In 1869, when five women enrolled at university for the first time in British history, the average female brain was thought to be 150 grams lighter than a man's. Doctors warned that if a woman studied too hard, her womb would wither and die. Despite the prejudice and the terrible sacrifices that they faced, these women persevered with their studies, and paved the way for the generations of women who followed them. Jenni speaks to Jane Robinson about her new book 'Bluestockings', the story of the first women to fight for a tertiary education.
'Bluestockings: The Remarkable Story of the First Women to Fight for an Education' by Jane Robinson is published by Viking on 27 August 2009 ISBN-10: 0670916846
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