Ann Jellicoe (educationalist) facts for kids

Anne Jellicoe (born Anne William Mullin, 1823–1880) was an important Irish teacher and leader in education. She is most famous for starting Alexandra College. This school became very important for helping young women get a good education.

Early Life

Anne was born on March 23, 1823, in Mountmellick, County Laois, Ireland. Her parents were William and Margaret Mullin. She had one brother, John. Her father was a Quaker schoolmaster. He ran his own school for boys. He taught them advanced subjects like English, history, and math.

Anne married John Jellicoe, who was a flour miller. They got married on October 28, 1846, in Mountmellick. Two years later, they moved to Clara, County Offaly.

Helping Others Learn

We don't know much about Anne's own schooling. But she started helping others from a young age. Johanna Carter, a teacher in Clara, became a role model for Anne. Johanna taught girls useful skills and even invented a special type of embroidery. This showed Anne that having a job could make women more independent.

In Clara, Anne started a school for embroidery and lace. This school helped young girls find work. She wanted the girls to not only make things to sell, but also to learn and think for themselves. Some people did not agree with this new way of educating girls. But the school kept going strong until 1856.

In 1858, the Jellicoes moved to Dublin. There, Anne helped restart the Cole Alley Infant School. This school was for poor children of all religions. Anne also worked with the Dublin Statistical Society. This group wanted to solve social problems. Anne learned how to study and research. She used these skills to look into prisons, poor areas, and workplaces in Dublin.

In 1861, Anne was asked to give a speech. She spoke about the working conditions for women in Dublin factories. She collected facts about their pay, how they worked, and if they could get better jobs. She found that many women in these jobs were struggling. Anne believed it was very important to educate working-class people. She pushed for more schools for young children and evening classes for older girls.

On August 19, 1861, Anne and Barbara Corlett started the Dublin branch of the Society for Promoting the Employment of Women. This group aimed to teach women skills for jobs outside the home. Many women wanted to join. In the first few years, over 500 women signed up for classes. This success led Anne to create a new group called the Queen's Institute. The Institute taught practical skills like bookkeeping, secretarial work, and sewing. These were skills that could help women get jobs. Businesses even started hiring graduates from the Institute. For example, the Irish Magnetic Telegraph Company provided equipment and a teacher.

Anne's work with the Institute made her realize something important. Women needed a good general education before they could be trained for specific jobs. In 1862, Anne's husband, John, passed away. She used the money she inherited to create a permanent home for the Queen's Institute.

In 1866, with help from Archbishop Richard Chenevix Trench, Anne founded Alexandra College in Dublin. This was the first women's college in Ireland to offer a university-level education. The college was named after Princess of Wales. It offered advanced classes in subjects like Greek, Latin, math, philosophy, and science. Anne also founded the Governess Association of Ireland in 1869. In 1873, she started Alexandra School, which was a high school connected to Alexandra College.

Death and Legacy

This plaque honors Anne Jellicoe at the place where the Queen's Institute once stood.

Anne and John Jellicoe did not have any children. Anne passed away suddenly in Birmingham on October 18, 1880, at age 57. She was visiting her brother at the time. She is buried in the Friends' burial-ground at Rosenallis. The Queen's Institute closed its doors in 1881, not long after her death.

Today, there are two paintings of Anne at Alexandra College. There is also a special memorial for both John and Anne in the chapel at Mount Jerome cemetery in Dublin. A plaque dedicated to Anne can be found where the Queen's Institute used to be. This spot is now Buswells Hotel.