New walking tour in Harrogate to shine a light on inspirational women from town's past
A new walk in Harrogate dedicated entirely to inspirational women from the town’s past is to be launched.
Harry Satloka, Harrogate’s famous and much-liked free walking tour guide has stepped forward, with his fiancee Rebecca Evans, to support Harrogate's ‘Women Winning’ project by offering to guide the new tour.
Rebecca will use her acting skills to enhance this inaugural walk which will take place later this year.
The Women Winning Walking Tour will bring to new audiences some of the amazing achievements of Harrogate’s often forgotten pioneering women.
Women Winning 2025-26 is Harrogate's biggest ever project to mark International Women's Day, which this year falls on on Saturday, March 8.
The 12-month project is being delivered in partnership between Harrogate Film Society, Harrogate Town Association Football Club and Soroptimist International Harrogate and District.
The inspirational women from Harrogate's history who are to featured in The Women Winning Walking Tour are:
Dr Laura Veale (1867-1963)
The first Yorkshire-born woman to qualify as a doctor, Dr Veale was born in Hampsthwaite and became Harrogate’s first female doctor opening her surgery on Victoria Avenue.
Lady Frainy Bomanji (1893-1986)
Philanthropist Lady Frainy Bomanji (1893-1986), wife of shipping magnate Sir Dhunjibhoy Bomanji who lived in a grand house on Cornwall Road, was known fondly as Lady Harrogate.
She was a generous benefactor to the town and is one of only a handful of women to have been granted the Freedom of the Borough of Harrogate.
Leonora Cohen OBE (1873- 1978).
One of the country’s first female magistrates appointed in 1924, Leonora may not be that familiar a figure in the suffragette movement but she acted as one of the bodyguards to Emmeline Pankhurst.
She was also a life-long vegetarian, who along with her husband, opened a vegetarian B&B in Harrogate.
During the walking tour, there will be stops at locations in the town associated with these famous women.
Harry will act as tour host and Rebecca will give a short talk about their accomplishments and the reasons they are so important, often in national terms as well as local.
That covers just three amazing women connected to Harrogate but there will be more on the tour which is being planned for August this year.
Full details will be revealed soon.
Keep up to date at: https://www.harrogatefilmsociety.org/women-winning
Special event: Leonora Cohen
The life and achievements of Leonora Cohen will also be celebrated in another event being held next week by Harrogate Civic Society.
Leonora Cohen: A Leeds & Harrogate Suffragette will take place on Tuesday, March 11 at 7pm in St Paul’s URC Hall, Victoria Avenue, Harrogate.
The talk by Nicola Pullan, who is Assistant Curator of Leeds and Social History, Leeds Museums and Abbey House Museum Kirkstall, will explore the life of Suffragette Leonora Cohen.
Based on research from her archive held at Leeds Museums and Galleries, the talk offer the chance to learn more about her early life, her suffrage activity in Leeds, her move to Harrogate, and what she went on to do after winning the vote.
Email [email protected] if you wish to attend.
Harrogate Free Walking Tour
Harrogate Free Walking Tour is returning this week after Harry’s recovery from an injury he suffered during an epic charity bicycle ride.
It will take place on Saturdays and Sundays, plus bank holidays.
Information: https://www.harrydoeshistory.com/