Kathleen Kenyon
(1906-1978) – Archaeologist and Head of House 1 Kathleen Kenyon grew up in London and came to Somerville in 1926 to study Modern History. While she was a student she......
Search results for
""
Madeleine Shaw Lefevre
(1835-89) – Principal of Somerville 1879-89 1 Madeleine Shaw Lefevre had strong connections to the Liberal political milieu that created Somerville (she was the niece of a former Speaker of......
Agnes Maitland
(1849-1906) – Principal of Somerville 1889-1906 1 Agnes Maitland came to Somerville Hall as its second Principal in 1889. Her background was in domestic science: she had studied cookery at......
Iris Murdoch
(1919-1999) – Philosopher and Booker Prize-winning writer 1 Iris Murdoch was born in Dublin and educated at progressive schools. She came up to Somerville in 1938 and began studying English,......
Onora O’Neill
Philosopher, Honorary Fellow 1 Onora O’Neill was educated in Germany and London before coming to Somerville in 1959. She began by studying Modern History, but soon changed to PPP (Philosophy,......
Daphne Park
(1921-2010) – Clandestine senior controller in MI6, Principal of Somerville 1980-89 1 Daphne Park, the so-called "Queen of Spies" (1940, Modern Languages), appears never to have had a dull moment......
Emily Penrose
(1858-1942) – Principal of Somerville 1907-1926 1 Emily Penrose went to school in London before moving to Athens with her family. She came to Somerville in 1889 to study Literae......
Alice Prochaska
Historian and archivist, Principal of Somerville 2010-2017 1 Alice Prochaska came to Somerville in 1965 to study Modern History. She also took her doctorate at Somerville before beginning her career......
Esther Rantzen
Journalist and television presenter 1 Esther Rantzen went to school in the US and London before coming to Somerville in 1959 to study English. At Oxford she performed with the......
Eleanor Rathbone
(1872-1946) – Politician and social reformer 1 Eleanor Rathbone was born into a noted Liverpool family of social activists. She only received formal schooling for a year before coming to......