Eliza Bostock

[1] She was educated at home with her father teaching her to speak Italian and the two of them would attend lectures including those by Michael Faraday.

At the time Bedford College was one of the few places where women might receive something approaching university level education and Bostock was still attending lectures herself in 1863.

In order that the staff could concentrate on preparing their students to take university entrance exams[2] then she, Jane Martineau and Eleanor Smith had to close the school that had accompanied the college.

Reid was supplying a lot of the money, but Bostock was paying for some scholarships and offering prizes for academic success.

Bostock was still a trustee but some saw her as honorary Principal and with her knowledge of building and architecture she organised the college's move to York place.