Famous British Women Trivia Quiz

Answer: Nursing

Florence Nightingale is often described as the founder of modern nursing. She went to the war zone of the Crimea in the 1850s with a team of nurses to care for the soldiers who had been wounded in the conflict. Florence was nicknamed 'the lady of the lamp' as she went around at night to check the condition of the injured men in her care.

Answer: Writing

Jane Austen wrote several novels, including 'Pride and Prejudice' and 'Sense and Sensibility', which concentrated on the need for women to make a 'good' marriage to obtain a place in 'society'. Although Jane wrote about the subject, she herself never married, dying in 1817 at the relatively young age of forty-one.

Answer: Warrior

Boudicca's fame comes from her resistance to the occupying Romans in Britain during the years around 60 AD. When her husband died, the Romans claimed his lands leading Boudicca to lead attacks against them. Although she had some successes, the Roman forces eventually prevailed and Boudicca died, either from suicide or illness.

Answer: Sportswoman

Virginia played tennis professionally, and was successful in both singles and doubles. She won the Wimbledon title in 1977, which coincided with the silver anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne. That was the last time in the twentieth century that a British woman won the singles title. Virginia also won the US title, in 1968, and the Australian, in 1972.

Answer: Politician

Margaret Thatcher shook up British politics when she became the first woman to lead the Conservative Party, in 1975, and then followed up by becoming the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in 1979. Mrs Thatcher remained at the country's leader until 1990, when she was replaced by John Major.

Answer: Mathematician

Ada Lovelace is remembered for her work, with Charles Babbage, on a machine called the 'Analytical Engine'. This is seen as an early forerunner of the computer, and Ada herself is often called the 'first computer programmer'. Since her work was carried out in the 1840s, Ada can be described as a real female pioneer.

Answer: Fashion designer

Mary Quant became famous in the 1960s and is often credited with inventing the miniskirt, which first became popular at that time. She is also associated with hotpants - very short shorts worn by women (mainly) for day or evenings, including as work wear. Quant's style was unmistakable at the time, and her name is the first one most people will offer when 1960s fashion is discussed.

Answer: Prison reform

Elizabeth's concern about the conditions in prison, especially for woman and their children, who were often in gaol with their mothers, began in 1813. Among the changes she brought in were school lessons for the children and teaching for the mothers, in needlework, which were intended to give them the chance to have a trade once they left prison. Elizabeth Fry also campaigned against slavery and helped the homeless.

The nursing school she set up is often mentioned as inspiring Florence Nightingale.

Answer: Campaigner for votes for women

Born in 1858, Emmeline Pankhurst became a leader of the suffragette movement who campaigned for women to be able to vote. The group's methods were, at times, violent and included damage to property, such as breaking windows and setting fire to buildings, and going on hunger strikes. Emmeline was often arrested and sent to prison, where she refused to eat.

The First World War, which began in 1914, led to a change in how women's worth was seen, and the right to vote began to be extended to certain women from 1918 onwards.

Answer: Pilot

Amy Johnson was a pioneer in flying and became the first woman to fly to Australia from Britain, in 1930. She also set several other records, including flying to Moscow in one day, which took her about twenty-one hours. From there, Amy flew to Japan, via Siberia, which set another record.