Portrait of Elizabeth Anna Sophia Dawes (1864–1954) from The Sketch, Vol. X, No. 122, May 29, 1895, page 237

Elizabeth Anna Sophia Dawes (1864–1954) was a 19th-century British classical scholar and the first woman to receive a DLitt degree from the University of London.[1][2]

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Early life

Elizabeth was born on 7 November 1864 in Surbiton, England.[1] In the 1881 census, aged 16, she is already listed as "scholar". At this time, the family, consisting of father the Revd John Samuel Dawes,[2] mother Anna Sophia Elizabeth (or called Elizabeth Anna Sophia as well, according to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography)[1] and eight children, live at [Newton House] on [Maple Road] in Surbiton. [ 3 ]

[ 3 ] - Dawes, Elizabeth A. S. "UK Census Records". Ancestry.co.uk.

Her older sister Mary Clara Dawes [Wikidata] was also a scholar, and the first woman to receive a Masters in Arts.[4] Mary Clara Dawes passed the matriculation examination in January 1879 and placed fourth in the list of masters of arts for the University of London in July 1884.[5][6][7]

Education

Dawes spent a year at Bedford College, London before matriculating as a Scholar at Girton College, Cambridge University.[8] She got a good mark in the Classical Tripos but, as was the rule at that time, could not graduate from the University of Cambridge with a degree. Her good results are notable because girls generally received an inferior education to their male counterparts, which generally translated into lower marks in the Tripos.[9]

She subsequently acquired a BA from the University of London, as well as being the first woman to receive a DLitt from the University of London, in 1895.[1][10] The title of her thesis was The Pronunciation of Greek with Suggestions for a Reform in Teaching that Language, indicating an early interest in educational reform which would persist into her career as a headmistress of a girls' school.

Career

Contrary to many women of the Victorian era, Dawes had a career. In addition to a professorship held at Bryn Mawr College in the US during the academic year 1886–87, when she was only 22, she was headmistress of a school in Surrey together with her sister Mary.[11] In 1928, she translated Anna Comnena's Alexiad from Greek into English.[12] The work is still in print almost 90 years later.[13]

Later life

Dawes died in Weybridge on 19 August 1954.[1][14]

Select bibliography

References

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Note: See also information at profile of Domentziolus what she summarized.
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Records

"England, Surrey, Parish Registers, 1536-1992", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGZP-P5S1 : Sun Jan 12 05:43:43 UTC 2025), Entry for Elizabeth Anna Sophia Dawes and John Samuel Dawes, 05 Apr 1865.

"United States, Wikipedia, Prominent Persons Index, 1500-2022", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:65MZ-9H2K : Fri Feb 21 17:28:03 UTC 2025), Entry for Elizabeth Anna Sophia Dawes.

"England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NKTV-HF2 : 10 April 2021), Elizabeth Anna Sophia Dawes, 1865.

"Find a Grave Index", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL7Y-R33M : Tue Apr 01 02:29:40 UTC 2025), Entry for Elizabeth Anna Sophia Dawes.

Other records

From newspapers:

• Elizabeth Dawes obituary, The Surrey Advertiser, County Times, Guildford, Surrey, England • Sat, Aug 28, 1954, Page 8
• Retirement of Elizabeth Dawes from Heathlands, The Surrey Advertiser, County Times, Guildford, Surrey, England • Sat, Nov 10, 1917, Page 5
• Degree of D. Lit. conferred, The Graphic: An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper, London, Greater London, England • Sat, May 25, 1895, Page 9
• Dawes translates the Alexiad, The Birmingham Post, Birmingham, West Midlands, England • Mon, Dec 24, 1928, Page 10
• Remarkably Learned Lady, The Norfolk Virginian, Norfolk, Virginia • Thu, Mar 28, 1895, Page 8