Matilda Ellen Bishop
Encyclopedia
Matilda Ellen Bishop was the first Principal
of Royal Holloway College, University of London
. Her father was a scholarly Church of England
clergyman.
for young ladies in Brighton
, where she had to learn passages of the Bible by heart. She taught at Sunday School
from the age of eleven. At sixteen she was sent to Queen's College, Harley Street, and was deeply influenced by Revd F D Maurice.
She initially encouraged the students to take Oxford though Oxford did not admit women to its degrees until 1920. However, students were also entered for London University degrees where successful candidates had been awarded degrees since 1878. She later expressed the opinion that the college should become a constituent school of London University. This was established by her successor, Dame Emily Penrose
.
In 1897 she resigned when the governors wanted to introduce nonconformist services in the college chapel on alternate Sundays. The college founder, Thomas Holloway
had stipulated that the college should be non-denominational.
In 1899 she became Principal of the newly founded St Gabriel's Church of England Training College for Women Teachers in Camberwell
, and died in office. She never married.
Principal (academia)
The Principal is the chief executive and the chief academic officer of a university or college in certain parts of the Commonwealth.-Canada:...
of Royal Holloway College, University of London
Royal Holloway, University of London
Royal Holloway, University of London is a constituent college of the University of London. The college has three faculties, 18 academic departments, and about 8,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students from over 130 different countries...
. Her father was a scholarly Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
clergyman.
Early life
She was educated at a seminarySeminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
for young ladies in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, where she had to learn passages of the Bible by heart. She taught at Sunday School
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
from the age of eleven. At sixteen she was sent to Queen's College, Harley Street, and was deeply influenced by Revd F D Maurice.
Career
She then followed a teaching career becoming headmistress of Oxford High School from 1879 to 1887. She was appointed as the first Principal of the new Royal Holloway College in 1887.She initially encouraged the students to take Oxford though Oxford did not admit women to its degrees until 1920. However, students were also entered for London University degrees where successful candidates had been awarded degrees since 1878. She later expressed the opinion that the college should become a constituent school of London University. This was established by her successor, Dame Emily Penrose
Emily Penrose
Dame Emily Penrose, DBE was Principal of Somerville College, Oxford University from 1907 until 1926. She was the second of five children and eldest of the four daughters of Francis Cranmer Penrose, architect and archaeologist.-Career:Penrose, who never married, was emblematic of the history of...
.
In 1897 she resigned when the governors wanted to introduce nonconformist services in the college chapel on alternate Sundays. The college founder, Thomas Holloway
Thomas Holloway
Thomas Holloway was a patent medicine vendor and philanthropist from England.-Early life:Holloway was born in Devonport, a district of Plymouth in the county of Devon, the eldest son of Thomas and Mary Holloway , who at the time of their son's birth had a bakery business. They later moved to...
had stipulated that the college should be non-denominational.
In 1899 she became Principal of the newly founded St Gabriel's Church of England Training College for Women Teachers in Camberwell
Camberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
, and died in office. She never married.