Social Activists from United Kingdom

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary British Social Activists of all time. This list of famous British Social Activists is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of British Social Activists.

1. #1

   

   Nicholas Winton

   1909 - 2015

   HPI 79.1252 langs

   Nicholas Winton was a British humanitarian who organized the rescue of 669 children, most of them Jewish, from Czechoslovakia on the eve of...Read moreShow less

   Nicholas Winton was a British humanitarian who organized the rescue of 669 children, most of them Jewish, from Czechoslovakia on the eve of World War II.

2. #2

   

   Betty Williams

   1943 - 2020

   HPI 78.1670 langs

   Betty Williams is most famous for being a co-founder of the Northern Ireland Peace Movement, which was responsible for the 1976 Nobel Peace...Read moreShow less

   Betty Williams is most famous for being a co-founder of the Northern Ireland Peace Movement, which was responsible for the 1976 Nobel Peace Prize.

3. #3

   

   Guy Fawkes

   1570 - 1606

   HPI 77.0570 langs

   Guy Fawkes was a Catholic who wanted to assassinate King James I of England and replace him with a Catholic monarch. He planned to blow up...Read moreShow less

   Guy Fawkes was a Catholic who wanted to assassinate King James I of England and replace him with a Catholic monarch. He planned to blow up the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament on November 5, 1605. He was caught in the act and tortured.

4. #4

   

   Robert Owen

   1771 - 1858

   HPI 76.7166 langs

   Robert Owen was a Welsh social reformer and textile manufacturer who built a model industrial community at New Lanark, Scotland.

5. #5

   

   Lady Godiva

   990 - 1067

   HPI 74.5457 langs

   Lady Godiva is most famous for her act of defiance against her husband, Leofric, by riding naked through the streets of Coventry.

6. #6

   

   Emmeline Pankhurst

   1858 - 1928

   HPI 73.9468 langs

   Emmeline Pankhurst was a suffragette who fought for women's right to vote.

7. #7

   

   Mairead Maguire

   b. 1944

   HPI 69.9469 langs

   peace activist (born 1944)

8. #8

   

   Thomas Cranmer

   1489 - 1556

   HPI 68.9656 langs

   Thomas Cranmer was the Archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of Henry VIII. He was a leading reformer in the Anglican Church and is most...Read moreShow less

   Thomas Cranmer was the Archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of Henry VIII. He was a leading reformer in the Anglican Church and is most famous for writing the Book of Common Prayer, which was published in 1549.

9. #9

   

   Annie Besant

   1847 - 1933

   HPI 68.9655 langs

   Annie Besant was a British socialist, theosophist, women's rights activist, and writer. She was a supporter of Irish and Indian self-rule...Read moreShow less

   Annie Besant was a British socialist, theosophist, women's rights activist, and writer. She was a supporter of Irish and Indian self-rule and was an orator for the Fabian Society. She was also a co-founder of the Women's Social and Political Union.

10. #10

    

    Max Mosley

    1940 - 2021

    HPI 66.1231 langs

    Former President of the FIA and racing driver