Constance Louisa Maynard's Diaries

Constance Louisa Maynard (1849-1935) was a pioneer of women's higher education in the UK. She was the founding Principal of Westfield College in 1882 which was the first college to prepare specifically women for the University of London degree.

Maynard's Green Book diaries made available here were written between 1866 and 1935 and were the most intimate and emotional diary she kept. Started as a record to "to chart [her] Christian progress" (1866) there is a distinctly religious theme to the Green Books influenced by the Evangelical Protestant religion she was raised in. However in recording her struggles against the temptations of non-spiritual influences she covers a wide variety of topics beyond religion with candour in her personal and professional life. More from the Constance Louisa Maynard Collection (ref. CLM) is available to view in our Archives Reading Room and a full catalogue of the Constance Louisa Maynard Collection can be browsed online.

In her Green Book diaries and other personal writings Maynard describes falling in love with and having romantic relationships with men and women. Within her relationships with women she describes herself and her partner as either a “husband” or a “wife”. Maynard’s feelings and experiences would likely be considered in the spectrum of LGBTQ+ experience had she lived today. Modern readers might interpret her as bisexual, lesbian, non-binary and/or transgender.

Content warning for Green Books

Within this collection you will find: intolerance of all religions which are not Evangelical Protestantism; mental health discussed in ways that are now recognised as harmful; historical language around disability, race, mental health and sexuality now understood to be offensive; romantic relationships with power imbalances that would be understood as an abuse of power today; descriptions of domestic violence and child loss.

This is not an exhaustive list of what you may encounter in this collection and it's possible you may come across content beyond the scope of this content warning that you find upsetting or offensive. Please let us know so we can make improvements: archives@qmul.ac.uk.