Enterprising Women: The Garretts and their Circle

Elizabeth Crawford

Francis Boutle, £20, pp 341

www.francisboutle.demon.co.uk

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ISBN 1 903427 12 6

Elizabeth Garrett (1836-1917) made no secret of her motive in choosing a career in medicine. Writing to her friend Dr Elizabeth Blackwell in 1861, she admitted being drawn by a strong conviction of its fitness for a woman, rather than by any personal bias, although later, to her surprise, she came to find medicine an absorbing interest and pursuit. Her desire was to attain professional status, above social criticism, with no loss of caste by association with trade, and allowing a good income, at a time when to become a wife or a governess was the chief …