Gertrude von Petzold (1876-1952) England's first woman minister.
There have been women ministers in England since the 18 century, all the early ones being Quakers such as Grace Hall (1676-1762). Unitarians had a female lay-preacher at least as early as 1873 when Annie Rollinson of Hunslet, Leeds, took monthly services on behalf of the West Riding Unitarian Missionary Society at Elland near Halifax.
But Gertrude von Petzold was the first woman actually to train as a minister in England and the year 2004 marks the centenary of her appointment as minister of the Free Christian Church (Unitarian), Leicester.
2004 is also the tenth anniversary of the ordination of women as priests in the Church of England. There have been women ministers in the Congregational church for the past 87 years and in the British Methodist church for 34 years.
The 20 century saw the entry of women into many other professional spheres.
Suggestion for collective worship in a primary school
A prayer for women's fulfilment
Readings from the Christian scriptures
A hymn celebrating the centenary of Gertrude von Pezold
Words for reflection by Gertrude von Petzold
Readings from sermons by Gertrude von Petzold
Some reflections of a woman minister
Women ministers in the Christian scriptures
Cliff Reed on Biblical precedents for women's ministry