Sophia Louisa Jex-Blake (1840-1912)
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| Born | 21 January 1840 |
| Died | 7 January 1912 |
| Spouse(s) | Dr. Margaret Todd |
| Parents |
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Sophia Louisa Jex-Blake was a pioneering English physician, educator, and feminist. She led the campaign to secure women's access to university education in the United Kingdom and was one of the first female doctors in the country. Jex-Blake was instrumental in founding two medical schools for women—one in London and another in Edinburgh—at a time when no other medical schools were training women.[1]
Early Life and Education[edit]
Sophia Jex-Blake was born on 21 January 1840 at 3 Croft Place, to Thomas Jex-Blake, a retired lawyer, and Mary Jex-Blake (née Cubitt). She was educated at home until the age of eight, after which she attended various private schools in southern England. In 1858, she enrolled at Queen's College, London, despite her parents' objections. While still a student, she was offered a position as a mathematics tutor at the college, which she held until 1861. During this period, she lived for some time with the family of social reformer Octavia Hill. Her family did not expect their daughter to earn a living, and her father refused her permission to accept a salary.[1]
Medical Training and the Edinburgh Seven[edit]
In 1865, Jex-Blake traveled to the United States to learn more about women's education. She visited various schools and was strongly influenced by developments in co-education there. At the New England Hospital for Women and Children in Boston, she met Dr. Lucy Ellen Sewall, one of the country's pioneer female physicians, who became an important and lifelong friend. Jex-Blake worked there for a time as an assistant, which solidified her decision to pursue a career in medicine.[1]
Upon returning to the UK, Jex-Blake applied to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh in March 1869. Although the medical faculty and the senatus academicus voted in favor of allowing her to study medicine, the university court rejected her application on the grounds that the university could not make the necessary arrangements "in the interest of one lady."[2]
Undeterred, she advertised in The Scotsman and other national newspapers for more women to join her. A second application was submitted in 1869 on behalf of a group of five women, which later grew to seven, collectively known as the "Edinburgh Seven": Mary Anderson, Emily Bovell, Matilda Chaplin, Helen Evans, Sophia Jex-Blake, Edith Pechey, and Isabel Thorne. This application requested the right to attend all the classes and examinations required for a degree in medicine. The university court approved the application, and the University of Edinburgh became the first British university to admit women.[1]
Despite initial successes, the women faced significant hostility. On 18 November 1870, during the Surgeons' Hall Riot, a mob of male students and others gathered to prevent the women from entering the examination hall, pelting them with mud and rubbish. The incident attracted widespread publicity and garnered support for the women's cause.[2]
Later Career and Legacy[edit]
After the University of Edinburgh refused to award degrees to the women, Jex-Blake and several of her colleagues completed their medical education abroad. In 1877, Jex-Blake obtained her MD from the University of Bern in Switzerland. In 1876, the UK Medical Act was passed, allowing women to obtain medical licenses in Britain.[1]
In 1874, Jex-Blake co-founded the London School of Medicine for Women, the first medical school in Britain to train women as doctors. She later returned to Edinburgh, where she established the Edinburgh School of Medicine for Women in 1886. She also opened a clinic for poor patients, which evolved into the Bruntsfield Hospital.[1]
Jex-Blake retired in 1899 and lived with her partner, Dr. Margaret Todd, a fellow physician and novelist, until her death on 7 January 1912 in Mark Cross, Rotherfield, Sussex, England.[1]
Legacy[edit]
In 2019, the University of Edinburgh awarded honorary MBChB degrees to the Edinburgh Seven, recognizing their contributions to medical education.[1]. A white plaque is affixed to the wall of 18 Croft Road to commemorate Sophia.
