heritage Schools Programme.

* Pics: Dr Elaine Laycock: The Dalesman Magazine/Dr Elaine Laycock

Ann Daniels: Martin Greenwood