Rebel Women of Sunderland

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Sunderland Culture are celebrating the lives of Rebel Women of Sunderland with specially commissioned artworks and stories.

 

Inspired by the popular children’s book Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls which has shone a light on the achievements of women around the world, nominations for Rebel Women of Sunderland were crowd-sourced through social media with over 100 nominations of inspirational women of the city. 

 

Ten women were selected from past and present to represent the diversity of the achievements of the women of Sunderland. Two creatives from Sunderland were commissioned to collaborate on the project and tell the stories of the women: illustrator  Kathryn Robertson, a recent graduate of University of Sunderland, and writer Jessica Andrews, whose debut novel Saltwater was published by Sceptre in June this year. 

The Rebel Women of Sunderland selected are:

• Dr Marion Philips, first female MP in Sunderland 
• Margaret Dryburgh, teacher and missionary
• Ida and Lousie Cook, activists who smuggled Jews out of Nazi Germany
• Elizabeth Donnison, founder of the Donnison School
• Hope Winch, first head of the University’s pharmacy department 
• Kenickie (Lauren Laverne, Marie Nixon and Emma Jackson), one of the most famous female-led bands to come from Sunderland 
• Steph Houghton and Jill Scott, England footballers
• Abbie Robinson, Team GB paraclimber
• Kate Adie, journalist and broadcaster
• Emeli Sande, musician and University of Sunderland Chancellor

Come along to the SU and see these inspirational artworks for yourself, including an illustration of our very own Chief Executive Marie Nixon, former member of Sunderland grown band Kenickie.