Caroline Croom Robertson

Caroline Anna Croom Robertson, born Caroline Anna Crompton (1838 – May 29, 1892) was a British suffragist and college administrator. She was the secretary and later bursar of Girton College, Cambridge - the first university college in England to admit women.

Caroline Croom Robertson
Born1838
Liverpool
DiedMay 29, 1892
Kensington Park Gardens
NationalityUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
OccupationNational Society for Women's Suffrage
Known forsecretary and later bursar of Girton College, Cambridge
Spouse(s)Prof. George Croom Robertson

Life

Robertson was born in Liverpool in 1838 as the fourth daughter of Justice Charles Crompton. She was named Caroline after her mother. Her large family included Mary who married into the family of Emily Davies and the positivist Henry Crompton.

In 1872 she married George Croom Robertson who became her husband and partner. He was the Grote professor of mind and logic at University College, London. He was a collaborator with Alexander Bain[1] and their friend John Stuart Mill.[2] They were both involved in social work and they were members of the National Society for Women's Suffrage.[2]

She understood money and finance so she applied for the position of secretary of Girton College when its was created in 1877. Girton was the first university college in England to admit women. The job was to assist Emily Davies who had co-founded the college.[2] She became invaluable in this role so that when she tried to resign in 1881, she was encouraged to stay on as bursar. She had wanted to resign because of her health so the new role of bursar was created just for her. She was paid £70 p.a. and in exchange she was placed in charge of most of the finances and the college seal. This degree of responsibility was usually only given to men at that time.[2]

Robertson died in Kensington Park Gardens in London in September 1892. One thousand pounds was left to the New Hospital for Women to create the "Caroline Croom Robertson" bed.[3] She was buried in the same churchyard as her father and later that year her husband joined her.[4]

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References
  1. "Robertson Papers - Archives Hub". archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  2. "Robertson, Caroline Anna Croom (1837/8–1892), college administrator". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/48679. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  3. Balfour, Lady Frances (2019-12-11). Dr. Elsie Inglis. Good Press.
  4. "Caroline Anna Crompton Robertson (1838-1892) -..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
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