Love at King’s ManorĪt Manor House School, Anne was considered to be a “tomboy”. As an indication of her intelligence and independence, at the age of only seven, Anne was sent to school in Ripon and, in 1804, she moved on to the Manor House School in York which occupied part of King’s Manor. Initially, Anne was educated at home first by the Revd Samuel White, later vicar of Halifax, then by the Revd George Skelding, vicar of Market Weighton, studying Greek, Latin, French, mathematics, geometry, history and English literature. It was unusual for young Victorian ladies to receive a formal education. Being unhappy at home, she had taken up residence there with her uncle James and his sister, Anne, both unmarried, in 1815 and she became involved in running the estate at an early age. It was as a result of Samuel’s death that Anne Lister would eventually inherit the 400-acre Shibden Hall estate, in 1826, on the death of her uncle. Tragically, three of their sons died at early ages and the fourth son, Samuel, died in 1813 in a drowning accident whilst serving in the army.

Over the next few years, the couple had four sons and two daughters. Using an inheritance which Rebecca received on her father’s death, Jeremy Lister purchased an estate near Market Weighton and, in 1793, the family moved there to Skelfler House.

In August 1788, Captain Lister married Rebecca Battle from North Cave in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Her father was Jeremy Lister, an army officer who had fought in the American War of Independence (1765-83) which ended with the loss of the British colonies and the establishment of the United States of America. They had acquired Shibden Hall in the 17 th century and it was here, on 3 April 1791, that Anne Lister was born. Wealthy mill owners and cloth merchants, the Listers were one of the most prominent families in Halifax. Anne’s diaries record the ‘blessing’ of their ‘marriage’ at Holy Trinity Church Goodramgate in York. She inherited Shibden Hall, the family estate in Halifax, running it as a successful business and lived there openly with a female partner. Often referred to as ‘the first modern lesbian’, Anne Lister defied the social conventions of the Victorian age. Plaque at the Goodramgate entrance to Holy Trinity Church churchyard, YO1 7LF

Anne lister no priest but love