Chemistry was Their Life: Pioneer British Women Chemists, 1880–1949

Comprising a unique set of biographies of 141 of the 896 known women chemists from 1880 to 1949, this work attempts to address the imbalance by showcasing the determination of these women to survive and flourish in an environment dominated by men. Individual biographical accounts interspersed with contemporary quotes describe how women overcame the barriers of secondary and tertiary education, and of admission to professional societies. Although these women are lost to historical records, they are brought together here for the first time to show that a vibrant culture of female chemists did indeed exist in Britain during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Introduction (76 KB)
Chapter 1: Getting an Education (215 KB)
Introduction to Biographical Information (38 KB)
Biographical information A - C (215 KB)
Biographical information D - G (270 KB)
Biographical information H - K (335 KB)
Biographical information L - O (335 KB)
Biographical information P - S (377 KB)
Biographical information T - Z (266 KB)