1 00:00:08,060 --> 00:00:15,050 Hello, my name's Anne Lawrence and I work as an academic librarian at the University of East Anglia. 2 00:00:15,050 --> 00:00:22,850 During my time in the special collections department at the Botley and Library, I completed my Masters degree in information and library studies. 3 00:00:22,850 --> 00:00:26,590 I wrote my dissertation on the history of the employment of women at the Botley, 4 00:00:26,590 --> 00:00:31,700 and as after hearing the story of the first female librarian there, I was hooked. 5 00:00:31,700 --> 00:00:38,580 And hopefully you will be to. Most people have an idea of a librarian in their heads. 6 00:00:38,580 --> 00:00:45,000 It's a powerful stereotype and one that most of us working in libraries have rolled our eyes up more than once. 7 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:54,210 However, at the beginning of the last century, librarians were educated, important figures in society roles which were reserved for men. 8 00:00:54,210 --> 00:01:00,780 I could talk about the social changes, context and campaigns that have occurred over the years that have progressed. 9 00:01:00,780 --> 00:01:11,490 The fight for gender equality in the sector for hours. But I wanted to focus my talk on the individuals at the start of the story at the Bodleian. 10 00:01:11,490 --> 00:01:20,320 The Bodleian Library was established in 16, 02 and over the centuries has acquired vast collections, meaning more work for the librarians. 11 00:01:20,320 --> 00:01:27,520 Edward Dickerson, who became Bodil's librarian in 1882, overhauled procedures to be more efficient. 12 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:35,860 But he still found it difficult to recruit and retain enough permanent or temporary male staff to cope with the workload. 13 00:01:35,860 --> 00:01:41,920 This led to the situation in 1910, when he suggested hiring a permanent female employee. 14 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:47,350 Nicholson did hire women as early as 1884, but only as temporary staff. 15 00:01:47,350 --> 00:01:55,450 Although the women were hailed as a cheap alternative, those women at the Bodleian were paid the same as their male counterparts. 16 00:01:55,450 --> 00:02:03,180 He also hired his two daughters, although he paid for them out of his own finances. 17 00:02:03,180 --> 00:02:11,160 In 1986, Francis Underhill of Royal Holloway College alumnus was working at the University of Oxford Examinations 18 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:17,610 Department when she wrote to Nicholson asking for copy work and she had a desire to work with books, 19 00:02:17,610 --> 00:02:26,150 which I know the feeling she worked on the body and extra staff making catalogue revisions until 1910. 20 00:02:26,150 --> 00:02:34,070 As an exemplary employee, Nicholson wrote to her to offer her a permanent position on the twenty ninth of April 1910. 21 00:02:34,070 --> 00:02:42,620 The conditions of her employment included giving up the assistantship upon marriage, not seeking employment elsewhere for at least 12 months, 22 00:02:42,620 --> 00:02:49,460 giving a month's notice after this period and not working unpaid with elsewhere without permission. 23 00:02:49,460 --> 00:02:57,560 Frances Underhill accepted immediately as a politically aware woman and an active participant in the suffragette movement. 24 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:01,580 She was only too aware of the monumental nature of this offer. 25 00:03:01,580 --> 00:03:08,330 She stated in the letter of acceptance, I should like to thank you very much for offering me this appointment, 26 00:03:08,330 --> 00:03:16,780 both from a personal point of view and also because it is a progressive step in the recognition of women's work. 27 00:03:16,780 --> 00:03:19,420 However, it was not all smooth sailing. 28 00:03:19,420 --> 00:03:26,020 The nomination received strong opposition from the curators of the library who argued that the Latin translation of the 29 00:03:26,020 --> 00:03:33,520 guidelines governing the university only applied to men so could not be interpreted in a case of appointing a woman. 30 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:37,690 The matter was referred to a subcommittee in June 1910. 31 00:03:37,690 --> 00:03:45,880 The sub librarians under Nicholson, Falconer, Madeleine and Arthur Cowley found the proposed appointment objectionable. 32 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:52,660 They argued that women could not perform all the duties required, including shifting books, going up ladders, 33 00:03:52,660 --> 00:04:00,040 taking messages and taking control of others, meaning the male employees would have to take on these extra duties. 34 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:06,520 They felt women would be unsafe working with men or being left alone in remote parts of the library, 35 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:13,940 and reason that the staffing crisis could be solved by increasing the wages of the male staff. 36 00:04:13,940 --> 00:04:19,400 Nicholson, who had a famously terrible working relationship with his sub librarians, 37 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:25,220 responded by letter, countering every argument put forward, his statements included. 38 00:04:25,220 --> 00:04:31,160 There are sections of the library which contain no books beyond the easy power of a woman to shift. 39 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:38,540 And as regards to going up ladders, I presume that every woman in England worth her salt who has had a chance of climbing 40 00:04:38,540 --> 00:04:45,850 an apple tree has climbed it and Magalia send a ladder to any bodily and ceiling. 41 00:04:45,850 --> 00:04:51,070 The vote on Underhill was appointment was deferred much to the frustration of Nicholson. 42 00:04:51,070 --> 00:05:00,400 He wrote a document outlining his decision to appoint her, explaining so long as the female population of England largely exceeds the male. 43 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:05,260 So long must there be an increasing prospect of the Bodleian being able to draw on them? 44 00:05:05,260 --> 00:05:09,330 For most of the work it needs at the salaries they can pay. 45 00:05:09,330 --> 00:05:16,260 The vote finally occurred on the twenty ninth of October 1910 and went five to four in favour. 46 00:05:16,260 --> 00:05:23,190 Francis Underhill eventually went on to become head of the catalogue provision section. 47 00:05:23,190 --> 00:05:31,020 Underhill was the only woman on the permanent staff at the body. However, there were other women working in the library on the extra staff. 48 00:05:31,020 --> 00:05:34,440 These photos show just some of these body and staff members. 49 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:44,600 Between 1911 and 1913, I can definitely see that librarians love of cardigans has a long history. 50 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:51,740 Working in the Botley and demanded efficiency and quality, as Miss Hammerton found out after attending Somerville College, 51 00:05:51,740 --> 00:05:58,040 she was hired in 1910 on the catalogue of vision staff working beneath Frances Underhill. 52 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:06,140 In 1913, however, in a letter to the then librarian, Faulkner Martin, who had replaced Nicholson in 1912, 53 00:06:06,140 --> 00:06:13,460 her work was summarised as UN methodical and slow, leading to Underhill recommending her dismissal. 54 00:06:13,460 --> 00:06:21,610 Ms. Underhill, whose opinion was clearly highly regarded as Mr. Martin, followed her advice and dismissed Miss Pemberton almost immediately. 55 00:06:21,610 --> 00:06:25,810 Miss Emison was astonished by this and wrote several letters to Miss Underhill. 56 00:06:25,810 --> 00:06:32,540 Mr. Martin and Mr. Gibson and assistant librarian asking for clarification and proof. 57 00:06:32,540 --> 00:06:38,540 Miss Underhill responded, I think you will realise on consideration that it is a very awkward matter to 58 00:06:38,540 --> 00:06:43,770 discuss the merits or demerits of a person's work with that person herself. 59 00:06:43,770 --> 00:06:50,240 And I do not consider that a conversation such as the one you suggest would serve any useful purpose. 60 00:06:50,240 --> 00:07:01,900 Miss Emmerson conceded and left the library in 1913. The women valued the experience, the body and offered using it to their advantage. 61 00:07:01,900 --> 00:07:13,390 Mishandles, who had attended Cheltenham Ladies College and was hired in 1912, continued to work at the Bodleian until October 1914 in 1921. 62 00:07:13,390 --> 00:07:22,840 She requested a reference to advertise her services in the League of Gentle Women's magazine called Useful Women in Early Day Yellow Pages for Ladies. 63 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:32,790 My favourites on this list include libraries, catalogue, of course, chaperoning and emergency dinner guests provided. 64 00:07:32,790 --> 00:07:37,290 The advent of the First World War meant increased employment opportunity for women 65 00:07:37,290 --> 00:07:42,340 at the board and the existing female staff joined the war effort where they could. 66 00:07:42,340 --> 00:07:50,940 Francis Underhill sent parcels to the Botley and Men of the Front before volunteering for the voluntary aid detachment and being appointed as a nurse. 67 00:07:50,940 --> 00:07:57,030 In January 1916, she was granted leave of absence with her post waiting for her. 68 00:07:57,030 --> 00:08:06,220 Upon her return, mystic's in a Somerville College alumnus who was appointed in 1912, also volunteered with the V.A. D. 69 00:08:06,220 --> 00:08:17,430 And the pair had crossed paths and kept in touch during their training. They were both deployed to Valetta in Malta in the summer of 1916. 70 00:08:17,430 --> 00:08:24,720 A letter from Mrs Dixon and Underhill to Botley and staffers Mrs Rufo and Poxon details that it took them two 71 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:31,550 weeks to arrive by boat and that both ships had brought that had brought them to Malta had since been sunk. 72 00:08:31,550 --> 00:08:36,170 Underhill had been working in the town hospital for six weeks. 73 00:08:36,170 --> 00:08:43,700 She stated in the letter that it was extremely hot, noisy and reeked of Gote from morning till night. 74 00:08:43,700 --> 00:08:52,630 Once, Smeltz never forgotten. She was then transferred to the same fever hospital in Taffer, that mystic's and was working in. 75 00:08:52,630 --> 00:09:01,140 They were staying in quarters, were lucky enough to be sharing a room with a balcony which had views to the east, catching all the sunrises. 76 00:09:01,140 --> 00:09:09,210 Due to censorship, the letters talked mostly of the weather of missing Blighty and wishing to be remembered to anyone who knew them. 77 00:09:09,210 --> 00:09:17,130 Friendships between these women endured over distance, demonstrated when Miss Corpo and Poxon had sent parcels of goodies to them. 78 00:09:17,130 --> 00:09:24,840 A good thing, too, as Miss Underhill was always ravenously hungry, according to Mystic's and. 79 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:34,470 Mystics and herself left the Bodleian in 1917. She had officially resigned in 1916, but was also told that her job would be waiting for her. 80 00:09:34,470 --> 00:09:43,230 Upon her return from the war, if she wanted, she was recalled from her nursing duties in Malta when her mother was suffering from cancer. 81 00:09:43,230 --> 00:09:49,140 Following her war service, she took up a position working under the Foreign Office librarian. 82 00:09:49,140 --> 00:09:54,870 She went on to marry Lieutenant A.R. Baker in 1921 in London. 83 00:09:54,870 --> 00:10:04,250 In 1920, in a letter to a bodily an employee, she responded to the information that the catalogue revision section was to be closed by Mr Mardon, 84 00:10:04,250 --> 00:10:08,220 an action she described as the paying of an ancient grudge. 85 00:10:08,220 --> 00:10:16,670 It was indeed a terrible feminin invasion to one professedly antifeminist. 86 00:10:16,670 --> 00:10:27,460 Ms. Underhill herself remained unmarried. In June 1917, she sent a letter to Mr. Madelin stating her intention to return to work in the library. 87 00:10:27,460 --> 00:10:35,410 However, she was then asked to work for the Ministry of Food, where her experience and qualifications would be of considerable value. 88 00:10:35,410 --> 00:10:41,410 Although it started as a secondment, it would prove to be the start of an international career for Francis. 89 00:10:41,410 --> 00:10:48,190 And on December the twenty eighth, 1917, she wrote to Madeleine and offered her resignation from the Botkin. 90 00:10:48,190 --> 00:10:56,590 She states in the letter. I realised keenly all that my years of work in the bodily and have taught me and I appreciate to the fullest extent the 91 00:10:56,590 --> 00:11:03,700 privilege of being a member of the permanent staff of such a library and having written my own resignation letter to the body. 92 00:11:03,700 --> 00:11:13,950 And I know exactly what she means. Francis Underhill worked for the Ministry of Food from August 1917 to March 1919. 93 00:11:13,950 --> 00:11:19,230 Within this time, she was decorated for her work at the 1918 peace conference, 94 00:11:19,230 --> 00:11:27,720 being awarded an OBE in 1920 and worked as the assistant secretary to various inter allied committees. 95 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:34,440 She worked on the Organisation of Registry for the British side of the Supreme Economic Council in Paris, 96 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:41,560 which enabled her to work in Paris, London, Brussels and Rome until not November 1920. 97 00:11:41,560 --> 00:11:50,230 She went on to work as the deputy to the officer in charge of the documentation work for the first assembly, the League of Nations in Geneva. 98 00:11:50,230 --> 00:11:56,730 This enabled her to become a member of the financial section and economic intelligence service of the league. 99 00:11:56,730 --> 00:12:04,380 After this, Francis transferred to the International Labour Office Library in Geneva during her years service there, 100 00:12:04,380 --> 00:12:08,880 she applied for several jobs back in the U.K., but with no success. 101 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:16,090 She acknowledged herself that she was likely to be too expensive due to her experience. 102 00:12:16,090 --> 00:12:24,730 She wrote a letter in 1937 to Strickland Gibson, a former Bodleian and colleague, that she was looking forward to retiring soon. 103 00:12:24,730 --> 00:12:30,910 Writing a further letter to him 1939, explaining that she was still living in Geneva, 104 00:12:30,910 --> 00:12:36,640 feeling rather homesick and living under war conditions so could not afford to leave. 105 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:45,040 Very little evidence survives about Frances up after this until her obituary in the Times in 1973. 106 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:54,010 It states that Frances Underhill, also known as stalky, was nearly 90 when she passed away, seemingly indestructible. 107 00:12:54,010 --> 00:13:02,620 She was a suffragette, a folk dancer and summoned out of retirement at 70 to organise an international conference in New York. 108 00:13:02,620 --> 00:13:11,140 She eventually moved back to Sussex, where she built herself a cottage and a swimming pool to help combat the arthritis she had developed. 109 00:13:11,140 --> 00:13:16,990 She was a strong believer in the Catholic faith and listened to all the news broadcasts she could. 110 00:13:16,990 --> 00:13:25,510 She was an astute follower of politics and even when she was taken into hospital, was adamant to be kept up to date by all accounts. 111 00:13:25,510 --> 00:13:33,800 Stalky was a vibrant, humorous, confident, accomplished and very admirable woman. 112 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:39,710 Sometimes we can see how the determination and vision of people changes the course of history. 113 00:13:39,710 --> 00:13:46,870 And this is the case with Edward Nicholson. Francis Underhill and the other early staff at the Botin. 114 00:13:46,870 --> 00:13:52,120 Set against the social backdrop of the women's fight for liberation. And in front Triesman, 115 00:13:52,120 --> 00:14:01,960 Edward Nicholson pushed against the entrenched opposition to successfully hire the first full time permanent employee of the Bodleian in its history. 116 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:09,640 If he had not been so determined or employed women who were so capable and strong, it could have been very different. 117 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:16,000 Even now, there is still equality challenges to face within the information profession. 118 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:23,410 However, all stories start somewhere, usually with a visionary and bold person breaking down barriers. 119 00:14:23,410 --> 00:14:31,480 This was certainly the case for the Botley and and without these first progressive steps, women, librarians would not be where they are today. 120 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:37,012 Something for which I know I am grateful for. Thank you.