Agnes Catherine Maitland

Agnes Catherine Maitland (1850–1906) was the principal of Somerville College, Oxford, England. She did much to gain it full college status within the University of Oxford and to expanding its library. She also wrote books about cookery.

Life Maitland was born on 12 April 1850 at 12 Gloucester Terrace, Hyde Park, the second daughter of David John Maitland of Chipperkyle, Galloway, and Matilda Leathes Mortlock. Her father settled as a merchant in Liverpool when she was five years old, and she was educated at home there in a Presbyterian atmosphere. In 1875 she published "Elsie" under the name "A. C. M.". Her experience of public work and talent for administration and organisation proved of value there. Somerville had been founded in 1879 and incorporated as a college in 1881, although it retained the style "Hall" until 1894. Maitland employed an ex-student, Alice Bruce, as her secretary, although she would take on various jobs at Somerville. During Maitland's tenure as Principal, the number of students rose from 35 to 86 and the buildings were extended accordingly. She developed the tutorial system, with a view to making Somerville a genuine college and no mere hall of residence, and she urged the students to take the full degree course, so as to prove their entitlement to degrees, which were still confined to men.

Maitland was something of an autocrat, but handled her staff and students well and showed faith in democratic principles. On her initiative, a proportion of the council were elected by duly qualified old students. A strong liberal in politics, and a broad-minded churchwoman (in spite of her Presbyterian training), she preserved the non-denominational atmosphere at the college.

To Maitland, the college owes the erection of its library of 15,000 volumes, which was opened in 1894 by John Morley. At Morley's suggestion, Helen Taylor presented Somerville with the library of John Stuart Mill, free of conditions.

Maitland died after some two years' illness on 19 August 1906, at 12 Norham Road, Oxford, and was buried in Holywell Cemetery, Oxford.

Works Elsie (1875) Madge Hilton; or, Left to Themselves (1884) W. Swan Sonnenschein and Co., London Rhoda (1885) Remington & Co., London The Afternoon Tea Book : How to Make Tea, Coffee, Chocolate, Cakes, Scones, Rolls, Sandwiches, Cooling Drinks, and Ices (1887) John Hogg, London The Cookery Primer. For School and Home Use (1888) Nellie O'Neil, or, Our Summer Time (1889) Thomas Nelson and Sons A Woman's Victory (1892) William Stevens, London The Due Recognition of Women by the University of Oxford (1896) Somerville College, Oxford With Margaret Aylmer (1899) Mothers' Meetings and Their Advantages : In Three Letters, William Macintosh, London What Shall We Have for Breakfast?, or, Everybody's Breakfast Book (1901) John Hogg, London