Motion · S5M-16792 · 4 Apr 2019
Recognition for the Edinburgh Seven
The motion
That the Parliament welcomes the announcement that Sophia Jex-Blake, Isabel Thorne, Edith Pechey, Matilda Chaplin, Helen Evans, Mary Anderson, and Emily Bovell, who were known as the Edinburgh Seven, are to be awarded posthumous honorary degrees by the University of Edinburgh on 6 July 2019; understands that, when they began studying medicine in 1869, they were the first group of matriculated undergraduate female students at any British university; believes that they endured verbal and physical harassment and were prevented from graduating and qualifying as doctors; considers however that their efforts helped put the right of women to receive a university education on the national agenda; understands that their campaign gained support from key figures of the day, including Charles Darwin, and that their efforts led directly to the introduction of the Medical Act 1876, which gave permissive power to the medical examining bodies in the UK to admit women to their qualifying examinations, and congratulates those involved with working to give the seven what it sees as this richly-deserved accolade.
Supporters (15)
- Clare Adamson Scottish National Party 4 Apr 2019
- Bob Doris Scottish National Party 4 Apr 2019
- Kezia Dugdale 4 Apr 2019
- Patrick Harvie Scottish Green Party 4 Apr 2019
- Bill Kidd 4 Apr 2019
- Monica Lennon Scottish Labour 4 Apr 2019
- Richard Lyle 4 Apr 2019
- Rona Mackay 4 Apr 2019
- Stuart McMillan Scottish National Party 4 Apr 2019
- David Torrance Scottish National Party 4 Apr 2019
- Sandra White 4 Apr 2019
- Maureen Watt 5 Apr 2019
- Neil Findlay 10 Apr 2019
- John Finnie 10 Apr 2019
- Tom Arthur Scottish National Party 12 Apr 2019
Source: the Scottish Parliament motions and amendments record.