Much has been written about the men of Wakefield, but apart from a couple of well-documented individuals, the women of Wakefield have remained largely ignored. Yet many women in this prosperous West Riding town worked hard to improve their lives and those of other women.

Pursuing her passion for delving into family and social history, Gaynor Haliday started sharing the stories she had uncovered, by writing magazine articles about her ancestors. Her first book, Victorian Policing (Pen & Sword, November 2017), was inspired by her great, great grandfather's policing career.