April 3 will be a major date that fans of the hit TV series Gentleman Jack will most likely be familiar with.

The series has given new life to the incredible legacy of Anne Lister, whose birthday is on April 3. Her diaries have been studies for years in academic circles but her legacy before Sally Wainwright’s Gentleman Jack was little known - even amongst residents of Halifax.

However, this pioneering figure in LGBT history is now getting the deserved recognition.

Kudos to Calderdale Council. I t is good to see the council run a series of events this spring to celebrate her life .

Suranne Jones in series two of Gentleman Jack as Anne Lister. PIC: BBC/Lookout Point/HBO/Sam Taylor/PA Wire

Events marking Anne Lister Birthday F estival from April 1 to 8 include a Q&A session with Sally Wainwright, whose other works include the critically acclaimed Happy Valley. There will also be a birthday bash in her honour on April 6.

Anne Lister’s legacy worth celebrating now more than ever following the success of Gentleman Jack

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