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......
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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......
Joyce Reynolds
Classicist 1 Born in London, Joyce Reynolds came to Somerville in 1937 to study Literae Humaniores (Classics). She took her Finals in 1941 and went on to work for the......
Dorothy L. Sayers
(1893-1957) – Writer and Dante scholar 1 Born in Oxford, Sayers grew up in Huntingdonshire, in a village where her father was the rector (she later took several of her......
Lucy Banda Sichone
(1954-1998) – Human rights activist and educator 1 Lucy Banda Sichone grew up in Zambia (then known as Northern Rhodesia) and came to Somerville in 1978 as Zambia’s first female......
Catherine Duleep Singh
(1871-1942) – Suffrage activist 1 Catherine Duleep Singh grew up in India until her father was deposed as ruler of the Punjab. He was offered sanctuary in England, and Duleep......
Mary Somerville
(1780-1872) – Scientist and polymath 1 The Scottish astronomer, mathematician and geographer Mary Somerville's interest in science was first kindled as a child by the natural world. During her adolescence,......
Cornelia Sorabji
(1866-1954) – Pioneering lawyer and activist 1 Cornelia Sorabji came to Somerville in 1889 to study Law. She was the first woman admitted to read Law at Oxford University and......
Enid Starkie
(1897-1970) – Literary critic 1 Enid Starkie was born in Dublin and educated by a series of governesses (of whom one was French, sparking Starkie’s profound love of France). Starkie......
Margaret Thatcher
(1925-2013) – Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1979-1990 1 Margaret Thatcher grew up in Lincolnshire and came to Somerville in 1943 to study Chemistry. After graduation, she worked briefly......