Bertha Johnson

Bertha Jane Johnson (20 January 1846 – 24 April 1927), née Todd, was the principal of the Association of Home Students, which would become St Anne's College, University of Oxford, and a campaigner for women's education.[1]

Bertha Johnson
Born	20 January 1846 Charing Cross
Died	24 April 1927 Oxford
Nationality	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Known for	College Principal

Life

Bertha J. Todd was born in London on 20 January 1846 to Elizabeth Mary Hart (1815-1894) and Dr. Robert Bentley Todd, FRS (1809-1860). Her father was an enthusiast for nursing and he was a Professor at King's College, London. Her grandfather was Charles Hawkes Todd. Her uncles included John Hart, James Henthord Todd, William Gowan Todd, and Armstrong Todd.

She grew up with two older sisters and one younger brother:

• Elizabeth Marion Todd (1841-1917) unmarried,
• Alice Margaret Todd (1843-1916) unmarried, and
• James Henthorn Todd (1847-1891) unmarried.

Bertha was educated at home. She excelled at music and the arts. She played the piano. Her art work was exhibited at the Royal Academy. She was one of the first women students at the Slade School of Art.[2]

In 1873 she married the Reverend Arthur Henry Johnson, historian and chaplain of All Souls College, Oxford (and Oxford University's 1874 FA Cup winner), and they both enjoyed Oxford university life. He was a curate who also lectured in history.[2] Following their marriage, the couple lived at 22 Norham Gardens on the Norham Manor estate in North Oxford.[3] They subsequently lived at 8 Merton Street before settling at 5 South Parks Road.[4][5]

The couple had two children:

• Robert Arthur Johnson (1874-1938), and
• George Wilfrid Johnson, (1876- )

Robert became Deputy Master and Controller of the Royal Mint. George became headmaster of Alleyne's School, Stevenage.[6][7]

Bertha Jane Johnson died approximately thee months after her husband in 1927. They are buried together in St. Cross Churchyard (Holywell Cemetery) in Holywell, City of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England.[8]

Advocate for Women's Education

Bertha Johnson co-founded the Association for Promoting the Higher Education of Women in Oxford and helped set up Lady Margaret Hall and Somerville Hall.[9] Oxford was catching up on Cambridge which had established university level education for women. The ambition in Oxford in time overtook Johnson's ambitions and she became a voice arguing against further progress.[2]

From 1894 to 1921 Bertha was the principal of the Association of Home Students, which would later become St Anne's College, Oxford.[1]

References

1. "St Anne's College, Oxford > About the College > Bertha Johnson (1894-1921)". st-annes.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
2. "Johnson [née Todd], Bertha Jane (1846–1927), promoter of women's higher education | Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/37611
3. Banerjee, Jacqueline. "A House in Norham Gardens, North Oxford: The Original Occupants". victorianweb.org. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
4. Furniss, Henry Sanderson (1931). Memories of Sixty Years. Appleton & Company. pp. 50–51. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
5. Howarth, Janet (23 September 2004). "Johnson [née Todd], Bertha Jane". Oxford DNB. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
6. Warsop, Keith (30 November 2004). The Early F.A. Cup Finals and the Southern Amateurs. Nottingham: SoccerData. pp. 90–91. ISBN 978-1899468782.
7. "Arthur Johnson: A Great Oxford Figure". The Times. London. 1 February 1927. p. 17. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
8. Johnson, Bertha (2008). "Find-a-Grave". Retrieved 29 June 2020.
9. Matthew, H. C. G. (2004). Oxford dictionary of national biography : in association with the British Academy : from the earliest times to the year 2000. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. pp. 526–528. ISBN 0198614004.