My life as a Doctor

Even with my qualifications ad doing extremely well on my exam, it was very hard to get a job in my field.  I could not take up a medical post in any hospital. I decided to open up my own practice the same year I got my license. My first building was 20 Upper Berkeley Street, London. I did not have many patients at first, but business gradually grew. After about six months, I wanted to open an outpatients dispensary, to enable poor women to obtain medical help. In 1865, there was an outbreak of cholera in Britain. I opened St . Mary's Dispensary for Women and Children. In the first year, I tended to 3,000 new patients.
University of Sorbonne, Paris was in favor of admitting women as medical students. I decided to study French and obtain my medical degree. In 1870, I became the first women in Britain to be appointed to a medical post, which was in the East London Hospital for Children. Three years later I resigned from my post because of my two existing buildings and my role as a new mother already consumed enough time. I co-founded London School of Medicine for Women with Sophie Jex-Blake. I worked there and was the dean there for the rest of my career.

Medical Qulaifications

I decided to spend six months as a hospital nurse at Middlesex Hospital in London in 1860. I did my best as nurse and I was allowed to attend an outpatients' clinic and observe operations. I attempted to enroll in the hospital's Medical School, but was refused. They did give me the opportunity to attend private tuition in Latin. Greek, and meteria medica with the hospital's apothecary. I did this as I was working as a nurse. I hired a tutor for myself to study anatomy and physiology. I did this three evenings a week. I was eventually granted access to the dissecting room and chemistry lectures. The male students did not like my presence in their classroom. I was obliged to leave Middlesex Hospital, but I left with an honors certificate in chemistry and materia medica.

I applied to several medical schools including, Oxford, Cambridge, Glasgow, and the Royal College of Surgeons. All of these schools rejected me. I was left on my own, so I privately obtained a certificate in anatomy and physiology. In 1862, I was finally admitted for private study by the Society of Apothecaries. Over the next three years, I struggled to get qualified and I studied privately with various professors. In 1865, I took my exam and obtained my license to practice medicine. I ranked highest in the class on the exam.

Becoming Educated

It was not easy for me to become a doctor. I am the first qualified female doctor in England and you can only imagine to journey I had to take to accomplish such a goal. Where I grew up, Aldeburgh, there was no school. My mother taught me reading, writing, and arithmetic on her own. When I was ten, my mother hired a poor gentlewoman to educate me and my sister. She did not have to do this, but it was very important to my mother, that we were were educated. I used to think I was so smart back then, I remember trying to outwit my teacher. When I was 13, my sister and I were went to private school by our father to become further educated. It was The Boarding School for Ladies, in Blacksmith, London. I finish my private education in 1851, I was so happy to be done with that school. I did not like the way the teachers taught. They did not incorporate enough reading into the study. Reading is very important to me, it is the foundation and the continuation of learning.


After school, I fell into nine years of domestic duties. This of course was not the best time period in my life, I did not enjoy the simply expected lifestyle I was living. During this time, I studied Latin and arithmetic in the morning when I had time to myself. I met my long time friend, Emily Davies, when I was 18 years old. She gave me great advice to pursue a career. I read about the first female doctor in the Unites States, Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, and instantly became inspired. When she came to visit London, I traveled to the capital to meet her. I then joined the Society for Promoting the Employment of Women, and decided that I want to pursue a career in the medical profession. When I announced my plan to my husband, he was filled with doubt, but eventually came around. I am a very determined woman and it would be a shame to doubt my abilities.

The Feminist Within

Coming from a long line of gunsmiths, blacksmiths, and silversmiths, it was almost expected of me to go into the housewife role and hold the house together for the successful men in my family. My mother did just this, she was a very strong woman. She raised nine wonderful children and stuck with my father through thick and thin. As my father became a successful silversmith and pawnbroker, my mother made sure to teach me and my sisters about the corrupt British woman society. My mother liked top give us trust and freedom. When I was a young girl, she would allow me to roam the town and explore the local salt marshes, beach, and sail maker's yard. This was a rare freedom to give a young girl even to this day.

 A few years ago, my sister Milicent became apart of the Langham Place Circle for women's suffrage. She has since become a very well known leader for the London National Society for Women's Suffrage. I am extremely proud of her. I new she had it in her to make a difference. My good friend, Emily Davies, and I were able to get over 1500 signatures on our petition for head of the household woman to be given a vote. I feel as if it is my duty to bring light to woman suffrage because I am making groundbreaking accomplishments for women of my time.