The Women's Physical Society of Middelburg (also known as the Middleburg Women's Physics) was a society of ladies that existed from 1785 to 1887. This society was the world's first scientific science society focused exclusively on women. The aim was to study physics through lectures and trials, to which teachers were hired and equipment purchased.
EstablishmentThe society was founded during the Enlightenment following the many Dutch eighteenth-century scientific societies, such as the Bataafsch Society of Experimental Philosophy (1769), the Physics Society in Utrecht (1777), and the Physical Society in Middelburg (1780) ). The members of the Physical Society of the Ladies came mainly from wealthy Regent families from Middelburg and surrounding areas. Because the Local Physical Society did not allow women, the establishment of a separate society was decided exclusively for women. Jacoba van den Brande became the first director. Teachers and study material
The first teacher was the preacher Christophorus Henricus Didericus Buys Ballot (1741 - 1797), the father of the chemist and meteorologist Christoforus Buys Ballot. After the death of Ballot senior he was succeeded by Johan de Kanter Phzn. The lessons initially followed largely the Physics lessons of Jean-Antoine Nollet (French edition 1743-1764, Dutch translation 1759-1767 (1772)). Literature
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