Born: April 28, 1854 (Portsea, Hampshire, England)
Biography:
Hertha Ayrton, born Phoebe Sarah Marks, was a British engineer, mathematician, physicist, inventor, and suffragette. She was born on April 28, 1854, in Portsea, Hampshire, England. Ayrton was the third child of Levi Marks, a Polish Jewish watchmaker, and Alice Theresa Moss, a seamstress. Her father passed away when she was young, leaving her mother with seven children and another on the way. At the age of nine, Ayrton was invited to live with her cousins and attend their school in northwest London, where she was introduced to science and mathematics.
Ayrton’s passion for learning and her ambition remained strong. She worked as a governess, but her desire for education led her to apply to Girton College, Cambridge with the support of George Eliot. Ayrton studied mathematics at Cambridge and was coached by physicist Richard Glazebrook. She excelled academically and also engaged in various extracurricular activities. She constructed a sphygmomanometer, led the choral society, founded the Girton fire brigade, and formed a mathematical club with Charlotte Scott.
In 1880, Ayrton passed the Mathematical Tripos examination. However, due to the university’s policy at the time, she was not granted an academic degree. Undeterred, she passed an external examination at the University of London, which awarded her a Bachelor of Science degree in 1881.
Upon returning to London, Ayrton supported herself by teaching and embroidery. She also put her mathematical skills to practical use by teaching at Notting Hill and Ealing High School and solving mathematical problems published in Mathematical Questions and Their Solutions from the Educational Times. In 1884, Ayrton patented her first major invention, a line-divider that was useful for artists, architects, and engineers.
Ayrton’s work in mathematics and electrical engineering gained recognition. She conducted groundbreaking research on electric arcs and ripple marks in sand and water. Her contributions in this field earned her the prestigious Hughes Medal from the Royal Society. Ayrton’s pursuit of scientific knowledge and her inventions played a significant role in advancing various industries.
Outside of her scientific achievements, Ayrton was a dedicated suffragette. She actively campaigned for women’s rights, using her prominent position as a respected scientist to advocate for women’s suffrage and equal educational opportunities.
Awards:
– Hughes Medal (1906)