Anne Lister: Festival celebrating Gentleman Jack heroine brings visitors from more than 20 countries flocking to Halifax

The annual celebration ran from late March to early April and brought in visitors from far and wide, said a senior councillor.

Coun Sarah Courtney (Lab, Calder) said visitors to the more than 70 events held in celebration of the life of Anne Lister – the famous landowner, entrepreneur, mountaineer, scholar, traveller, and lesbian who was born in Halifax on April 3, 1791 – came from all over the world.

Ms Lister’s story was made even more famous in recent years thanks to the BBC/HBO co-produced series Gentleman Jack, the drama which starred Suranne Jones as Anne.

Coun Courtney thanked all staff who worked hard on the festival which had seen people from the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Norway and South Africa, among others, visit Calderdale.

“There were lots and lots of very happy smiling faces and they were really welcomed,” she reported to councillors at a meeting of the full Calderdale Council.

Walks, talks, heritage tours and art and craft activities all formed pat of the nine-day festival, with the Calderdale archives also open at Halifax Central Library, offering the chance to see Anne’s famous diaries in person.

The council estimated in all around 650 visitors from other countries attended the festival.

As has become usual, the festival featured a special flower laying ceremony at the statue of her at Halifax’s Piece Hall on what would have been Anne’s birthday.