Edith Major
Irish born Mistress of Girton College
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Edith Helen Major, CBE (15 February 1867 – 17 March 1951)[1] was an Irish educationalist. She was Mistress of Girton College Cambridge from 1925 to 1931.[2]
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(aged 84)Edith Major | |
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by James Sinton Sleator | |
| Born | 15 February 1867 |
| Died | 17 March 1951 (aged 84) |
| Alma mater | |
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Early life and education
Major was born in Lisburn.[3] Her uncle was Sir Robert McCall, a noted Irish barrister.[3] She was educated at Methodist College Belfast[4] and Girton College, Cambridge.[5] She was one of the "steamboat ladies" who received a degree from Trinity College Dublin, because Cambridge was not yet granting women degrees, at the time.[6][7]
Career
Major was a member of the faculty at Blackheath High School from 1888 to 1900, and assistant mistress serving under Florence Gadesden.[8] She was Headmistress of Putney High School from 1900 to 1910;[9][10] and Head Mistress of King Edward VI High School for Girls from 1910 until 1925. After World War I she worked with Belgian refugees.[3] Major succeeded Bertha Phillpotts as Mistress of Girton College, Cambridge, serving from 1925 until 1931.[11][12][13] She was succeeded at Girton by Helen M. Wodehouse.[14]
Major was president of the National Federation of University Women, and president of the National Council of Women of Great Britain.[3] She was president of the Association of Head Mistresses from 1919 to 1921.[10][15] She was an active supporter of the League of Nations.[16]
In 1931 Major became a Commander of the British Empire (CBE).[17] She received an honorary LL.D. degree from Queen's University Belfast in 1931.[18]
Death and legacy
Major died in 1951, at the age of 84, in Antrim. Another former Girton head, Katharine Jex-Blake, died in the same month, and they were honored with a joint memorial service. Girton College has a painting of her by James Sleator.[19]
