Queen's College, London founded as first school awarding qualifications to women

Background. The foundation of Queen's College, London, grew out of the Governesses' Benevolent Institution. In 1847, the institution's secretary acquired the agreement of professors from King's College London to give lectures in the Home, and the first lectures took place that year, with a Committee of Education established under a chair. It was then decided to extend the education on offer to women who were not governesses, leading to the college's founding by Frederick Denison Maurice and a committee of patrons in 1848.

Institutional Development. Initially associated with the Governesses' Benevolent Institution, the college evolved into an independent entity. In 1853, it was granted a Royal Charter, the first for a girls' school, to further women's education. This separation led to the creation of a new Governing Council, with the Bishop of London serving as the 'Visitor', a role that continues to this day.

Legacy and Recognition. Queen's College was founded in 1848 by Frederick Denison Maurice and a committee of patrons. Its sourced recognition rests on the 1853 Royal Charter, granted as the first such charter to a girls' school for the furtherance of women's education. The college's history is documented in published accounts by Grylls, Kaye, and Billings, covering its first 150 years.