British Women's Achievements - you'll be surprised

• Dr Helen Sharman, born in Sheffield was actually the first British Astronaut in space and the first woman to visit the Mir space station in 1991. 

• Ada Lovelace born in London was the first computer programmer

• Maria Leijerstam born in Aberdare, Wales was the first person ever to cycle to the south pole in 2013 winning a race against two men and became a world record holder for the achievement.  

• Rosalind Franklin born in London, was the first person to photograph the x-ray diffraction pattern of DNA which led directly to the discovery of the double helical structure of the DNA molecule.

• Dorathy Hodgkin who discovered the structure of penicillin, vitamin B12 and insulin, is the only Woman to have ever received a Copley Medal (issued by the royal society).  She also received a Nobel prize for the same work.

• The first petition for the suffrage was signed in 1866 by 1,499 eminent women and presented by John Stuart Mill. Signatories included Florence Nightingale and Mary Somerville. in 1918 women over 30 who met minimum property requirements were allowed to vote and British women over 21 finally received equal voting rites in 1928.