Workman, Fanny Bullock (1859-1925)
Writing and travelling with her husband, William Hunter Workman, Fanny Bullock Workman was a pioneer woman traveller who consistently defied accepted norms for women's behavior at the turn of the century. When health problems forced William to retire from the medical profession in 1889, the two began their world-wide travels that at first included travels to Europe and Asia, and later expeditions to the Himalayas.
The Workmans pioneered the use of the bicycle as a means of long-distance travel in the 1890s and tested their mountaineering skills in the Himalayas. Indeed, Fanny set the world 's record for women climbers by reaching 22,737 feet on Pinnacle Peak.
The Workmans wrote their travel literature in a single voice, yet included important remarks on the condition of women in the areas they visited. The reactions of various populations to a woman riding a bicycle are also of particular note. In her travels and writing Fanny displayed a consistent concern with advancing the rights of women, displaying a sign on top of one mountain, "Votes for Women".