Heroines and harlots, political hostesses and mistresses, the women who lived in the great houses, and the thousands more who led more ordinary lives ? they all have a place in British history. Many lived and died without a lasting record of their existence beyond the register of births, marriages and deaths - perhaps not even there. But fortunately, some women did leave behind far richer evidence of their lives, itemised and expressed in the wills they wrote, providing a precious historical record that can be stitched together again today.Using women-s wills across the centuries, this book aims to tell something of women-s stories - the pioneers, the celebrities and the achievers, as well as the majority history ignored. Their bequests are fascinating and diverse, from -my best beaver hatt- mentioned in Tudor times to great houses such as Chequers. They range from the Duchess of Windsor-s Cartier jewels at the top of society to the many wills of poorer women who left practical and per
