Blanche Clough

Blanche Athena Clough (1861–1960) was a British classicist and educational administrator who was the Principal of Newnham College (1920–1923). Biography Clough came up to Newnham College in 1884 to read Classics, some 13 years after its foundation. Her aunt, Anne Clough, was Principal of the College, at a time when women's higher education remained controversial: women could not be members of the University of Cambridge or receive Cambridge degrees. After completing her studies, Clough took on the role of secretary to the Principal, and administrator to the rapidly-growing college. In 1896 she became one of three vice-principals, who performed a tutorial as much as an administrative role. Clough was among those responsible for shaping the College's response to a rapidly changing society, and new expectations for and of women, including the growing suffragette movement and the First World War. She was particularly involved in assisting then Principal Katharine Stephen in work towards the Royal Charter and Statutes granted in 1917 whereby Newnham College became the first women’s College to be a self-governing academic community. At the same time, she contributed to the organization of women's war work. In 1917, under the reorganization of college government following the granting of the Royal Charter, she became sole vice-principal. In 1918, Clough was the sole female member of the Cambridge section of the Royal Commission considering the finances of Oxford and Cambridge.