Dugdale was born on 12 January 1879 in
Edmonton, Middlesex (present-day
London Borough of Enfield) to Edward Dugdale, a
schoolmaster at St Andrew's National School for Boys in Enfield, and Emma Dugdale, a former
governess. Dugdale was the second eldest of 5 siblings. Dugdale first attended a
National school for girls in
St. Andrew's parish, before studying at
Higher Grade School between the ages of 12 and 15. In 1894, at the age of 15, Dugdale became a
pupil-teacher at St Andrew's National School for Girls alongside her older sister Ethel. In March 1897, Dugdale resigned from St Andrew's National School for Girls and completed her statutory apprenticeship at another school in Enfield. Following her apprenticeship Dugdale applied to
teacher training college but was refused admission for medical reasons. In January 1898, Dugdale began teaching at her father's school with the aim of gaining her teaching certificate within four years. Dugdale dealt with constant ill health,
depression and chronic
Laryngitis during this period, and didn't sit her
Board of Education certificate examination until 1906. Dugdale passed with special credit in English literature, composition, and the principles of education. ==Career==