J. F. (Jane Frances) Dove

Born in Bordeaux in 1847, Jane Frances Dove became one of the best-known advocates for girls’ education in Britain. She is best remembered as the founder of Wycombe Abbey and Godstowe, schools created to give girls a serious and ambitious education at a time when such opportunities were still limited.

She also wrote on education, including contributing to Work and Play in Girls' Schools, a practical book about school life and teaching. That writing fits closely with her wider career: she was not only running schools, but also thinking deeply about what good education should look like for girls.

Dove was later honored as a Dame and remained an influential public figure well into the 20th century. She died in 1942, leaving behind a strong legacy in both educational reform and the literature of schooling.