Katherine Parsons
ENGINEER (1859 - 1933)
Katharine Parsons was the mother of
engineer Rachel Parsons and the wife of
Charles Parsons, the inventor of the steam
turbine. Katharine herself took a great interest
in engineering and encouraged her daughter
to proceed into this career. Alongside her
daughter she helped found the Women's
Engineering Society. Parsons was a pioneer
and active part of the Suffragette movement
of northern England. In 1919, she was the first
woman to become a member of the North
East Coast Institution of Engineers and
Shipbuilders. At the NECIES victory
celebration after the war Parsons gave a
proud speech, highlighting the work and
efforts of female engineers. To promote them
further, she helped set up a female only
engineering company in 1920.
Margaret, Lady Moir
MECHNICAL ENGINEER (1864 - 1942)
Margaret, Lady Moir was a lathe operator, a
workers' relief organiser, an employment
campaigner, and a founder member of the
Women's Engineering Society (WES). She
went on to become vice-president and
president of WES, and in 1934 president of
the Electrical Association for Women (EAW),
a role which gave full expression to her belief
that 'the dawn of the all-electric era' was at
hand. She had no doubt about the importance
of this development in freeing women to
pursue careers outside the home. Moir
arranged engineering courses specifically
targeted at women and helped many other
female engineers raise to prominence,
Without her tireless work and support, there
would have been far fewer female engineers
knowledgeable about electrical matters as the
electrification of Britain started.
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