Part of my graduate thesis was about the origins of Newcomb College in the late nineteenth century, created as a woman’s college (part of Tulane University in New Orleans.) I love reading about women of this period establishing schools and educational opportunities for women. I did not know this about Cambridge.
Thanks Tiffany, and I am very glad to be introduced to you, and Newcomb College which I hadn't known about. I share your enthusiasm for the educational opportunities for women opening up during this time - and how determined those women were (and others still are today).
What an enjoyable thing to encounter on a Sunday evening — thank you! It's moving to think of those three generations — Darwin and his wife, their son and daughter-in-law, and then their daughters — all part of a chain of thinking and generosity.
Thanks Maria, I do like that idea of continuity and the links that go back and forth between generations. Some of the wider Darwin family didn't want their family name given to a women's college, apparently (hence the 'temporary' name New Hall) so it's good to think that Ruth and Nora went ahead anyway. Nora was responsible for publishing Charles Darwin's Beagle diary (with financial assistance from Ida), also impressive!
Some of the family not wanting their name on a woman's college — that says so much that I probably wasn't really registering about the social dynamics of the time. Was there some idea that the cachet of the name would be watered down if associated with female scholars as opposed to male scholars, do you think? In any case, how especially impressive that Ruth and Nora (and maybe their parents?) knew what they wanted with the land and went ahead. A great story — thank you.
Yes I think it was about intellectual cachet and Cambridge University’s male traditions… and possibly keeping money in the family, I suspect. The Darwin name was associated with scientific advances rather than educational ones I guess!
Ah, I see! It sounds as though generations of scholars have benefited from the sisters’ decisions. What a nice story in the end. One of the things that always interested me about Darwin himself was that he was an engaged father to/teacher of his own children. Some anecdote about how he never minded being interrupted in his study by his kids, which often resulted in his being dragged outdoors on some naturalist adventure or another in their garden. This college by his granddaughters feels like a natural extension — so nice to read about.
A fascinating read, but also heartbreaking to know that Ida and many women like her were never able to attend Cambridge as students. How nice, however, to remember her in your post. I fear young women today take their educational opportunities for granted, forgetting that it wasn't that long ago that they didn't exist for women. By the way, I love the map, and I have a question, are you aware of any biographical novels about Richarda "Dikki" Morrow-Tait? I did a Google search but none came up.
What a lovely comment, Nancy and I did want to pay tribute to Ida and her daughters, who wanted to give others the chance to have an education. I think Dikki Morrow-Tait would make a great novel, or even a musical! This week was the first time I had heard of her.
Same here. I had never heard of her. It's shocking that modern women don't know who these women are, through no fault of our own, I might add. History simply hasn't served women well.
What an informative & inspirational essay! It certainly cultivates gratitude for the options available for women today to find their place of full presence educationally & personally. The beauty of the current green space provides a beautiful haven for contemplative space and a fitting tribute to the female visionaries selflessly preparing the foundations for such an opportunity so many years ago.
Thanks Alisa, beautifully expressed. It is indeed a lovely garden, and there's a new head gardener continuing the tradition. Jo did point out some of the older trees that might have been in Ida's Victorian orchard - but in any case, her pioneering spirit continues, as you say.
What a wonderful story - and also a frustrating one. To think of Ida’s daughters having to sacrifice their mother’s home and garden to start a women’s college. I don’t like how much they gave up, but hopefully they were secure enough without it.
Thank you Tara, I hope you are all getting over the virus! I think Ida's daughters were secure financially, but even so, it was quite a significant gift and not one some of the male Darwins approved of! I just find it very moving how the sisters both felt that women students deserved a permanent home in Cambridge, and decided they could do something practical to help.
Yes, moving indeed. I imagine how it must feel to walk through the college knowing this history. All colleges are checkered with philanthropic gifts, but you made this one feel personal in the way you told the story. Thank goodness for people who have made it possible for women to get an education!
The map caught my eye, great to have a plan of the garden included. It's very satisfying to see the college evolve from New Hall, in my day to a contemporary college in conversation with the landscape.
Yes it was hard to adjust to the 'new' name at first! But 'Medwards' has a ring to it. The Women's Art Collection is truly amazing - and it's a great location for it. The gardens interact beautifully with the modernist architecture.
Many thanks June. That drawing is actually of the garden created by Jo in the 2000s (I imagine it's similar today). I would love to see a drawing of Ida's garden! There are some b&w photos but you can only picture how beautiful it must have been from others' reports.
Hmm, I wasn't paying attention! It's a beautiful illustration though. It's such a pity when there are no 'real' pictures of interesting gardens. There is very little to see of Ellen Wilmot's gardens (b and w photos) and she was such an important gardener - and fascinating woman. I find it really frustrating!
Imagine giving up the land for a new women's college! Ida and Horace raised some smart daughters. This history is all new to me and am grateful for knowing more.
Thank you Jill, it was a very generous, personal gift from Ruth and Nora, and made such a lasting difference in establishing women's place at Cambridge. It took a long time!
There is so much to explore here! How sad that there is now no trace of Ida Darwin's garden and what I would give to have walked around with her. Thank you very much for the mention, that is so kind of you.
Thank you for bringing Murray Edwards College to my attention. I had the opportunity to visit Cambridge in the summer of 2019 to attend the International summer program for two weeks, which was beyond terrific. Not once did anyone mention the existence of this particular college to my attention.
Thank you Martina! Murray Edwards is such a fantastic college, its international women's art collection and and that program sounds amazing. I'm guessing nowadays the college prefers to focus on the present and future, understandably, but I do think it's important not to forget how it was founded. Cambridge University is now acknowledging that it didn't behave well to women students and scholars of the past; owning its mistakes has helped it move forward.
This is wonderful Ann. I would love to read more about Ida Darwin - have you written more about her elsewhere ? (Oh and thank you for the mention of my Delafield post!)
Many thanks, Emma. I've been researching Ida Darwin and the other women in the Dining Society for a few years now (since 2016, on and off) and trying to figure out how to turn their individual stories into a book. This post was partly prompted by finding NO material on the current Murray Edwards '70th celebrations' website about Ida or Ruth, and Nora's name is misspelt Norah. The official line is that the college is grateful to 'members of the Darwin family' but I think that's missing the point somewhat, that it was these women who were active supporters. So that's why I want to get Cambridge women's stories out there!
Wonderful post, Ann! I’m glad the garden is there today. And now I want to know more about Ida Darwin and her daughters. Also, I just read Rona Maynard’s latest post, on the artist Marisol, and your two posts this week pair well, in a way, both posts reminding us just how hard women had to work to achieve anything, whether at the turn of the 20th century or in the middle of it.
Thanks Sarah! Yes, Ida and her daughters are part of my bigger project (hopefully a book one day) on Cambridge women. I'll be very interested to read Rona's post.
I'm sorry you couldn't find remnants of Ida's garden, but I loved Jo Cobb's watercolor drawing of the grounds. I am hoping that her collections of plants were moved into new quarters before the demolition. That may be where one finds the 'secret gardens'. I hope the college is able to continue to keep much garden space, growing things is a great stress reducer! Always so many fun little bits. I'm catching up here a bit and now to the current post!
Part of my graduate thesis was about the origins of Newcomb College in the late nineteenth century, created as a woman’s college (part of Tulane University in New Orleans.) I love reading about women of this period establishing schools and educational opportunities for women. I did not know this about Cambridge.
Thanks Tiffany, and I am very glad to be introduced to you, and Newcomb College which I hadn't known about. I share your enthusiasm for the educational opportunities for women opening up during this time - and how determined those women were (and others still are today).
What an enjoyable thing to encounter on a Sunday evening — thank you! It's moving to think of those three generations — Darwin and his wife, their son and daughter-in-law, and then their daughters — all part of a chain of thinking and generosity.
The lit fest looks intriguing!
Thanks Maria, I do like that idea of continuity and the links that go back and forth between generations. Some of the wider Darwin family didn't want their family name given to a women's college, apparently (hence the 'temporary' name New Hall) so it's good to think that Ruth and Nora went ahead anyway. Nora was responsible for publishing Charles Darwin's Beagle diary (with financial assistance from Ida), also impressive!
Some of the family not wanting their name on a woman's college — that says so much that I probably wasn't really registering about the social dynamics of the time. Was there some idea that the cachet of the name would be watered down if associated with female scholars as opposed to male scholars, do you think? In any case, how especially impressive that Ruth and Nora (and maybe their parents?) knew what they wanted with the land and went ahead. A great story — thank you.
Yes I think it was about intellectual cachet and Cambridge University’s male traditions… and possibly keeping money in the family, I suspect. The Darwin name was associated with scientific advances rather than educational ones I guess!
Ah, I see! It sounds as though generations of scholars have benefited from the sisters’ decisions. What a nice story in the end. One of the things that always interested me about Darwin himself was that he was an engaged father to/teacher of his own children. Some anecdote about how he never minded being interrupted in his study by his kids, which often resulted in his being dragged outdoors on some naturalist adventure or another in their garden. This college by his granddaughters feels like a natural extension — so nice to read about.
A fascinating read, but also heartbreaking to know that Ida and many women like her were never able to attend Cambridge as students. How nice, however, to remember her in your post. I fear young women today take their educational opportunities for granted, forgetting that it wasn't that long ago that they didn't exist for women. By the way, I love the map, and I have a question, are you aware of any biographical novels about Richarda "Dikki" Morrow-Tait? I did a Google search but none came up.
What a lovely comment, Nancy and I did want to pay tribute to Ida and her daughters, who wanted to give others the chance to have an education. I think Dikki Morrow-Tait would make a great novel, or even a musical! This week was the first time I had heard of her.
Same here. I had never heard of her. It's shocking that modern women don't know who these women are, through no fault of our own, I might add. History simply hasn't served women well.
Gosh, I LOVE that map!
Thank you Martin, I do too - Jo is a talented artist as well as gardener.
What an informative & inspirational essay! It certainly cultivates gratitude for the options available for women today to find their place of full presence educationally & personally. The beauty of the current green space provides a beautiful haven for contemplative space and a fitting tribute to the female visionaries selflessly preparing the foundations for such an opportunity so many years ago.
Thanks Alisa, beautifully expressed. It is indeed a lovely garden, and there's a new head gardener continuing the tradition. Jo did point out some of the older trees that might have been in Ida's Victorian orchard - but in any case, her pioneering spirit continues, as you say.
What a wonderful story - and also a frustrating one. To think of Ida’s daughters having to sacrifice their mother’s home and garden to start a women’s college. I don’t like how much they gave up, but hopefully they were secure enough without it.
Thank you Tara, I hope you are all getting over the virus! I think Ida's daughters were secure financially, but even so, it was quite a significant gift and not one some of the male Darwins approved of! I just find it very moving how the sisters both felt that women students deserved a permanent home in Cambridge, and decided they could do something practical to help.
Yes, moving indeed. I imagine how it must feel to walk through the college knowing this history. All colleges are checkered with philanthropic gifts, but you made this one feel personal in the way you told the story. Thank goodness for people who have made it possible for women to get an education!
The map caught my eye, great to have a plan of the garden included. It's very satisfying to see the college evolve from New Hall, in my day to a contemporary college in conversation with the landscape.
Yes it was hard to adjust to the 'new' name at first! But 'Medwards' has a ring to it. The Women's Art Collection is truly amazing - and it's a great location for it. The gardens interact beautifully with the modernist architecture.
What a great post and what a pity the original garden had to disappear. That illustration of it is rather lovely though.
Many thanks June. That drawing is actually of the garden created by Jo in the 2000s (I imagine it's similar today). I would love to see a drawing of Ida's garden! There are some b&w photos but you can only picture how beautiful it must have been from others' reports.
Hmm, I wasn't paying attention! It's a beautiful illustration though. It's such a pity when there are no 'real' pictures of interesting gardens. There is very little to see of Ellen Wilmot's gardens (b and w photos) and she was such an important gardener - and fascinating woman. I find it really frustrating!
Imagine giving up the land for a new women's college! Ida and Horace raised some smart daughters. This history is all new to me and am grateful for knowing more.
Thank you Jill, it was a very generous, personal gift from Ruth and Nora, and made such a lasting difference in establishing women's place at Cambridge. It took a long time!
There is so much to explore here! How sad that there is now no trace of Ida Darwin's garden and what I would give to have walked around with her. Thank you very much for the mention, that is so kind of you.
Thanks Deborah, Ida would have been so interesting to talk to, funny and a very knowlegeable garden guide (planning to write more about her soon).
Thank you for bringing Murray Edwards College to my attention. I had the opportunity to visit Cambridge in the summer of 2019 to attend the International summer program for two weeks, which was beyond terrific. Not once did anyone mention the existence of this particular college to my attention.
Thank you Martina! Murray Edwards is such a fantastic college, its international women's art collection and and that program sounds amazing. I'm guessing nowadays the college prefers to focus on the present and future, understandably, but I do think it's important not to forget how it was founded. Cambridge University is now acknowledging that it didn't behave well to women students and scholars of the past; owning its mistakes has helped it move forward.
This is wonderful Ann. I would love to read more about Ida Darwin - have you written more about her elsewhere ? (Oh and thank you for the mention of my Delafield post!)
Many thanks, Emma. I've been researching Ida Darwin and the other women in the Dining Society for a few years now (since 2016, on and off) and trying to figure out how to turn their individual stories into a book. This post was partly prompted by finding NO material on the current Murray Edwards '70th celebrations' website about Ida or Ruth, and Nora's name is misspelt Norah. The official line is that the college is grateful to 'members of the Darwin family' but I think that's missing the point somewhat, that it was these women who were active supporters. So that's why I want to get Cambridge women's stories out there!
A book sounds wonderful ... I hope it happens. It does sound very much like the full story should b told!
Wonderful post, Ann! I’m glad the garden is there today. And now I want to know more about Ida Darwin and her daughters. Also, I just read Rona Maynard’s latest post, on the artist Marisol, and your two posts this week pair well, in a way, both posts reminding us just how hard women had to work to achieve anything, whether at the turn of the 20th century or in the middle of it.
Thanks Sarah! Yes, Ida and her daughters are part of my bigger project (hopefully a book one day) on Cambridge women. I'll be very interested to read Rona's post.
Your book will be wonderful—look forward to reading!
I'm sorry you couldn't find remnants of Ida's garden, but I loved Jo Cobb's watercolor drawing of the grounds. I am hoping that her collections of plants were moved into new quarters before the demolition. That may be where one finds the 'secret gardens'. I hope the college is able to continue to keep much garden space, growing things is a great stress reducer! Always so many fun little bits. I'm catching up here a bit and now to the current post!