List of women in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

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.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

A

• Constance Agar-Robartes, First World War nurse ^{[1] [2] [3]}
• Victoria Amran, founder of the Cornish Food Box Company, business woman ^{[4] [5]}
• Candy Atherton, ex-MP for Falmouth and Camborne

B

• Morwenna Banks, actor
• Antonia Barber, writer of fiction
• Frances Basset, 2nd Baroness Basset
• Maria Branwell, mother of English writers Emily Brontë, Anne Brontë and Charlotte Brontë
• Michaela Breeze, Commonwealth champion weightlifter
• Dame Alida Brittain, harpist ^[6]
• 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 ^{[7] [8]}
• Helena Charles, Cornish nationalist
• Evelyn Clements, munitions worker ^[9]
• 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 ^{[10] [11] [12]}
• Anne Dowriche, poet
• Daphne du Maurier, novelist and writer

F

• Liz Fenwick, writer, novelist ^{[13] [14]}
• Elizabeth Forbes, artist and storyteller
• Anna Maria Fox, a promoter of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society
• Caroline Fox, writer

G

• Susan Elizabeth Gay, writer
• 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 ^{[15] [16]}
• Faith Harris, sailor, secretary to Railway Purchasing Mission ^[17]
• Barbara Hepworth, sculptor and artist
• Alice Hext, gardener and philanthropist
• Corona Hicks, women's rights campaigner ^[18]
• Rose Hilton, artist
• Emily Hobhouse, peace activist and human rights campaigner
• Salome Hocking, novelist ^[19]
• 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 ^[20]

K

• Ann Kelley, writer and photographer
• Marguerite Kesteloot, Belgian refugee, strawberry grower ^[21]
• Laura Knight, artist

L

• Mary Lang, writer, photographer, sailor, diarist ^{[22] [23] [24]}
• Cassandra Latham, white witch
• Janet Leach, artist
• Katharine Lee (Kitty Lee Jenner; 1853–1936), writer ^[25]
• Margaret Lidgey, bal captain, First World War mine manager ^{[26] [27]}
• Alice de Lisle, Lord of Alverton, founder of Penzance market ^[28]
• 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 ^{[29] [30]}
• Sherryl Murray, MP for South East Cornwall

N

• Sarah Newton, MP for Truro and Falmouth
• Thandie Newton, actor

P

• Gertrude Parsons, novelist
• Cassie Patten, British Olympic swimmer
• Susan Penhaligon, actor
• Dolly Pentreath, last Cornish speaker according to tradition
• Thomasine, Lady Percival, benefactress and founder of a school
• Annie Phillips, autograph collector ^[31]
• 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 ^{[32] [33]} (portrait) ^[34]
• 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 ^[35]
• Edith Jane Rouncefield, First World War nurse in First Aid Nursing Yeomanry and co-founder of Mevagissey Museum ^{[36] [37]}
• 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

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 ^{[38] [39]}
• Frances Wall, professor of applied mineralogy, first female Head of Camborne School of Mines,University of Exeter ^[40]
• Mary Wesley, writer, novelist
• Mary Williams (nurse), First World War Voluntary Aid Detachment hospital organiser ^[41]
• Venetia Williams, racehorse trainer
• Mary Wolverston aka Lady Killigrew, alleged pirate
• Brenda Wootton, Cornish poet and singer
• Lilian Wyles, First female police detective in Scotland Yard

References

• Cornwall portal

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6. "Lady Brittain". The Times . 7 January 1943. p. 7.
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29. "Anna's Favourite Cornish Walks: Walk With Me". Good Cornwall Guide. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
30. "Kneehigh Associate Artists". Kneehigh. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
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33. "Portrait - National Portrait Gallery" . Retrieved 26 June 2017.
34. Lafayette, James (1890s), English: Lady Beatrice Frances Elizabeth Pole-Carew (née Butler) (1876–1952) , retrieved 26 June 2017
35. "Mary Richards". 100 Faces - 100 Stories. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
36. 100 Faces - 100 Stories ¿title=Edith Jane Rouncefield http://www.100firstworldwarstories.co.uk/Edith-Jane-Rouncefield/story/ ¿title=Edith Jane Rouncefield . Retrieved 26 June 2017.{{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
37. Parsons, Rick. "West Penwith Resources - St. Ives Baptisms 1868-1901 (6)". west-penwith.org.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
38. "Person - National Portrait Gallery" . Retrieved 26 June 2017.
39. "Serena Wadham Archive · Morrab Library Photographic Archive". photoarchive.morrablibrary.org.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
40. "Frances Wall" . Retrieved 24 July 2023.
41. "Mary Williams". 100 Faces - 100 Stories. Retrieved 26 June 2017.