Girls in the Humanities
The humanities can cover a wide range of subjects, from history, geography, religious studies, politics, English, and ancient and modern languages taught at College, to the wide array of university courses and careers that our girls go on to pursue.
In 2021, the most popular choices, among our leavers pursuing humanities courses, were Liberal Arts (often in the US), Geography, History and Law. Popular UK university destinations among this group of CLC leavers include Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Edinburgh, Exeter and KCL.
Girls studying Liberal Arts in the US went on to a wide range of universities, including the Brown University, Columbia University, University of Chicago and Yale University, among others.
The breadth of careers and achievements of our Guild members in this area reflect the variety within the humanities subjects, from literature and politics, to journalism and diplomacy, among many others. Below is a small selection of some of our prominent Guild members within this vast array of fields over the last 160 years (in alphabetical order).
Journalism & Literature |
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| Doyin Akinyelure | Business News Anchor, Producer and BBC Komla Dumor Award winner |
| Hilary Andersson | BBC journalist and Panorama correspondent |
| Phyllis Bentley | Novelist and authority on the Bronte sisters |
| Baroness Rosie Boycott | Journalist and former editor of The Independent and The Daily Express. Member of the House of Lords. |
| Ginny Dougary | Award-winning journalist and writer for The Times |
| Lottie Prentice | Children's author (A Tale of Ted) |
| Kate Reardon | Former Editor of Tatler magazine (2011-17). Editor-in-Chief of LUXX (The Times lifestyle magazine) |
| Sue Lloyd-Roberts CBE | BBC reporter and human rights campaigner |
| Caroline Spurgeon | Literary critic |
| Robin Stevens | Children's author (Murder Most Unladylike Mysteries) |
| Anya Sitaram | TV journalist and Sky News presenter. Co-founder of Rockhopper.Media |
| Grace Goldie | First head of BBC Television News and Current Affairs |
Politics & Languages |
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| Nora Mary Boyce | Scholar of Iranian languages and Zoroastrianism |
| Mary Cashmore | First female in the foreign office |
| Janet Douglas CMG | Diplomat for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. British High Commissioner to Barbados |
| Cheryl Gillan MP | Former Secretary of State for Wales and Member of Parliament |
| Jane Ellen Harrison | Classical scholar, first research fellow of Newnham College, Cambridge and first to be granted an honorary degree. First woman in England to obtain a post as a career academic. |
| Sally Keeble | Politician and former Member of Parliament |
| Fiona Mactaggart | Politician and former Member of Parliament |
| Cicely Mayhew | First female diplomat at the British Foreign Office |
| Amber Rudd | Former UK Home Secretary |
Society & Law |
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| Eileen Barker | Sociologist specialising in cults and religions |
| Annette Bear-Crawford | Feminist campaigner in England and Australia |
| Mary Blackburn MBE | Magistrate & Gloucestershire Bench Chairman 2013 |
| Una Duval | Women's rights campaigner and famously refused to say 'obey' in her wedding vows |
| Ellice Eadie | Barrister and first female to be appointed Parliamentary Council |
| Zoe Grimwood | Developed the use of Braille in the training of deaf-blind people |
| Carolyn Kirby OBE | First female President of the Law Society |
| Gareth Peirce | Lawyer and human rights activist |
| Lindy Penrose Price | Prison reformer and educationalist |
| Dame Betty Ridley | Religious reformer and first female Church Estate Commissioner |
| Mary Stevens | Barrister and first woman to achieve first class in the final bar exams |
| Edith Thompson | Organiser of the Women's Land Army during WWII |
| Su-Mei Thompson | CEO of the Media Trust and former CEO of The Women’s Foundation |
History & Geography |
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| Maud Cunningham CBE | First woman to be made CBE for services to archaeology |
| Dr Jane Grenville OBE | Historian and former Commissioner for English Heritage |
| Annie Hall | First female member of the Society of Architects |
| Hermione Hobhouse | Historian and author |
| Lisa Jardine CBE | Historian, author and broadcaster |