Celebrating the Wonderful Women of Dartmouth, Devon

As we celebrate International Women’s Day in 2025, it’s fitting to highlight the remarkable contributions of women to Dartmouth’s heritage, business landscape and community. The town boasts a diverse array of female entrepreneurs and leaders who have made significant impacts in various sectors.

Iconic Figures From the Past

1. Flora Thompson (1876-1947) a renowned English novelist and poet, who lived in Dartmouth for her last 17 years. She is perhaps best known for her semi-autobiographical trilogy “Lark Rise to Candleford”, which was later adapted for TV by the BBC. She is buried in Longcross Cemetery, Dartmouth, with a tombstone fittingly shaped like a book.
2. Agatha Christie (1890-1976) is one of the most famous female figures associated with Dartmouth. She purchased Greenway House as a holiday home in the 1930’s where she spent many holidays with her family. This home is said to have inspired a number of her novels, including “Dead Man’s Folly” “Five Little Pigs” and “Towards Zero”.

Contemporary Women’s Impact

Today, the women of Dartmouth continue to make significant contributions:

• Entrepreneurship: Women-led businesses in Dartmouth are estimated to account for over 25% of all businesses in the town, which is higher than the UK average of 19%.
• Community Leadership: Women are also increasingly taking on leadership roles in community organizations and local initiatives.

One notable example of female entrepreneurship in Dartmouth is Joyce Molyneux, who owned The Angel restaurant. She was a pioneer in the culinary world, becoming one of the first women in the UK to achieve such prominence in the field.

Following closely in Joyce’s footsteps at The Angel is Elly Wentworth: another talented chef who has made her mark in Dartmouth’s culinary scene. Her expertise and innovative approach to cooking have helped elevate the town’s gastronomic reputation.

The owner of the eponymous Jenny Koo’s Kitchen, located in the heart of Dartmouth’s Old Market Square, is using her Malaysian roots and using produce from Devon to offer a fusion of Asian and local British cuisines. Her innovative take-away menu and evening dining experiences have become popular among locals and visitors alike.

Over 100 other businesses in Dartmouth are led by female entrepreneurs, across all sectors of the local economy. Although too numerous to mention each of them here, the point is Dartmouth is incredibly proud of all of them, as well as the fact business-women choose to locate their business here, and are able to make such a success of them.

In the field of community leadership, Dartmouth is equally as proud of the women making their mark and improving our community for the better. These include:

Victoria Benns, a naturalist and trailblazer who founded Wild About Nature and more recently launched BeWild. This later initiative is a community of businesses championing positive environmental change and celebrating local biodiversity efforts.

Yvonne Cottam, who at 76 is of an age when most people are putting their feet up. Instead she fills her days helping elderly people with activities, as a result of which she was made a Coronation Champion, one of just 500 out of almost 5,000 nominees.

Liz Moseley is another hardworking community leader who received a much-deserved award from the High Sherriff of Devon earlier this year, for her incredible voluntary work in starting and running the successful youth group. Liz is also responsible for the Dartmouth Dawdle, which is seen weekly in Dartmouth encouraging people to be more active.

Dee Nutt MBE is the chair of the trustees for Dartmouth Caring, an important health and social care charity in Dartmouth, which she has been involved with since 2006.

Women are also at the forefront of key organizations in Dartmouth, such as Dartmouth & District Chamber of Commerce, Dartmouth Tourism & Business Hub, and Dartmouth Green Partnerships, to name but a few.

From culinary innovators like Elly Wentworth to committed community champions such as Liz Moseley, women in Dartmouth are shaping the town’s character and driving its progress. Their contributions span various sectors, making Dartmouth a vibrant and diverse place to live and work. As we celebrate World Women’s Day, let’s recognize and support all these remarkable women who continue to inspire and lead in our community.

With Love from Dartmouth!