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Pioneers of the London School of Medicine for Women (1874-1947)

Their Contributions and Interwoven Lives

  • Outlines the importance of a long-forgotten medical school for women
  • Reveals an early haven for women chemists overlooked until now
  • Shows the enthusiasm of young British women chemistry students in the 1900s

Part of the book series: Perspectives on the History of Chemistry (PHC)

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Table of contents (16 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xvii
  2. Women as Apothecaries

    • Marelene Rayner-Canham, Geoff Rayner-Canham
    Pages 1-3
  3. Women as Pharmacists

    • Marelene Rayner-Canham, Geoff Rayner-Canham
    Pages 5-9
  4. Sophia Jex-Blake and Elizabeth Garrett (Anderson)

    • Marelene Rayner-Canham, Geoff Rayner-Canham
    Pages 11-17
  5. The Crucial Role of the ‘Edinburgh Seven’

    • Marelene Rayner-Canham, Geoff Rayner-Canham
    Pages 19-24
  6. Edith Pechey

    • Marelene Rayner-Canham, Geoff Rayner-Canham
    Pages 25-32
  7. Others of the ‘Edinburgh Seven’

    • Marelene Rayner-Canham, Geoff Rayner-Canham
    Pages 33-41
  8. Women as Lady Doctors

    • Marelene Rayner-Canham, Geoff Rayner-Canham
    Pages 43-47
  9. The Founding and Early Years of the LSMW

    • Marelene Rayner-Canham, Geoff Rayner-Canham
    Pages 49-58
  10. Pioneer Women of the LSMW

    • Marelene Rayner-Canham, Geoff Rayner-Canham
    Pages 59-70
  11. Chemistry at the LSMW

    • Marelene Rayner-Canham, Geoff Rayner-Canham
    Pages 71-77
  12. Lucy Everest Boole

    • Marelene Rayner-Canham, Geoff Rayner-Canham
    Pages 79-85
  13. Clare de Brereton Evans

    • Marelene Rayner-Canham, Geoff Rayner-Canham
    Pages 87-91
  14. Sibyl Taite Widdows

    • Marelene Rayner-Canham, Geoff Rayner-Canham
    Pages 93-100
  15. Phyllis Sanderson and Anne Ratcliffe

    • Marelene Rayner-Canham, Geoff Rayner-Canham
    Pages 101-106
  16. Other Chemistry Staff

    • Marelene Rayner-Canham, Geoff Rayner-Canham
    Pages 107-113
  17. The End of the LSMW

    • Marelene Rayner-Canham, Geoff Rayner-Canham
    Pages 115-121
  18. Back Matter

    Pages 123-126

About this book

This book presents the pioneering role of the women chemists at the London School of Medicine for Women (LSMW). The account is placed within the framework of the long-forgotten background to the founding of this unique Institution, and the individuals whose lives came together to make it happen: Sophia Jex-Blake; Elizabeth Garrett Anderson; Edith Pechey; and Isabel Thorne. The London School of Medicine for Women (LSMW) was the first School in Britain to enable women to gain medical qualifications. Though its pioneering medical role is beginning to be recognized, the Chemistry Department at the School has been totally overlooked. All first-year students at the LSMW had to spend a significant portion of their time taking theoretical and practical chemistry, taught by dedicated women chemistry instructors. In this book, particular attention is given to each of these exceptionally-talented women chemists who found a haven at, and devoted their lives to, the LSMW. This book also covers theenthusiasm of the women medical students which becomes evident through the chemistry prose and poetry which they wrote. This book will appeal to a wide readership interested in the early role of women in science, and it is particularly relevant to those interested in the lives and contributions of pioneering women chemists.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of Physics (retired), Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, Canada

    Marelene Rayner-Canham

  • Department of Chemistry, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, Canada

    Geoff Rayner-Canham

About the authors

Marelene Rayner-Canham is a Physics Instructor (retired) at the Memorial University, Canada, and together with Geoff Rayner-Canham, has been contributing over the past 30 years to the history of women in science and chemical education with several published books, chapters and refereed articles about forgotten and pioneering women chemists. She was also involved in the organisation of several symposia on the history of chemistry and women in chemistry.



Geoff Rayner-Canham is an Honorary Research Professor of Chemistry at the Memorial University, Canada, and in the past 30 years he has been contributing to the history of women in science and the history of chemistry with several books, chapters and refereed articles published in this topic. Professor Rayner-Canham received several awards during his career, including the 3M Teaching Fellowship Award (2007), the Chemical Education Award, Chemical Institute of Canada (2008), and the NSERC Award for Science Promotion (2010), and in 2017 he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Together with Marelene Rayner-Canham, he organized several symposia on the history of chemistry and women in chemistry. 

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access