DR lesley trotter

History of Women in Cornwall, Community & Voluntary Action, Education

Suggested by Wendy Brown & Sally Smith

Wendy & Sally say, “One of Lesley’s most important achievements is highlighting the history of women in Cornwall. Much of her work since she moved here 20 years ago has been researching, writing and talking about women in Cornwall. She has written several books in particular, “The Married Women of Cornwall”, the story of women left behind by emigration. In 2019 she organised a conference called Cornwall –Herstory for the Institute of Cornish Studies. She presents to community groups and conferences and is the creator of an online exhibition called the Resilient Women of Mining.

We both sing with Lesley in community choirs and are in awe of her tireless work.
Lesley was the Historical consultant on the heritage based community project by Perth Kov, Until the Day Break and was instrumental in digging into the stories of the women we were wanting to include in our production in 2017.

Everything Lesley does in her professional life makes people more aware of the lives of women in Cornwall’s past. She volunteers time and expertise with St Day Old Church CIC and events run by the Day-Light group and worked on the Heritage Lottery funded St Day Town Clock Project leading the research on the site history. She served on the committee of Action St Day and as a Parish Councilor where she organised heritage and other events connected with the development of the Parish Plan.

Lesley, an independent historian, writer and professional genealogist has a longstanding interest in local and family history. She is a member of the Society of Genealogists, Cornwall Family History Society, Royal Institute of Cornwall, Cornwall Archaeological Society and Cornish Buildings Group. She was a volunteer researcher on the Victoria County History of Cornwall.”