Science historians from Newfoundland visit the Archive

Published: 15 Feb 2012   updated: 19 Feb 2012

Two Science Historians from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, visited the archive early in February to see what they could learn about the teaching of Chemistry in an independent girls' school pre-1930. 

Marelene and Geoff Rayner-Canham are on a three month visit to the UK to conduct research for a new book they are writing about the teaching of Chemistry in girls' schools.  This will be a follow-up to their earlier book, 'Chemistry was their Life', about pioneer women chemists.  While researching this first book they discovered that there had been an amazing number of women Chemists, during the 1880-1930 period whose interest in Science and Chemistry in particular had emanated from the schools they attended.  It appears that while the boys' schools at the time were emphasising the Classics girls' schools were more forward thinking and were promoting the Sciences. 

Geoff and Marelene spent a number of hours here and were delighted with what they found, using old magazines, admissions registers, staff records, photographs and the honours boards as reference points.  It will be some time before their book is ready for publication but we look forward to seeing a copy of it when it is.