Historical maps

All four women studied at Oxford during the Second World War, at Somerville and St Hugh’s colleges. After the war, Foot and Midgley lived in Park Town, a pair of Victorian crescents. Murdoch lodged with Foot. Anscombe lived a stone’s throw away at 27 St John Street.

After they graduated in 1942, Murdoch and Foot lived together in sparsely furnished flat in Westminister. Along with Midgley, all three women did war work in London: Midgley in the Ministry of Production; Foot in Chatham House and Murdoch in the Treasury.

Anscombe studied with Wittgenstein in Cambridge from 1942 -1945. There was a railway link between Oxford and Cambridge and she commuted back and forth. Murdoch had a fellowship at Newnham College in 1947-1948, but she often spent time in Oxford with Foot and Midgley in Park Town.