Alice Stewart Ker

Alice Stewart Ker
File:Alice Stewart Ker.jpg Alice Stewart Ker, pioneering physician and suffragist
Born	2 August 1853 Liverpool, England
Died	20 March 1943 Dumfries, Scotland
Nationality	British
Occupation	Physician, Suffragist
Known for	Advocacy for women's rights and contributions to medicine

Alice Stewart Ker (2 August 1853 – 20 March 1943) was a pioneering British physician and a prominent suffragist. She was one of the first women to qualify as a doctor in the United Kingdom and was actively involved in the women's suffrage movement.

Early Life and Education

Alice Stewart Ker was born in Liverpool, England, into a family that valued education and social reform. She attended the University of Edinburgh, where she studied medicine at a time when few women were admitted to medical schools. Ker graduated with a degree in medicine in 1880, becoming one of the first women to do so from the university.

Medical Career

After completing her education, Ker began her medical practice in Edinburgh and later moved to London. She specialized in women's and children's health, areas that were often neglected by the predominantly male medical profession of the time. Ker was known for her compassionate approach to medicine and her dedication to improving healthcare for women and children.

Advocacy and Suffrage Movement

Alice Stewart Ker was deeply involved in the women's suffrage movement. She was a member of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), an organization founded by Emmeline Pankhurst to campaign for women's right to vote. Ker participated in numerous demonstrations and was arrested several times for her activism.

Ker used her medical expertise to support the suffrage movement, providing care to fellow suffragists who were injured or became ill during protests. She also wrote extensively on the health and social issues affecting women, advocating for better healthcare and social conditions.

Legacy

Alice Stewart Ker's contributions to medicine and women's rights have been recognized as pioneering and influential. Her work helped pave the way for future generations of women in medicine and contributed to the eventual success of the suffrage movement in the UK.

Also see

• Women's Social and Political Union
• Emmeline Pankhurst
• History of women's suffrage in the United Kingdom
• University of Edinburgh
• Women in medicine