The University Context
The posts in this section provide facts and figures about the size, shape and organisation of the University of St Andrews and its department(s) of History over the twentieth century. These posts are not specifically about women historians, but provide the context in which to understand their experiences, such as student numbers, or structural changes in degree programmes or departments.
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A brief history of women historians at St Andrews
From 1877 onwards, the innovative St Andrews LLA qualification enabled women from across the UK (and beyond) to be examined and certified to degree level, at a time when few universities were willing to award degrees to women. History was one of the subjects available, which meant that women could be examined and certified in…
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History graduates: statistics 1900-1975
Just one student graduated with Honours in History in 1900; by 1975, the graduating class had grown to 59 students. We know this, because the University of St Andrews ‘Calendars’, published annually, contained lists of graduating students, with their names and degree subjects. We can use this data to investigate how many people, men and…
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The History degree vs other degrees: statistics 1900-1935
The University of St Andrews ‘Calendars’, published annually, contained lists of graduating students, with their names and degree subjects. We can use this data to investigate how many people, men and women, graduated in History, and how that changed over time. This provides an excellent backdrop for understanding the experience of female staff and students…
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History in the early twentieth century: from one department to two
At the start of the twentieth century, the subject of ‘Modern History’ was taught at St Andrews by just one member of staff, a lecturer (although there was separate provision for ‘ancient history’ in the department of Classics, and for ‘ecclesiastical history’ in St Mary’s College). Over the following decades, more staff were appointed, with…
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(Home)town and Gown: Mapping the Origins of Female Historian Undergrads
Whilst investigating the St Andrews women historian contingent, our main aim was to not only identify their presence, but also their backgrounds. This opportunity came in the form of hometown records listed in University Calendars, giving us the chance to explore where these women came from, and subsequently a flavour of their regional identities. In this…
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Early women lecturers
When we began this project, we thought we knew that the old department of Mediaeval History had a better track-record of appointing women than the old department of Modern History. Local memory ‘knew’ about the arrivals of Lorna Walker, Ann Kettle and Barbara Crawford to lectureships in Mediaeval in the 1960s (all of whom spent…
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Early women graduates
In 1903, the first women graduated with Honours in History from St Andrews. History had only became an option for M.A. students at St Andrews in the 1890s. The first Lecturer in History, James Mackinnon, was appointed in 1896. Thus, it was not until 1900 that the first students graduated with Honours in History (i.e.…
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Early women PhDs
The University of St Andrews has been awarding Ph.D. degrees for research theses since 1920. The names of the six women who are known to have been awarded Ph.D.s in History from 1920-70 [but see note below] are: 1927, Edith Edgar MacQueen, for a thesis entitled “The General Assembly of the Kirk as the rival…