Edinburgh University admitted female medical students - On this day in

Edinburgh University admitted female medical students for the first time on 12 November 1869. One of the first students was Hastings student Sophia Jex-Blake (pictured) who persuaded the university authorities to allow her and her friend Edith Pache to attend medicine lectures. Despite Jex-Blake's success on the course, she was unable to graduate, as women were not allowed to practice on medical wards.

Jex-Blake later transferred to Dublin, and established a successful career in medicine. It would be another twenty years before British Medical Schools would allow female medical students to graduate.

QUICK LINK: A history of women in Scotland