Caroline Anna Croom Robertson, born Caroline Anna Crompton (1838 – 29 May 1892) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

suffragist and college administrator. She was the secretary and later bursar of

Girton College, Cambridge Girton College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon as the first women's college at Cambridge. In 1948, it was granted full college status by the un ...

- the first university college in England to admit women.

Life

Robertson was born in

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

in 1838 as the fourth daughter of Justice Charles Crompton. She was named Caroline after her mother. Her large family included Mary who married the theologian

John Llewelyn Davies John Llewelyn Davies (26 February 1826 – 18 May 1916) was an English preacher and theologian, an outspoken foe of poverty and inequality, and was active in Christian socialist groups. Obituary of John Llewelyn Davies, The Times, Friday, 19 Ma ...

, a member of the family of the women's education activist

Emily Davies Sarah Emily Davies (22 April 1830 – 13 July 1921) was an English feminist who founded Girton College, Cambridge. She campaigned as a suffragist and for women's rights to university education. In her early life, she attended meetings of the ...

and the positivist Henry Crompton. In 1872 she married

George Croom Robertson George Croom Robertson (10 March 1842 – 20 September 1892) was a Scottish philosopher. He sat on the Committee of the National Society for Women's Suffrage and his wife, Caroline Anna Croom Robertson was a college administrator. Biography ...

who became her husband and partner. He was the Grote professor of mind and logic at

University College, London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...

. He was a collaborator with Alexander Bain and their friend

John Stuart Mill John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 – 7 May 1873) was an English philosopher, political economist, politician and civil servant. One of the most influential thinkers in the history of liberalism and social liberalism, he contributed widely to s ...

. They were both involved in social work and they were members of the

National Society for Women's Suffrage The National Society for Women's Suffrage Manchester Branch The National Society for Women's Suffrage was the first national group in the United Kingdom to campaign for women's right to vote. Officially formed on 6 November 1867, by Lydia Becker ...

. Her mother had been active in working for improving the provision of education for women and this was a cause which she shared. She and her husband supported this cause in arguing that women should be students on courses at University College. She understood money and finance so she applied for the position of secretary of

Girton College Girton College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon as the first women's college at Cambridge. In 1948, it was granted full college status by the univ ...

when it was created in 1877. Girton was the first university college in England to admit women. The job was to assist Emily Davies who had co-founded the college. She became invaluable in this role so that when she tried to resign in 1881, she was encouraged to stay on as bursar. She had wanted to resign because of her health so the new role of bursar was created just for her. She was paid £70 p.a. and in exchange she was placed in charge of most of the finances and the college seal. This degree of responsibility was usually only given to men at that time. Robertson died in

Kensington Park Gardens Kensington is an area of London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, around west of Central London. The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up by Kensing ...

in London in 1892. One thousand pounds was left to the

New Hospital for Women The Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and Obstetric Hospital and its predecessor organisations provided health care to women in central London from the mid-Victorian era. It was named after Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, one of Britain's first female physi ...

to create the "Caroline Croom Robertson" bed. She was buried in the same churchyard as her father and later that year her husband joined her.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robertson, Caroline Croom Women academic administrators 1838 births 1892 deaths People from Liverpool