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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
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’.

Dr Marion Phillips

First female MP in Sunderland

Dr Marion Phillips
Kate Adie
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’.

Kate Adie

Journalist and broadcaster

Kate Adie
Margaret Dryburgh
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’.

Margaret Dryburgh

Teacher and missionary 

Margaret Dryburgh
Ida & Louise Cook
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’.

Ida & Louise Cook

Activists who saved many lives in WW2

Ida & Louise Cook
Hope Winch
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’.

Hope Winch

First head of the University’s pharmacy department 

Hope Winch
Kenickie
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’.

Kenickie – Lauren Laverne, Marie Nixon & Emma Jackson

One of the most famous female-led bands from Sunderland

Kenickie
Elizabeth Donnison
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’.

Elizabeth Donnison

Founder of the Donnison School 

Elizabeth Donnison
Abbie Robinson
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’.

Abbie Robinson

Team GB Paraclimber

Abbie Robinson
Emeli Sandé
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’.

Emeli Sandé

Musician and University of Sunderland Chancellor

Emeli Sandé
Steph Houghton & Jill Scott
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’.

Steph Houghton & Jill Scott

England footballers

Steph Houghton & Jill Scott
Ellen Bell
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’.

Ellen Bell MBE

Sunderland’s first female councillor and champion of public health 

Ellen Bell
Nadine Shah
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’.

Nadine Shah

Musician and activist

Nadine Shah
Florence Collard and the Shipyard Women
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’.

Florence Collard & the Shipyard Women

Shipyard workers in WW2

Florence Collard and the Shipyard Women
Aly Dixon
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’.

Aly Dixon

Olympic long-distance runner

Aly Dixon
Katharine Backhouse & the Quaker Women
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’.

Katharine Backhouse and the Quaker Women

Human rights activists

Katharine Backhouse & the Quaker Women
Ida B Wells
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’.

Ida B Wells

Journalist, educator and early leader of the civil rights movement 

Ida B Wells
Eileen Maud O’Shaughnessy Blair
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’.

Eileen Maud O’Shaughnessy Blair

Writer and political activist

Eileen Maud O’Shaughnessy Blair
Dorothy Williamson
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’.

Dorothy Williamson

Philanthropist

Dorothy Williamson
Winnie Davies
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’.

Winnie Davies

Local hero

Winnie Davies
Beth Mead
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’.

Beth Mead

Footballer on England’s European Champions’ Team 

Beth Mead
Faye Fantarrow
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’.

Faye Fantarrow

Singer-songwriter and rising star

Faye Fantarrow

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