Webb, Jessie S.

Description

Agent TypePersonActivities & OccupationsAcademics - HistoryHistoryJessie Stobo Watson Webb was an Australian academic and historian, one of the first female teachers at the University of Melbourne. In December 1908, Webb was the first woman in Australia to be employed as a night lecturer, teaching ancient and British history. In 1913 she commenced lecturing full time. While Webb's speciality was Ancient Greek history, she was well read in all classical history; she had a strong interest in Roman history and followed the rapidly developing fields of Egyptian and Mesopotamian history and archaeology throughout her career. Webb travelled extensively throughout Africa, Europe, Britain and the Middle East, as well as Central Australia.
Webb organised regular purchases on behalf of the University of Ancient Coins and statuary casts, used for the purposes of study and to decorate the Arts Faculty building, and contributed to the establishment in 1933 of the University Women's College, renamed University College in 1975.
Following her death, the library in the history department at the University was named after her. Webb bequeathed £7128 to the University in her will, which continues to fund the Jessie Webb Scholarship, which provides funding for a student to emulate Webb's own experience at the British School, to study and conduct research in Greece.

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Dates

Date1880-1944

Names

Given NameJessieMiddle NameStobo WatsonFamily NameWebb

University of Melbourne Archives

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Webb, Jessie S.