Elizabeth (Elsie) Impey, 1877-1915, medical student; first woman president of the Guild of Students, UB/GUILD/F/3/6, Cadbury Research Library
Elizabeth (Elsie) Impey, 1877-1915, medical student; first woman president of the Guild of Students.
Elizabeth Stephens Impey, known as Elsie, was brought up in a Quaker family in Northfield, Birmingham. When she left school she trained at Madam Bergman Österberg’s Physical Training College at Dartford, Kent, and then taught physical drill exercises to school children and families while living at home between 1897 and 1903. She then studied medicine at the University of Birmingham and became the first women President of the Guild of Students 1907-1908. She played important roles in establishing the Women’s Club at the University, and in formulating a new constitution for the Guild of Students. Elsie qualified in medicine in order to work for the Women’s Medical Service in India, and received an offer to work as Medical Officer at the Dufferin Hospital for Women in Lahore in November 1915. The ship she was travelling on was torpedoed off the coast of Crete on 30 December 1915 and she was drowned after helping a large number of passengers into lifeboats.
Text by Helen Fisher, University Archivist, Cadbury Research Library, University of Birmingham
Elizabeth (Elsie) Impey, 1877-1915, medical student; first woman president of the Guild of Students, UB/GUILD/F/3/6, Cadbury Research Library
Elizabeth (Elsie) Impey, 1877-1915, medical student; first woman president of the Guild of Students.
Elizabeth Stephens Impey, known as Elsie, was brought up in a Quaker family in Northfield, Birmingham. When she left school she trained at Madam Bergman Österberg’s Physical Training College at Dartford, Kent, and then taught physical drill exercises to school children and families while living at home between 1897 and 1903. She then studied medicine at the University of Birmingham and became the first women President of the Guild of Students 1907-1908. She played important roles in establishing the Women’s Club at the University, and in formulating a new constitution for the Guild of Students. Elsie qualified in medicine in order to work for the Women’s Medical Service in India, and received an offer to work as Medical Officer at the Dufferin Hospital for Women in Lahore in November 1915. The ship she was travelling on was torpedoed off the coast of Crete on 30 December 1915 and she was drowned after helping a large number of passengers into lifeboats.
Text by Helen Fisher, University Archivist, Cadbury Research Library, University of Birmingham