(1880-1944)
Orphaned
at the age of nine, Jessie Webb developed into a strong and independent
woman, graduating with first class honours in history and political
economy and in logic and philosophy (BA 1902, MA 1904). She was appointed
to the History Department in December 1908, teaching British history
as well as her special subject, ancient history, and left it only on
her death. She was Acting Professor during her last illness and continued
to administer the Department from her hospital bed. She was appointed
senior lecturer in 1923, and Acting Professor in 1925, from 1933 to
1934 and 1942 to 1944.
In 1922 and 1923 she toured Africa with Georgina Sweet, followed by
eight months at the British School of Archaeology at Athens, when she
travelled extensively in Greece, notably to the excavations at Mycenae
and Knossos. Webb’s belief in the importance of such fieldwork was exemplified
in her bequest to the University to form a fund ‘to send every five
years a student to spend a season in Greece’. Also in 1923, Webb was
an alternate delegate to the League of Nations Assembly.
Webb was involved in many women’s initiatives. She was a founder of
University Women’s College, of the Victorian Women Graduates’ Association,
of which she was president from 1924 to 1925, and of the Lyceum Club
over which she presided from 1920 to 1922.
In 1926, Webb travelled with a fellow member of the Lyceum Club, Alice
Anderson, to central Australia. Anderson was the proprietor of a garage,
chauffeur service and driving school in Kew, which employed only women
mechanics and drivers. The pair travelled in a Baby Austin car, accomplishing
the difficult journey to Alice Springs and back in six weeks.
Webb served under three Professors of History: Elkington, Scott and
Crawford. She was instrumental in the appointment of Kathleen Fitzpatrick
and her contribution to historical scholarship is permanently commemorated
in the name of the History Department library.
