Biography.guide
Home › People › Civil servant › Myra Curtis
Portrait of Myra Curtis

Myra Curtis

1886 – 1971

English civil servant and college head

Civil servant College head
Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Myra Curtis

Lived 1886 – 1971 (aged 84). Myra Curtis was a British civil servant and college head, known for Newnham College.

Dame Myra Curtis DBE (2 October 1886 – 27 June 1971) was an editor, civil servant, and the Principal of Newnham College, Cambridge from 1942 to 1954. She was the daughter of George and Annie (Johnson) Curtis. The former worked at the Post Office while his wife was an elementary school teacher. She became a permanent civil servant in 1923 after passing the first competitive examination for super-clerical grade women, in which she placed first. It was presented to the Labour government, which replaced the war-time coalition government in 1945.

Curtis was created a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 1949.

Academic career Following her retirement from the civil service in 1941, Curtis was elected Principal of Newnham College, taking office in January 1942. She would hold the post until 1954. She enabled the college to carry on in the face of wartime and immediate post-war restrictions, and as a civil servant, worked to improve the efficiency of academic administration. It was a difficult and frustrating process, particularly amid the restrictions of the post-war period.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Known for
Newnham College
Education
Newnham College, Dame Allan's School
Positions held
Principal
Employers
Newnham College
Awards
Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Also known as
Dame Myra Curtis

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Myra Curtis's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Myra Curtis?

English civil servant and college head (1886–1971)

When was Myra Curtis born?

Myra Curtis was born on 2 October 1886 in Sunderland.

When did Myra Curtis die?

Myra Curtis died on 27 June 1971 in Bognor Regis.

What was Myra Curtis's occupation?

Myra Curtis was a civil servant and college head.

What was Myra Curtis known for?

Myra Curtis was known for Newnham College.

What nationality was Myra Curtis?

Myra Curtis was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Myra Curtis

· Wikidata: Q18733532

· DBpedia: Myra Curtis

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Myra Curtis. https://biography.guide/myra-curtis/

MLA: "Myra Curtis." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/myra-curtis/.

Chicago: "Myra Curtis." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/myra-curtis/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:19 UTC