Discovering our Past, Inspiring our future

The inspiring story of Amelia Le Pelley, Guernsey’s first female doctor and an alumna of The Ladies’ College, will be shared at an event at the College on 3 July, hosted by National Archives Historian, Dr Jessamy Carlson.

This opportunity is thanks to the work and research of Bronwyn Henderson, head of the History department at The Ladies’ College, who made the case that Amelia should be commemorated more widely as Guernsey’s first female doctor.

Bronwyn’s work was awarded a runner-up prize in the UK competition ‘20s Streets, run by the National Archives in conjunction with the British Association for Local History. The prize was an expert talk about aspects of local history for Guernsey’s community.

The tailored talk will be presented by Jessamy Carlson, who leads the Community & Transport team in the Collections Expertise & Engagement department at The National Archives. She will be live-streamed from London at the event and will also host a Q&A session.

Head of History for The Ladies’ College, Bronwyn Henderson, said: ”It is so important that Amelia’s pioneering story is shared. It has been fascinating to find out more about this extraordinary person who attended the College in the 1880s and worked as a doctor based in St Peters in the late 1890s.  We’re especially pleased that the Queen’s Road Medical Practice, which is currently redeveloping the former Ladies’ College site, are keen also to mark her achievements.

“We encourage members of the public to attend the event to find out more about Guernsey’s local history.”

Through archival work, Bronwyn traced Amelia’s journey back to the 1880s, when her training as a scientist started at The Ladies’ College. After a brief return to the Island, she then went on to become an experienced doctor practicing in Nottingham by the 1920s but is currently not a well-known name in local history.

The event will run from 6 – 8 pm and act as the finale after a packed year of celebrations for The Ladies’ College to commemorate its 150th anniversary. Guests will be able to browse the College’s archive display and after a welcome address about the archives and recent digitalisation, students will present a summary of Amelia Le Pelley’s story before Dr Carlson’s talk about wider aspects of local history drawing on all the resources of the National Archives.

Amelia Le Pelley’s story will also be published online so that her legacy can be remembered.