* Elizabeth Gaskell, who wrote Mary Barton, one of the classic “condition of England” novels in 1848.
* Hannah Mitchell, who challenged Churchill at St John’s School during the Suffragette era.
* Annie Horniman, who established Britain’s first repertory theatre company.
* Shelagh Delaney who pioneered modernist theatre with her groundbreaking A Taste of Honey.
* Kathleen Ollerenshaw, who overcame deafness to become Lord Mayor, a leading educationalist, mathematician and advisor to Margaret Thatcher (now what sort of job is that for a Mancunian?!).
* Sylvia Pankhurst, Britain’s greatest political campaigner.

Kathleen Ollerenshaw