Elizabeth Garrett Anderson

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Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (1836-1917) was the first woman to qualify as a doctor in Great Britain. She was the co-founder of the first hospital staffed by women, the first Dean of a British medical school, and was the first female mayor and magistrate in Great Britain. Born in Whitechapel, Garrett Anderson was inspired to become a doctor after meeting Emily Blackwell, the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States, who later became Garrett Anderson’s mentor. As numerous medical schools during this time did not permit women to study the discipline, this was no easy feat and Garrett Anderson was turned down from many institutions. She passed her initial exams in 1865 with the Society of Apothecaries, a route they later discontinued to prevent other women becoming doctors. In 1866, she opened a dispensary for women in London and in 1870, became a visiting physician at East London Hospital. Despite her experience and qualifications, she was still not recognised as a doctor under the British Medical Register so left for The University of Paris where she eventually earned her medical degree. Garrett Anderson founded the New Hospital for Women in London in 1872, a hospital staffed entirely by women. In 1883, she was appointed Dean of the London School of Medicine for Women and in 1908, she became the Mayor of Aldeburgh. The 48p stamp was issued by Royal Mail on the 14th October 2008 as part of a six stamp commemorative series on ‘Women of Distinction’. Special thanks to Museum Volunteer Loredana Losavio for helping with the research of Elizabeth Garrett Anderson.