Florence Baker

(c.1836 - 1916)

This young Hungarian woman, aged 17 years old, was on the verge of being sold to a Turk by her ex-nurse, when renowned explorer, Samuel Baker, bought her and took her as his wife.

Florence accompanied Samuel on all his major travels, including his search for the source of the River Nile. Both had been given up for dead when, after many harrowing hardships, they finally regained contact with civilization to give details of one of the sources of the Nile - Lake Albert.

When Samuel returned to the Equatorial regions of the Nile and was given command of a military expedition to stop slave-trading, she still remained as his most constant companion and partner throughout all these many dangerous excursions.

Later, Samuel and Florence visited India, Japan and America.

Biography of Florence Baker from the National Portrait Gallery.

Elizabeth Blackwell

(1821 - 1910)

Elizabeth was the first woman to obtain a medical degree in the USA.

Elizabeth was a naturalised American (1849) - having been born in the UK, and settling in America aged 11 years old with her family.

In American at this time, women were not allowed to study medicine in the medical colleges nor did many other colleges allow them to do so. Elizabeth was finally accepted by Geneva Medical College, New York (1847) and graduated two years later (1849). from there she continued her medical education in Europe - she spent time in Paris where she was only accepted as a student midwife. However, most of Elizabeth's time was spent at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London.

On her return to New York, Elizabeth faced seven years of loneliness and difficulties; she was ignored by her medical colleagues and barred from the city's hospitals and dispensaries; she received abusive anonymous letters and found it impossible to persuade anyone to rent her suitable consulting rooms.

Despite these initial difficulties, Elizabeth was responsible for the establishment of the New York Infirmary for Women and Children (1857) and for the Women's Medical College of the New York Infirmary (1868).

Elizabeth returned to England (1869) for good. She encouraged Elizabeth Garret and Sophia Jex-Blake in the desire to become doctors, and Florence Nightingale in her life's work.

Elizabeth left behind her in American, another women she had encouraged to become a doctor, Marie Zakrzewska (d.1902) - the Resident Physician of GM of the Infirmary for Women and Children.

Biography of Elizabeth Blackwell

Caroline Herschel

(1750 - 1848)
German Astronomer

Caroline was the sister of Friedrich Herschel, who lived in England. He was a musician whose hobby was astronomy - his hobby developed so well that he asked Caroline to leave Germany (1772) and help him in England.

Together, Friedrich and Caroline built their own telescope, including the immensely precise grinding and polishing of the lenses. They began to study the universe - she took down data and performed the innumerable calculations connected with them.

Friedrich read his first papers to the Royal Society (1780) - he discovered a new planet - Uranus (1781) and became Court Astronomer (1782). All of these activities involved Caroline.

Meanwhile, Caroline herself carried out her own investigations and independently made discoveries of nebulae and no less than eight comets (1780 - 1797). She was also in a position to inform the Royal Society of 560 missing stars from the "British Catalogue" (1797).

After the death of her brother Friedrich (1822), Caroline compiled a new Catalogue of the 2500 stars discovered by him.

More on Caroline Herschel

Etheria (Aetheria)

Explorer

This remarkable woman was a Spanish Nun who journied to the Middle East toward the end of the 4th century. She recorded detailed descriptions of the years' daily liturgical activities in Jerusalem, especially the re-enactment, on location, of the Palm Sunday procession and other events during Holy Week leading up to Easter. This practice was all new to her.

Her writings have shown scholars that the impetus to change the widespread Christian was of merely fasting a week before Easter into symbolic enactments actually emanated from Jerusalem itself.

Visit: "The Pilgrimage of Etheria"

Katharine Sheppard

(1848 - 1934)

This pioneering woman was responsible for achieving the first vote for women.

Katharine was a woman of great charm, inflexible determination and a sound administrative ability. When the New Zealand branch of the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was started by the American, Mary Leavitt (1185) during her worldwide campaign, Katharine was appointed Superintendent of the Franchise Department, responsible for organising Franchise Departments throughout New Zealand.

When the Parliamentary program for the coming session (1888) included a new Electoral Act, Katharine developed and submitted a petition from the WCTU asking for women to be included. For the next few years the debate and struggle for the womens' vote ebbed and flowed within the House of Representatives, with the WCTU pressure group nudging MP's (members of parliament) along. A petition containing 100085 women's signatures was collected (1891) from WCTU areas and sent to both the House of Representatives and the Legislative Council.

More delays provoked a telegram from Katharine to the Legislative Council. However, at the Senate Reading, the Bill was rejected. A fresh petition containing 20774 signatures was presented (1892) - a counter-petition was organised by the Liquor trade was also submitted. But, by year's end, and despite further Readings, there was still no vote for women.

Before the next Parliamentary Session (1893) the WCTU worked feverishly, visiting remote areas, holding meetings and collecting signatures till yet another petition, signed by a third of New Zealand women (31872) was submitted. By a majority vote, the Bill was passed (8/9/1893) by the Upper House - on the Third and final Reading.

But there still remained the Governor's signature. The Opposition sent the Governor a petition; Katharine wrote to himmon behalf of all women, and she received a telegram (19/9/1893) - the Governor agreed to the Bill. New Zealand women had the vote! They were soon followed by South Australia (1894), Western Australia (1899) and by all Australia (1902).

The women's vote was achieved worldwide:
Austria (1918), Belgium (1919), Brazil (1932), Bulgaria (1947), Canada (1918), China (1947), Denmark (1915), Finland (1906), France (1944), German Fed. Republic (1918), UK (1919), Holland (1919), India (1926) - but provincial vote only, Indonesia (1955), Iran (1963), Ireland (1919), Israel (1948), Italy (1945), Japan (1945), Jordan (1973), Norway (1913), Pakistan (1926), Philippines (1937), Poland (1918), South Africa (1930), Spain (1931), Sweden (1913), Switzerland (1971), Thailand (1932), Turkey (1933), USA (1920), USSR (1971) and Yugoslavia (1945).

Ancient Pro-feminism

A couple of articles caught my attention today, focusing on the role of the feminine persona in historical times.

Royal Goddesses of a Bronze Age State by Marco Merola
According to this article, in the city of Ebla (Syria) " .... archaeologist Paolo Matthiae's team discovered two almost perfectly preserved figurines that confirm textual evidence for a royal cult of the dead focused on the city's queens." This cult of worship of the feminine deity occurred during the Bronze Age.

"Both figurines are intricate representations of women, which are rare in Near Eastern Bronze Age art. One, made of steatite and wood, is depicted with her arms arranged in a gesture indicating prayer. The second figurine holds a goblet and wears an ornate gold dress. Both seem to have been used in a ritual mentioned in a tablet from Ebla that describes how the city's dead queens became female deities who were then worshiped privately by their successors. Matthiae suspects the steatite figure depicts a living queen who would have prayed to the gold-covered figurine, itself a representation of a dead queen who had become a goddess."

You can read the rest of this article and glimpse the two figurines at the "From the Trenches" website.


She crucified her enemies and burnt London to the ground. Meet Britain's first feminist, Boadicea by Paul Johnson
A great introduction to one of ancient Briton's most feared warriors. Though Dio's quote with regards to the Iceni led uprising is a tad harsh: " ..... all this ruin was brought about by a woman". However, we know that had the Romans been a little bit more subtle in their dealings with those they conquered, their Empire might remained intact for a while longer.

"We should not be surprised by this portrayal of her as a "baddie". Throughout history, one person's hero has been another's villain." says Johnson.

The rest of Paul Johnson's article can be read here on the "Daily Mail" website.

Edit: Saturday 9th February 2008
A couple more articles came to my attention today, so I'll add them below.


Sumaria's Mona Lisa
An article published in Gulf News reports on the re-discovery of this ancient artifact:

"The 'Sayedat Al Warkaa', a Sumarian 20cm facial curving, known among archaeologists as the Sumarian Mona Lisa, and which is more than 5000 years old, was found in a garden after the police and occupation forces received a report."

The rest of this short article can be read at Gulf News.


Ancient Queen's Tomb Discovered in Ibb by Mohammed al-Kibsi
From this article posted on 19th January 2008:

"Three tombs believed to date back to the Hemiriate dynasty have been discovered in the al-Usaibyah area of the al-Sadda district of Ibb last week.

The tombs housed three women, one of them believed to be a queen. Local sources from al-Sadda confirmed that golden jewels were found in the tomb, believed to be for a queen or a princess. Other jewels were found in the other two tombs. In addition, a bronze spear was found in a second tomb and a 70 centimeter sword in a third tomb. "

Dr. Abdullah Ba-Wazir, head of the General Authority of Antiquities and Museums, said: "that the site is a royal grave built in an artistic style indicating that the grave is of an important political person, presumably a woman. It may belong to the Himiriat period."

The rest of this article can be viewed at the Yemen Observer website.

Executed Today - Mary Stuart

Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland was executed today, 8th February 1587.

My good friend, Jason, of Executed Today, has kindly permitted me to post a little blurb on Mary on his site. You can view the article here: Mary Queen of Scots.

What is "Executed Today" - well, its a rather interesting look at history through the executions of the famous and infamous. Jason presents a calendar of executions - a bit like 'this day in history".

A unique look at history - and a unique site, which if you haven't already dropped by you should, in the words of a famous Australian, "do yourself a favour" and take a peek.

Enjoy!

Saturday Movie Mayhem

Today, and don't ask me how I managed it, I sat down and watched two DVDs in a row! This is a first for me, usually I manage to watch maybe a quarter of one over the space of a month, possibly because I am doing something else at the time.

Anyway, I watched "The Lion in Winter" with Kate Hepburn and Peter O'Toole. Only Kate can play the indomitable Eleanor of Aquitaine with such passion. And a very young Timothy Dalton in the original - my goodness, just how young was he - or rather, how old is he now??? I have both versions of "Lion" - one with Kate Hepburn and the other with Glenn Close. I am a little biased towards the original but don't get me wrong, Glenn Close and Patrick Stewart do a wonderful job.

A the second feature of the afternoon was "Witness for the Prosecution" with the enigmatic Marlene Dietrich, Tyrone Power and Charles Laughton. This is without a doubt the best EVER courtroom drama of all time. If you haven't seen this movie - find it and watch it!

So endeth my afternoon of inane pleasure - I doubt I shall ever see the likes of it for quite some time!

Review - Duchess of Aquitaine - Part II

This review of Margaret Ball's "Duchess of Aquitaine - A Novel of Eleanor" continues on from my previous post - "Review - Duchess of Aquitaine".


Okay - I finally finished the book - emphasis on the finally!

My thoughts - well, I am reminded of a novel on Eleanor's early years that I read over 20 years ago - the title and author escape me, but the image on the cover of the novel is still vivid - Eleanor, seated on a throne with the image of Abbot Suger standing ominously behind her.

Margaret Ball's novel deals specifically with Eleanor's life from the death of her father (1137) up until her impending marriage to Henry II (1152).

I am sorry, but for all of Margaret's bragging, I found the book rather stale. The blurb on the back " .... gloriously illuminates the life of one of the most powerful, resourceful, and fascinating women in all history .." is a bit of an over-statement. This could possibly be due to the fact that I am on extremely familiar terms with Eleanor myself, so I knew what was coming. Except for one little item - Sybilla of Anjou!

Yes, Margaret, you too failed in your "careful and sounder research". You made the mistake of many authors and biographers who preceeded you. Sybilla did not participate in the Second Crusade - her husband Thierry did, but not Sybilla. A little more careful research would have revealed that she was in fact in Flanders putting down a rebellion - which is documented. Or is this "artistic liberty" ??

As the novel ends in 1152, I will be presuming that a sequel will no doubt be forthcoming. A little more diligence Margaret a second time around.

And yes, dear readers, I do realise this is a novel - a fictional account of Eleanor's earlier years - but Margaret herself, put out the challenge - but I will leave it for you to do your own digging!