These papers refer to Emily Davies's candidature for election to the London School Board, established in 1870 for the education of the poor; first for the City Division where she failed to be nominated and secondly for the Greenwich Division where she was elected and for which she sat until 1873 when, because of pressure of other work, she did not seek re-election. They also relate to the election of Elizabeth Garrett, later Mrs Garrett Anderson, for the St Marylebone Division and the election in 1873 for that division of her sister Alice, Mrs Cowell, and Miss Jane A Chessar, a teacher (GCPP Davies 5/1-3, formerly LSB 1-14; GCPP Davies 5/5, formerly LSB 16; GCPP Davies 5/39-44, formerly LSB 56-61). GCPP Davies 5/4 (formerly LSB 15) is a copy of Maria Grey's election address at Chelsea. GCPP Davies 5/21-28 concern a proposal by ED to enforce school attendance. GCPP Davies 5/5, 5/14 and 5/16 (formerly LSB 16, 31, 33) relate also to the College, Hitchin, and University examinations. Several postcards in GCPP Davies 5/1 are addressed to ED at The College, Hitchin. GCPP Davies 5/44 consists of notes in Lady Stephen's hand on items concerning Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and the London School Board, some of which are not here. The papers listed here probably do not constitute a complete archive of ED's work for the London School Board.
Frequent correspondents in these papers include the following:
Elizabeth Garrett, later Garrett Anderson (1836-1917), MD (Paris): physician, friend of Emily Davies and pioneer in medical education for women;
Paul Frederick Tidman, uncle of Ellen Tidman [Girton 1870-1871];
Henry Richard Tomkinson (1831-1906): supporter of women’s higher education who served Girton College for many years in various positions;
Jane Agnes Chessar (1835-1880): educationist and friend of both Emily Davies and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson.