If you think London’s cool, wait until you hear about all the very cool women who made it that way. From writers to healthcare heroines, fashion designers to literal queens, women’s history has played a massive role in shaping London’s cultural, social, and economic landscape.
This month, we are honoring the women that have shaped London. (Photo Credit: Sonnie Hiles)
Say hello to the capital of the United Kingdom. (Photo Credit: Mariana Alves)
Because women’s history matters.
Here are just a few of them, plus some local women-owned businesses to support on your next trip to London.
The Women Who Shaped London
Queen Elizabeth II
Britain’s longest-reigning and, to many, most-beloved monarch, her majesty Queen Elizabeth II was known for her orientation toward objectivity – acting on principles – and always putting duty to her country first.
Living 96 years and reigning for over 70, she weathered many storms and saw family turmoil throughout, but her steadfast commitment to the traditions and duties of the throne has kept Londoners coming in droves to catch a glimpse of weddings, Jubilees, royal births, and knightings.
We honor Queen Elizabeth II. (Photo Credit: Museums of History New South Wales)
The Queen was perhaps the greatest influence on the British nation these last 75 years. (Photo Credit: Roberto Catarinicchia)
The way she led her family, including her grandchildren and great grandchildren, has no doubt had a lasting impact on how people view the monarchy, its traditions, and its role in society today.
Check Out: Architectural Digest’s Roundup of Queen Elizabeth II’s Homes from Birth Until Death
Emmeline Pankhurst, Women’s Rights Activist
British society was forever changed for the better after Emmeline Pankhurst came on the scene. A political activist, she organized the UK suffragette movement and helped women win the right to vote.
In 1999, Time named her one of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century, arguing that she “shook society into a new pattern” (aka changed the UK forever). She recruited countless women, including her own two daughters, to the cause, and the organized actions she led (everything from getting arrested for demonstrations to hunger strikes) eventually resulted in women earning the right to vote in 1918.
Emmeline Pankhurst pushed for women’s right to vote. (Photo Credit: Ian Betley)
The Kimpton Fitzroy London has a close tie to Pankhurst – the coffee shop within the hotel, Burr & Co, was once her home! Each year, the hotel hosts a House of Pankhurst creative residency, which celebrates art and literature reflecting feminist values.
Visit: Kimpton Fitzroy London on Russell Square in historic Bloomsbury
Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group, Authors
Speaking of Bloomsbury, the artistically bohemian neighborhood in London was home to famed author Virginia Woolf and several other authors in the Bloomsbury Group. Woolf is considered one of the most important authors of the 20th century.
In addition to being a literary icon, she’s also considered a feminist icon because of the themes she tackled (women’s rights, sexuality) and the way she brought them to life (through stream of conscious narrative techniques, which she helped pioneer).
Virginia Woolf also fought for women’s rights in her corner of Bloomsbury. (Photo Credit: Bruno Martins)
Within the first few years of the 20th century, Woolf and several other legendary artists including John Maynard Keynes formed the artistic and literary Bloomsbury Group. Their work deeply influenced London’s literature and artistic scene – and their impact is still felt the world over today.
Check Out: Discover Britain Magazine’s Virginia Woolf Feature
Florence Nightingale, Nurse
Just as we should all thank the nurses of today for their selfless, hard work, we have London’s Florence Nightingale to thank for founding nursing as it is today. Nightingale used revolutionary techniques like data analysis and bedside social reform to improve healthcare during the 19th century. Her views about things like sanitation and compassionate treatment of patients were instrumental in this effort.
She founded St. Thomas’ Hospital and the Nightingale Training School for Nurses, becoming beloved by the public in the process. Women wanted to be like her — in fact, even women from wealthy families began enrolling in the training school, helping make nursing a respectable and revered profession.
Florence Nightingale shaped the profession of nursing into what it is today. (Photo Credit: Graham Ruttan)
Nightingale worked to advance healthcare practices until her very last day at age 90.
Visit: The Florence Nightingale Museum, a short walk from the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye
Mary Quant and Vivienne Westwood, Fashion Designers
Avant-garde designers Mary Quant (1930 – 2023) and Vivienne Westwood (1941 – 2022) changed the London fashion scene forever, in their very own ways.
West London’s Quant is best known for popularizing the miniskirt in the 1950s. Her signature look reflected the “mod” culture that famously swept London in the ‘60s. Quant was fun. Her King’s Road store played loud music, stayed open late, and doled out free drinks to shoppers. It became a lifestyle brand, in addition to being a fashion brand.
Love mainstream mod fashion? You can thank Mary Quant for that. (Photo Credit: Brooke Cagle)
Westwood’s signature punk-rock style dominated the London streets in the 1970s. Her famous customers included the band The Sex Pistols. Westwood filled the racks of her first boutique with leather biker jackets, tartan, and safety-pin accents, eschewing the clean cut designs of the 60s. Her looks gave fashion serious attitude and set the tone for rocker style to this day.
Visit: Vivienne Westwood Flagship Store
London Women-Owned Businesses to Support
For Books… and Wine: BookBar – North London
If cracking open a book and sipping a glass of your favorite varietal sounds like the perfect afternoon, BookBar is your place. This social hangout and independent bookstore hosts author speaking events, book clubs and gatherings, and even curates a “Shelf Medication” book list for individuals based on their unique tastes. Their atmosphere (and even their website) is totally fun.
For Cocktails: Diddy’s – Hackney
This café, bar, and grocery store, owned by beverage industry expert Diddy Varley, serves up spritzes, sours, margaritas, negronis, and all kinds of other treasures including locally made homewares and provisions. She curates everything she offers with a bias toward independent producers. This place is just plain cool.
Say hello to Diddy Varley, curator of one of the coolest spots in Hackney. (Photo Credit: Tom Lombard)
A café, bar, and treasure shop? Yes, please. (Photo Credit: Lizzie Mayson)
Swing by for one of the best cocktails in town. (Photo Credit: Lizzie Mayson)
For Treats: Luminary Bakery – Camden and Stoke Newington
Called to teach disadvantaged women to bake as a means for improving their lives, owner Alice Williams has helped over 130 women graduate from her practical training program and go on to successful careers in food & beverage. The shop serves up pastries, cakes, brownies, and cinnamon buns (ask for extra cream cheese icing, trust us).
Where to Stay: The Kimpton Fitzroy London
Check out our full series celebrating Women’s History Month by following the tag below.
