People in history

Discover some of the social history behind our places and uncover fascinating facts about the people who have lived in them

Beatrix Potter as an older woman in the Hill Top garden with one of her sheepdogs
Lady Jane Grey in her VAD nurses uniform at Stamford Military Hospital (Dunham Massey), Cheshire

Women’s stories from the First World War 

We look after many places with connections to the First World War. Discover stories from the women who played a vital role in the war.

Discover women's war stories
Archive photo of people gathered on Great Gable Summit in 1923

A Great Gift in the Lake District 

2018 marks 100 years since the end of the First World War. In the years that followed, three very special gifts were made to the National Trust to look after on behalf of the nation.

A dedication to freedom

Saving our nation's heritage for ever, for everyone

Octavia Hill (after John Singer Sargent) by Reginald Grenville Eves, RA

Who was Octavia Hill? 

A social reformer, public figure, artist and activist, Octavia Hill was also a key figure in the foundation of the National Trust.

Canon Rawnsley (centre) with Beatrix Potter and her family in 1887

Who was Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley? 

Born in Oxfordshire in 1851, Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley (1851–1920) was one of the founders of the National Trust.

Ferguson's Gang members Shot Biddy, Kate O’Brien and Bill Stickers enjoying a picnic, 1935

Who were Ferguson's Gang? 

Ferguson’s Gang was formed in 1927 with five core members, all of whom were women. Their aim was to raise awareness of the need to protect rural areas and they supported the organisation they considered to be the most dedicated to preserving England’s heritage: the National Trust.

Women for fought for suffrage

Figures from our places who fought for female suffrage 

Many of our places were home to impassioned people who campaigned for female suffrage. Discover the stories of those who championed female empowerment

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A portrait of Humphry Repton

Humphry Repton: the first landscape gardener 

Repton, the original landscape gardener, brought his unique design style to the gardens and parks at more than 20 of our places. As a skilled water colour painter, each commission was accompanied by one of his ingenious 'red books' to illustrate his proposal.

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