A Map Of Women's History In London

Will Noble
By Will Noble Last edited 8 months ago

Last Updated 10 April 2024

A Map Of Women's History In London

If you love London history then check out our weekly email, Londonist: Time Machine.

The front of the map, with a copy of it opened up behind
The heavily-illustrated maps whisks you through  a cornucopia of remarkable female Londoners.

One of our favourite cartographers is back — and this time they've mapped women's history across London.

From Boudicca — who once razed Londinium to the ground — to second world war special agent Violette Szabo, almost every street in central London is linked with remarkable women.

A bust of Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf makes an appearance, of course. Image: Jo Underhill for Blue Crow Media

To prove the point, Blue Crow Media have teamed up with Look Up London tour guide Katie Wignall to produce the Women's History London Map — a pocket guide which leads you to the various statues, memorials and sites related to figures including writer Virginia Woolf, nurse Mary Seacole, National Trust co-founder Octavia Hill and artist Rachel Whiteread. Though statues and busts feature prominently, there are also a few curveballs, such as Conway Hall in Holborn (where Suffragettes held meetings) and the South Bank Lion, made from the self-cleaning Coade stone, named after its creator, Eleanor Coade.

The front of the Whitechapel Gallery Gallery, flecked in gold leaves
Rachel Whiteread's golden leaves on the edifice of Whitechapel Gallery. Image: Jo Underhill for Blue Crow Media

Blue Crow Media — who've produced scores of maps covering everything from Black history to alleyways — have, as usual, created a map that's both pretty and practical — with plenty of images, so it's good for armchair exploration, or venturing out to see these sites IRL. A doff of the hat, too, for the Suffragette colours on the front.

Women's History London Map, Blue Crow Media, published 8 March 2024