The British Federation of Women Graduates (BFWG) was founded in 1907 as the British Federation of University Women (BFUW) to "afford a means of communication and of united action in matters affecting the interest of women". It was renamed the British Federation of Women Graduates in 1992. The current organisation "seeks to promote opportunities for women in education, and public life more generally" and provides "graduate women living in England, Scotland and Wales with information, support and friendship, at local, regional, national and international levels. Conferences, meetings, networks and social events, at all levels, are open to all members". The BFWG is affiliated to the

International Federation of University Women Graduate Women International (GWI), originally named the International Federation of University Women (IFUW), is an international organisation for women university graduates. IFUW was founded in 1919 following the First World War by both British and ...

(IFUW), of which it was a founder member, and University Women of Europe (UWE).

History

The British Federation of University Women was founded in 1907, in Manchester, "to afford a means of communication and of united action in matters affecting the interests of women". Ida Smedley, Sarah Burstall, Dr

Catherine Chisholm Catherine Chisholm (2 January 1878 – 21 July 1952) was a British physician and the first female medical graduate of the University of Manchester. She was instrumental in founding the Manchester Babies Hospital, which was opened on 4 August ...

, Dr Merry Smith and Miss Coignou were the first to set up BFUW in order to support the progress of women in medicine, academia and public life. Other notable women who were part of BFWG in its early years included

Winifred Cullis Winifred Cullis (2 June 1875 – 13 November 1956) was a physiologist and academic, and the first woman to hold a professorial chair at a medical school. Early life and education Born in Gloucester, Winifred was the youngest daughter of the ...

Rose Sidgwick Rose Sidgwick (Rugby, 1877 – New York, 1918), was a British university teacher and one of the founders of the International Federation of University Women. Life and career Rose was born on 9 January 1877, the second daughter of Charlotte Sophi ...

and

Caroline Spurgeon Caroline Frances Eleanor Spurgeon (24 October 1869, India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous ...

. Associations were set up across Britain to pursue these aims by lobbying government and by fulfilling the BFUW motto: "Let us perfect the art of friendship". During World War I, BFUW compiled a register of university women offering themselves for public service which was used by the Board of Trade. After the war there was still the need to work for the opening of the professions to women, though a few members gained places in local government, notably

Sybil Campbell Sybil Campbell (9 October 1889 – 29 August 1977) was the first woman to be appointed as a stipendiary magistrate in Britain when she became metropolitan police magistrate at Tower Bridge Magistrate's Court in 1945. She was thus the first ...

, Monica Mary Geikie Cobb (the first woman barrister to hold a brief), Margaret Kydd (one of the first women to take silk), and

Rose Heilbron Dame Rose Heilbron DBE, QC (19 August 1914 – 8 December 2005) was a British barrister who served as a High Court judge. Her career included many "firsts" for a woman – she was the first woman to achieve a first class honours degree in l ...

. Equal pay was an important focus between the wars, particularly with relation to teaching and the civil service; as was the abolition of the marriage bar for working women. Before and during World War II, BFUW supported refugees from fascism. In 1992 the name was changed to the British Federation of Women Graduates in response to changing times and the need to be inclusive of all who have degrees or equivalent qualifications.

Structure

BFWG has its headquarters in London. The Management Team is supported by an Executive Committee composed of Regional Representatives and Co-ordinators of International and European Relations. Local Associations enable members to "perfect the art of friendship" while promoting the Federation’s aims. Independent membership is available for those who do not live near an Association. Membership is open to all women graduates, irrespective of subject, university or nationality.

Notable presidents

BFWG published a presidents list in 2007Nancy Catchpole & Cynthia Short (ed.), ''The Story of the Second 50 years'', BFWG, 2007, p.55. * Sara Burstall (1907—1909) * Eleanor Mildred Sidgwick (1909—1913) * Ethel Sargant (1913—1918) * Emily Penrose (1919) *

(1919v1924) *

Margaret Tuke Dame Margaret Janson Tuke (13 March 1862, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England21 February 1947, Hitchin) was a British academic and educator. She was the youngest child of the philanthropist James Hack Tuke. She was created a Dame Commander of the Ord ...

(1924—1925) *

(1925—1929) *

Ida Smedley Maclean Ida Smedley Maclean (born Ida Smedley 14 June 1877, died 2 March 1944) was an English biochemist and the first woman admitted to the London Chemical Society. Early life and education Ida was born in Birmingham to William Smedley, a businessman ...

(1929—1935) *

Frances Melville Frances Helen Melville (11 October 1873 – 7 March 1962), was a Scottish suffragist, advocate for higher education for women in Scotland, and one of the first women to matriculate at the University of Edinburgh in 1892. She was president of t ...

(1935—1942) * Helen Wodehouse (1942—1945) * Edith Clara Batho (1945—1950)

Scholarships

Since 1912, BFUW/BFWG has given scholarships to assist women in academia. Caroline Spurgeon was the first recipient and she was followed by many notable women, including Ursula Dronke, Philippa Foot, Christine Hamill and Eila Campbell. Now the BFWG Scholarship Fund annually gives scholarships to outstanding women in their final year of a PhD who are registered at a British University. In 1992, BFWG sold Crosby Hall and set up the BFWG Charitable Foundation, known as Funds for Women Graduates (FfWG), which gives grants to postgraduate women at British universities who are in financial need.

International Federation of University Women

In 1919,

and

from BFUW and Virginia Gildersleeve, Dean of Barnard College and a representative of the American Association of Collegiate Alumnae, were instrumental in setting up the

(IFUW). BFWG is still a vital part of IFUW and BFUW/BFWG members have served on its Board. Through its affiliation to IFUW, BFWG has consultative status at the UN; supports development in other affiliates by contributions to the IFUW Bina Roy Partners in Development programmes; and helps displaced women graduates via the Hegg-Hoffet Fund.

References

External links

BFWG website

5BFW
at the Women's Library at th
Library of the London School of Economics

Sybil Campbell collection
at the University of Winchester
BFWG Sybil Campbell Collection
{{Authority control Higher education organisations based in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 1907 Women's organisations based in the United Kingdom 1907 establishments in the United Kingdom Graduate Women International