About Us

1870: Humble Start

A one-room house in a noisy quarter of Aminabad Bazar was Miss Thoburn's starting place. The school began functioning on April 18, 1870, with six girls present.

We began at sunrise with the hope of the morning in our hearts, but how little we dreamed of the future of this school.

1871: First Move

The school was shifted a few weeks later to a vacant room in Dr. Waugh's bungalow and later to a rented house.

1872: Acquiring Lal Bagh

A year later, they purchased Lal Bagh, the house of the treasurer of the last Nawab of Oudh, for which they gave fourteen bags containing 1,000 coins each, all in silver. Gradually, the number of students began to increase. By 1876, there were 65 boarders and 51 day-scholars on roll. By 1884, two students were determined to sit in the Entrance Examination of Calcutta University - Lilavati Singh and Sharat Chakervarty.

1886: Forming the College

Miss Thoburn was aware of a greater need. In March of that year, she wrote to church friends in the U.S.A.:

The need of India today is leadership from among her own people. Leadership not of impulsive enthusiasm or of prejudice, but of matured judgment and conscientious convictions. Part of our work as missionaries is to educate and train the character that can lead, and it is to accomplish this that we formed our first women's college in the Eastern world.

July 12, 1886: Lucknow Women's College

The Lucknow Women's College began functioning as such on July 12, 1886, with the F.A. (Fine Arts) class affiliated to the Calcutta University. The faculty consisted of two members: Miss H.V. Mansell and Mr. Bishumbar Dayal.

1894: Affiliation with Allahabad University

In 1894, despite a discouraging enrollment, Miss Thoburn added a third year to the college and shifted the affiliation to Allahabad University.

1906: First B.A. Examination

By 1906, ten girls had passed the Intermediate examination and the first student was to appear for the B.A. examination that year.

1900: Breaking Barriers

Dr. Duff, an eminent Indian educationist, had once said:

You might as well try to scale a wall fifty feet high as to educate the women of India.

By 1900, Miss Thoburn was able to write with confidence:

The wall has not only been scaled but thrown down; the women have been reached and taught...

1901: Miss Thoburn's Passing

In August 1901, Miss Thoburn died after an attack of cholera, leaving behind the message she had lived all her life.

Post-1901: Naming and Expansion

In her memory, the college was named Isabella Thoburn College. The demand for higher education grew slowly but steadily. By 1902, five students had obtained the B.A. degree. In February 1921, Miss Florence Nichols arrived in Lucknow. She realized the need for establishing the college as an institution separate from the school. In 1923, the college moved from Lal Bagh to Chand Bagh, its present site of over thirty acres of land located within half a mile of the university. Since 1922, large modern buildings have been erected, providing classrooms, laboratories, hostels, and the library.

1939: Building the Chapel

In 1939, the beautiful chapel was built in memory of Clotilda Lyon McDowell.

1950: Adding the Auditorium

In 1950, the auditorium was erected in addition to Nichols’ Hall. All this was made possible through the efforts of loyal alumni and a generous bequest from the estate of Mr. Peiffer of New York.