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The Rebel Women of Sunderland
The Rebel Women of Sunderland is a project that shines a light on the lives of Women from Sunderland with specially commissioned artworks and stories.
Inspired by the popular children’s book ‘Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls’, we called for rebel women nominations across social media. Over 100 women across Sunderland were nominated.
Explore our Rebel Women of Sunderland below with artwork by Kathryn Robertson and stories written by Jessica Andrews.
![Dr Marion Phillips | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Marion Phillips with a stripe of purple in the background. White brush lettering to the right reads ‘Marion Phillips’. A black circle by the woman’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/rebels-no-logos-01.png?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Dr Marion Phillips
First female MP in Sunderland
![Kate Adie | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Kate Adie with a stripe of green in the background. White brush lettering to the left reads ‘Kate Adie’. A black circle by the woman’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/A5-REBEL-52-e1722419203677.jpg?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Kate Adie
Journalist and broadcaster
![Margaret Dryburgh | The Rebel Women of Sunderland A black and white, graphic portrait of Margaret Dryburgh with a stripe of teal in the background. White brush lettering to the left reads ‘Margaret Dryburgh’. A black circle by the woman’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/A5-REBEL-82-e1722428630950.jpg?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Margaret Dryburgh
Teacher and missionary
![Ida and Louise Cook | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Ida and Louise Cook with a stripe of orange in the background. White brush lettering in the middle of them reads ‘Ida & Louise Cook’. A black circle above the women’s head has more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/rebels-no-logos-04.png?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Ida & Louise Cook
Activists who saved many lives in WW2
![Hope Winch | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Hope Winch with a stripe of pink in the background. White brush lettering to the left reads ‘Hope Winch’. A black circle by the woman’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/Hope-Winch-e1722419482944.jpg?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Hope Winch
First head of the University’s pharmacy department
![Kenickie – Lauren Laverne, Marie Nixon & Emma Jackson | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Emma Jackson, Lauren Laverne and Marie Nixon with a stripe of blue in the background. White brush lettering to the left reads ‘Kenickie’. A black circle by the woman’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/A5-REBEL-22-e1721817751825.jpg?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Kenickie – Lauren Laverne, Marie Nixon & Emma Jackson
One of the most famous female-led bands from Sunderland
![Elizabeth Donnison | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A graphic print. A white background with a light pink stripe through the middle. At the centre is a black silhouette of a person’s profile. Text in cursive font reads ‘Her legacy lives on but no image exists, as with many other women in history’. To the left, white brush lettering reads ‘Elizabeth Donnison’. To the right is a black circle with white brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women in Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/A5-REBEL-92.jpg?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Elizabeth Donnison
Founder of the Donnison School
![Abbie Robinson | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Abbie Robinson wearing a Team GB jersey. A stripe of yellow is in the background. White brush lettering to the left reads ‘Abbie Robinson’. A black circle by the woman’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/A5-REBEL-62-e1722419452877.jpg?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Abbie Robinson
Team GB Paraclimber
![Emeli Sande | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Emeli Sande. A stripe of blue is in the background. White brush lettering to the left reads ‘Emeli Sande’. A black circle by the woman’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/rebels-no-logos-03.png?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Emeli Sandé
Musician and University of Sunderland Chancellor
![Steph Houghton & Jill Scott | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Jill Scott and Steph Houghton wearing England football jerseys. A stripe of red is in the background. White brush lettering on the red panel reads ’Steph Houghton’ and ’Jill Scott’. A black circle by the women’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/A5-REBEL-12.jpg?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Steph Houghton & Jill Scott
England footballers
![Ellen Bell | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Ellen Bell MBE. A stripe of purple is in the background. White brush lettering to the left reads ‘Ellen Bell’. A black circle by the woman’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/A5-ELLEN2-e1722423501965.jpg?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Ellen Bell MBE
Sunderland’s first female councillor and champion of public health
![Nadine Shah | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Nadine Shah. A stripe of burgundy is in the background. White brush lettering to the left reads ‘Nadine Shah’. A black circle by the woman’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/A5-NADINE2-e1722424817949.jpg?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Nadine Shah
Musician and activist
![Florence Collard & the Shipyard Women | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Florence Collard. A stripe of green is in the background with black silhouetted people over it. White brush lettering to the left reads ‘Florence Collard’ and to the right ’+ The Shipyard Women’. A black circle in the bottom right corner has more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/rebels-no-logos-05.png?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Florence Collard & the Shipyard Women
Shipyard workers in WW2
![Aly Dixon | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Aly Dixon. A stripe of dark orange is in the background. White brush lettering to the left reads ‘Aly Dixon’. A black circle by the woman’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/A5-ALY2-e1722425438812.jpg?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Aly Dixon
Olympic long-distance runner
![Katharine Backhouse | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Katharine Backhouse. A stripe of teal is in the background. White brush lettering to the right reads ‘Katharine Backhouse’. A black circle by the woman’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/rebels-no-logos-06.png?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Katharine Backhouse and the Quaker Women
Human rights activists
![Ida B Wells | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Ida B Wells. A stripe of yellow is in the background. White brush lettering to the right reads ‘Ida B Wells’. A black circle by the woman’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/Rebel-women-2022-01-e1722419370944.png?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Ida B Wells
Journalist, educator and early leader of the civil rights movement
![Eileen Maud O’Shaughnessy Blair | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Eileen Maud O’Shaughnessy Blair. A stripe of pink is in the background. White brush lettering to the right reads ‘Eileen O’Shaughnessy’. A black circle by the woman’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/Rebel-women-2022-02-e1722419284556.png?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Eileen Maud O’Shaughnessy Blair
Writer and political activist
![Dorothy Williamson | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Dorothy Williamson. A stripe of pink is in the background. White brush lettering to the left reads ‘Dorothy Williamson’. A black circle by the woman’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/Dorothy-1-scaled-1-e1722419341432.jpg?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Dorothy Williamson
Philanthropist
![Winnie Davies | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Winnie Davies. A stripe of burgundy is in the background. White brush lettering to the left reads ‘Winnie Davies’. A black circle by the woman’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/Winnie-900x1273-1-e1722419258755.jpg?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Winnie Davies
Local hero
![Beth Mead | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Beth Mead. A stripe of blue is in the background. White brush lettering to the left reads ‘Beth Mead’. A black circle by the woman’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/Beth-scaled-1-e1722428041605.jpg?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Beth Mead
Footballer on England’s European Champions’ Team
![Faye Fantarrow | The Rebel Women of Sunderland | Artwork by Kathryn Robertson A black and white, graphic portrait of Faye Fantarrow. To the left of the portrait is black text that reads ‘Faye Fantarrow’. To the right is a pink graffiti heart with an arrow through it. A black circle by the woman’s head is more brush lettering that reads ‘Rebel Women of Sunderland’.](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/rebels-no-logos-07-1.png?resize=13%2C10&gravity)
Faye Fantarrow
Singer-songwriter and rising star
Sunderland creatives, illustrator Kathryn Robertson (artist and graduate from University of Sunderland), and writer Jessica Andrews (Portico Prize-winning novelist), were commissioned to produce portraits and to tell the stories of the nominated women.
This project was produced as part of Sunderland Culture’s Great Place programme, funded by Arts Council England and National Lottery Heritage Fund, and in partnership with Sunderland’s Heritage Action Zone and Open Heritage.
![Great Place Scheme logo block including Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England](https://images.sunderlandculture.org.uk/uploads/2024/07/Great-Place-Scheme-Joint-HLF-ACE-logo-Black-300x148-1.jpg?fit=300%2C300)