Katana VentraIP

Bedford College, London

Bedford College was founded in London in 1849 as the first higher education college for women in the United Kingdom. In 1900, it became a constituent of the University of London. Having played a leading role in the advancement of women in higher education and public life in general, it became fully coeducational (i.e. open to men) in the 1960s. In 1985, Bedford College merged with Royal Holloway College, another constituent of the University of London, to form Royal Holloway and Bedford New College. This remains the official name, but it is commonly called Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL).

For other uses, see Bedford College (disambiguation).

Bedford College

Elizabeth Jesser Reid

1849

1985

First women to run a British institution.

[1]

First Social Sciences department in the UK, established 1918

First woman to hold a chair in philosophy in the UK, .[14]

Susan Stebbing

One of the first two women fellows of the [15]

Royal Society

Fourth woman chairman of the (TUC), Marie Patterson

Trades Union Congress

The first art school in England where women could draw from life

[16]

Founder (1849–1864) then run by trustees until first principal appointed

Elizabeth Jesser Reid

First principal (1893–1898) also Royal Holloway (1898–1907)

Dame Emily Penrose

(1898–1906)

Ethel Hurlbatt

(1907–1929)

Dame Margaret Jansen Tuke

CBE (1930–1951)

Geraldine Emma May Jebb

(1951–1964)

Norah Lillian Penston

(1964–1971), later Principal of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford

Elizabeth Millicent Chilver

(1971–1981)

John Nicholson Black

last Principal of Bedford College (1981–1985)

Dorothy Wedderburn

Sources[edit]

Tuke, Margaret Janson (1939). A History of Bedford College for Women, 1849-1937. London: Oxford University Press.

History of Royal Holloway and Bedford New College

Royal Holloway, University of London Archives

Archived 5 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine

Genesis website page on Bedford College's archived papers

Archived 5 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine

Genesis website page on Elizabeth Jesser Reid's archived papers

webpage of Royal Holloway and Bedford New College

Notable Alumnae

Bedford College student lists

accessed 27 May 2012

Bedford College in World Ward II

51°31′07″N 0°07′46″W / 51.518545°N 0.129481°W / 51.518545; -0.129481