Northern Ladies: Beattie to speak at Lady Anne Clifford Event in Skipton

News article published by Cordelia Beattie on 7 September 2026  eventsyorkshire

Lady Anne Clifford, the ‘Proud Northern Lady’, died 350 years ago this year. She is for many people in northern England a heroine, for others a feminist icon. Almost by coincidence, the Yorkshire Archaeological and Historical Society is publishing this autumn a collection of 120 letters by Lady Anne, to her and about her, edited by Lady Anne’s biographer, Professor Jessica Malay. The volume also contains the complete memoir of her secretary, the Westmorland-born George Sedgewick, which till now has only been known from excerpts.

To celebrate both the anniversary and the publication of the book, the Society will be holding a conference in Skipton Town Hall on 31 October 2026 where a stellar line up of speakers will talk about Lady Anne and some of her female contemporaries, including Alice Thornton. This will be a celebration of a formidable figure. Do come along for what promises to be an exciting day.

Bookings are now open for the day conference which will launch the publication.