Elsie Hooper (1879-1969), a pioneer for female pharmacists in the early 1900’s is being celebrated on International Women’s Day 2018.
On 17th June 1911, a small group of female pharmacists joined the Women’s Coronation Procession – alongside these pharmacists where a 40,000-strong march from Westminster to the Albert Hall in support of votes for women. Alongside those marching was Elsie Hooper. Elsie was born in 1879 and joined the Pharmaceutical Society in 1902 and shortly after became the first secretary of the National Association of Women Pharmacists. Elsie was one of the first ever females to receive two prestigious research awards – The Redwood Research Scholarship and the Pharmaceutical Society’s Burroughs Scholarship.
Further on into her career Elsie went on to own/manage two London pharmacies in Belsize Park and Hampstead. She was well known for her encouragement of female apprentices.
As well as a vast knowledge in Pharmaceuticals, Elsie also had a successful career in publishing and academia. She worked on the first British Pharmaceutical Codex, published in 1907. She also taught at the Gordon Hall School of Pharmacy in North London between 1920 and 1942, in which later she became the school’s proprietor.
– Jackie Peck
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