The Rising Tide : Petition calling for Girton and Newnham students to be awarded degrees, 1880

The Rising Tide

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Although the first two women’s colleges at Cambridge - Girton and Newnham - had been founded in 1869 and 1871 respectively, women were still denied access to the University, to take degrees and to participate in its governance. In response over 8000 people signed this petition. It called for women to be given the right to sit its examinations, take degrees and participate in the governance of the University. The demands divided the two women’s colleges. Girton was sympathetic to calls for total equality, but Newnham considered it potentially counterproductive to ask for too much too soon.</p>