Elisabeth Jesser Sturch was born in 1789 in London. Her father, William Sturch, was a wealthy Unitarian ironmonger. In 1821, she married Dr John Reid. Dr Reid had inherited land in Northumbria and on the River Clyde at Glasgow that had become valuable as the port grew in size. His death in July 1822 gave her an independent income, which she used to help various philanthropic causes.
Activismedit
Active in liberal Unitarian circles, Reid was an anti-slavery activist, attending the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London in 1840. She met Lucretia Mott and the other American female delegates who had been denied the right to speak at the convention.[1] and taking a close interest in the American Civil War. She was also in contact with leading figures in the revolutions in France and Germany in 1848, and the struggles for Italian independence.
Women's higher educationedit
In 1849, Reid founded Bedford College at Bedford Square in the Bloomsbury area of London. The college was a women-only higher education institution that aimed to provide a liberal and non-sectarian education for female students – something no other institution in the United Kingdom offered at the time. Bedford College played a leading role in the advancement of women in higher education, and in public life in general. The National Archives U.K. holds a number of letters written to Reid that reference noted Victorian advocates of female education, including Harriet Martineau and Frances Lupton.[2] Reid also founded the Reid Trust, which continues to support women's education with small grants to this day.[citation needed]
Reid died in 1866, leaving her remaining wealth in a trust fund for the college. Reid had insisted on women being involved with the governance of the college[3] and there were three women trustees including her friend Elizabeth Anne Bostock.[4]
^Sybil Oldfield, "Reid , Elisabeth Jesser (1789–1866)", rev. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2011, accessed 30 July 2015.
^"Letter to EAB (Eliza Bostock) from Frances Elizabeth Lupton about the memorial about Cambridge Examinations. PP40/4/1/124 16 March 1864 - letter from Frances Lupton to Eliza Bostock - co-founder with Elizabeth Jesser Reid of Bedford College, London. Also in collection of National Archives - many letters from Frances Lupton's aunt, Harriet Martineau to Elizabeth Jesser Reid". Papers of Elizabeth Jesser Reid (1789-1866). National Archives UK. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
^"Elisabeth Jesser Reid". University of London. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
^"Bostock, Elizabeth Anne [Eliza] (1817–1898), promoter of women's education". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/52743. Retrieved 7 April 2020. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
External linksedit
Genesis website page on Reid's archived papers 5 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
Genesis website page on Bedford College's archived papers 5 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
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This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations February 2024 Learn how and when to remove this template message Elizabeth Jesser Reid r iː d nee Sturch 25 December 1789 1 April 1866 forename sometimes spelled Elisabeth was an English social reformer anti slavery activist and philanthropist She is best remembered as the founder of Bedford College Elizabeth Jesser ReidBornElizabeth Jesser Sturch25 December 1789LondonDied1 April 1866 1866 05 aged 76 LondonNationalityBritishOther namesElisabeth Jesser SturchOccupationPhilanthropistKnown forfounder of Bedford CollegeSpouseDr John Reid Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life 1 2 Activism 1 3 Women s higher education 2 Legacy 3 References 4 External linksBiography editEarly life edit Elisabeth Jesser Sturch was born in 1789 in London Her father William Sturch was a wealthy Unitarian ironmonger In 1821 she married Dr John Reid Dr Reid had inherited land in Northumbria and on the River Clyde at Glasgow that had become valuable as the port grew in size His death in July 1822 gave her an independent income which she used to help various philanthropic causes Activism edit Active in liberal Unitarian circles Reid was an anti slavery activist attending the World Anti Slavery Convention in London in 1840 She met Lucretia Mott and the other American female delegates who had been denied the right to speak at the convention 1 and taking a close interest in the American Civil War She was also in contact with leading figures in the revolutions in France and Germany in 1848 and the struggles for Italian independence Women s higher education edit In 1849 Reid founded Bedford College at Bedford Square in the Bloomsbury area of London The college was a women only higher education institution that aimed to provide a liberal and non sectarian education for female students something no other institution in the United Kingdom offered at the time Bedford College played a leading role in the advancement of women in higher education and in public life in general The National Archives U K holds a number of letters written to Reid that reference noted Victorian advocates of female education including Harriet Martineau and Frances Lupton 2 Reid also founded the Reid Trust which continues to support women s education with small grants to this day citation needed Reid died in 1866 leaving her remaining wealth in a trust fund for the college Reid had insisted on women being involved with the governance of the college 3 and there were three women trustees including her friend Elizabeth Anne Bostock 4 Legacy editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Elizabeth Jesser Reid news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2024 Learn how and when to remove this template message nbsp Green plaque at Bedford Square LondonThere is a green plaque on Reid s house in Bedford Square Bedford College became a college of the University of London in 1900 and merged with Royal Holloway College in 1985 to become Royal Holloway and Bedford New College One of the halls of residence on the current campus is named Reid Hall in memory of the Bedford College founder References edit Sybil Oldfield Reid Elisabeth Jesser 1789 1866 rev Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press 2004 online edn May 2011 accessed 30 July 2015 Letter to EAB Eliza Bostock from Frances Elizabeth Lupton about the memorial about Cambridge Examinations PP40 4 1 124 16 March 1864 letter from Frances Lupton to Eliza Bostock co founder with Elizabeth Jesser Reid of Bedford College London Also in collection of National Archives many letters from Frances Lupton s aunt Harriet Martineau to Elizabeth Jesser Reid Papers of Elizabeth Jesser Reid 1789 1866 National Archives UK Retrieved 2 March 2013 Elisabeth Jesser Reid University of London Retrieved 7 April 2020 Bostock Elizabeth Anne Eliza 1817 1898 promoter of women s education Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press 2004 doi 10 1093 ref odnb 52743 Retrieved 7 April 2020 Subscription or UK public library membership required External links editHistory of Royal Holloway and Bedford New College Genesis website page on Reid s archived papers 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 Beginnings website page on history of Bedford CollegeAcademic officesPreceded byNone FounderBedford CollegeUniversity of London1849 64 Succeeded byDame Emily Penrose Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Elizabeth Jesser Reid amp oldid 1209073964, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
