1. Dame Emily Penrose, was an ancient historian and principal of three early women's university colleges in the United Kingdom: Bedford College from 1893 until 1898, Royal Holloway College from 1898 until 1907, and Somerville College, Oxford University from 1907 until 1926.
Emily Penrose was the first woman to achieve First Class honours in Classics at Oxford University, and was instrumental in securing the admission of women as full members of the university in 1920.
Emily Penrose was the second of five siblings, and oldest daughter of Francis Cramer Penrose and his wife Harriette Gibbes, the daughter of Francis Gibbes, a surgeon of Harewood in West Yorkshire.
Emily Penrose trained as an artist with her father; a watercolour of the Parthenon attributed to her is in the collection of the British Museum.
Emily Penrose read for her degree at Somerville College at the University of Oxford, where she started as a scholar of Greats in 1889; this involved her learning both Latin and ancient Greek from scratch.
Emily Penrose chose to specialise in archaeology after her experiences in Athens, and in 1892 became the first woman to achieve First Class honours in Greats.
Emily Penrose taught for a short time as an extension lecturer in Oxford and London before being appointed as Principal of Bedford College in 1893.
Emily Penrose was the first principal at Bedford, combining the former roles of Lady Resident, responsible for resident students, and Lady Superintendent, responsible for day students.
Emily Penrose was given the additional post of Professor of Ancient History in 1894, "without additional stipend".
Emily Penrose then moved in 1898 to Royal Holloway College to become the college's second principal, following Matilda Bishop who had been its first.
Emily Penrose was instrumental in gaining the college admission to the newly formed University of London in 1900.
Emily Penrose was followed as principal at Royal Holloway by Ellen Charlotte Higgins.
In 1907 Emily Penrose was appointed as Principal of Somerville College, Oxford, following the death of her predecessor, Agnes Maitland.
Emily Penrose was closely involved in the establishment of a university delegacy for women students in 1910, on which she served as an elected member.
Emily Penrose helped restore Somerville's finances after World War I Emily Penrose was responsible for adding additional tutors, including Helen Darbishire and Margaret Hayes Robinson to the Somerville staff, and enabled tutors to become part of Somerville's council for the first time in 1921.
Emily Penrose became the statutory commissioner for the University of Oxford in 1923.
Emily Penrose had responsibility for a range of war-time roles, including organisation of the National Registration in Oxford, and management of the Belgian Visitors' Committee.
Emily Penrose moved to London after her retirement, later moving to Bournemouth on the outbreak of World War II, where she died on 26 January 1942.
On her retirement in 1926, Emily Penrose was awarded an honorary Doctor of Civil Law by Oxford, the second woman given this title after Queen Mary; Sheffield University awarded her an honorary Doctorate of Laws.
Somerville's Emily Penrose building, opened in 1934, is named after her.
Emily Penrose was the subject of numerous photographs and portraits, including by Francis William Helps, Philip de Laszlo, and the Rhomaides Brothers.