Hidden Women Digital: 6. Norah Christina Jolliffe (1900 – 1951)

Norah Christina Jolliffe came to the University of Reading as a Lecturer in Classics. Educated at Cheltenham Ladies College and Girton College, Cambridge, she was considered a brilliant scholar both in classics and archaeology by her lecturers and contemporaries.  She stayed at Reading for seven years (1926– 1934), during which time she was Curator of the University’s “Romano-British Museum”, which included objects that Donald Atkinson purchased from a museum in Cologne when he was Fellow in Roman Archaeology at University College Reading, c. 1914. She also participated in the British Museum excavation of Camulodunum, (Roman Colchester), during this period.  In 1932, she organised a successful meeting of the Classical Association at the University, garnering praise from her colleagues and the University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor.  Her special subject was Romano-British religion; she published an article on the goddess Brigantia in the Archaeological Journal in 1941.

OBJECTS

1 Roman lamp stand with original label in Annie Ure’s handwriting. Once part of “the Romano-British Museum” at the University of Reading (formerly in Cologne) [Ure Museum 79.1.13].

2 An African red-slip plate said to have been found in a 2^ndCentury BC cemetery. Once part of “the Romano-British Museum” at the University of Reading (formerly in Cologne) [on loan from University of Reading Archaeology Department].

Archive

1 A copy of University College Reading’s Annual Report and Accounts for the 1919/1920 session, noting the creation of a “Museum of Archaeology” at 30 Portland Place. This museum included artefacts that were eventually held in the Museum of Greek Archaeology and the Romano-British Museum [on loan from University of Reading Library].

More on Norah Christina Jolliffe in this guest post on Girton College’s website!

Move on to Julia Katharine (Wickes) Steele.

Go back to Margaret Elizabeth “Meta” Williams.