In the quiet elegance of Manor Place, a revolution began. It wasn’t waged with swords or banners but with books, lectures, and relentless determination. This was the home of Sophia Jex-Blake (1840–1912), a woman who dared to believe that medicine should not be a man’s world.
A Woman Who Would Not Be Told "No"
Sophia was no stranger to barriers. When she applied to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh in 1869, she and her fellow female students were met with hostility, both institutional and physical. They became known as the "Edinburgh Seven," the first women ever admitted to a British university to study medicine.
But their journey was far from smooth. The opposition was fierce, culminating in the infamous Surgeons' Hall Riot of 1870, when an angry mob of male students physically barred them from attending an anatomy exam. They threw mud and shouted abuse, but Sophia stood firm. She was not just fighting for her own education—she was opening the door for generations of women to come.
A Legacy Built in Stone
Though the university ultimately refused to grant her a degree, Sophia took matters into her own hands. She travelled to Switzerland to complete her medical studies and, once qualified, returned to Edinburgh with a mission.
In 1874, she established the Edinburgh School of Medicine for Women, ensuring that other aspiring female doctors would not face the same struggles she had. In 1886, the fight was finally won—women were officially allowed to qualify as doctors in Scotland.
The House That Changed History
Standing at 4 Manor Place, it’s easy to imagine Sophia at her desk, surrounded by medical textbooks, penning the letters that would change history. This house was not just a home; it was a battleground for equality.
Thanks to Sophia’s relentless courage, women today can walk into medical schools without a second thought. But we should always remember the mud-splattered steps of Surgeons' Hall, the slammed doors, and the unwavering resolve of one woman who refused to accept "no."
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