The New Great Britons

Part of Durham book Festival.
 
In 2002, the BBC ran a campaign to find the Greatest Briton. 20 years on, in this event writers and academics will champion some northern, working-class figures whose stories rarely make it into the traditional canon of ‘greatness’.
 
The UK’s first black referee; the woman who revolutionised domestic violence legislation in the 19th Century; the only Romani footballer to ever play for England. Novelist Ashley Hickson-Lovence, Professor Julie-Marie Strange and author Richard O’Neill will bring into the spotlight these three fascinating lives.
 
This event will be chaired by Durham University’s Dr Natalie Mears whose research re-evaluates the representation of Elizabeth I, voted seventh Greatest Briton in the BBC’s campaign in 2002 and one of only two women in the top ten