Electrical engineer and suffragist. Born Phoebe Sarah Marks in Portsmouth. Aged 16 began teaching in London. Studied maths at Girton College Cambridge. Married William Ayrton in 1885. Elected a member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers in 1899 and was the only woman member until 1958 (shame on them). In 1902 she was proposed for the Royal Society but this was blocked because a married woman had no standing in law and so was ineligible. Not surprisingly Hertha supported the militant suffragists and marched in all the suffrage protests, in academic gown, which, of course, she was not entitled to wear. Mrs Pankhurst and other hunger strikers were nursed in her home and Hertha declared herself "proud" when her daughter Barbara was imprisoned. Barbara went on to become an MP and to produce Michael Ayrton, the artist. Hertha died in Sussex.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Hertha Ayrton
Commemorated ati
Hertha Ayrton
Hertha Ayrton, 1854 - 1923, physicist, lived here, 1903 - 1923. English Herit...
Other Subjects
Edith Garrud
Suffragette and martial arts instructor. Born Edith Margaret Williams in Bath. She married William Garrud, a physical culture instructor and in 1899 they were introduced to the art of jiu-jitsu. In...
Person, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration, Sport / Games
Mary Lowndes
Artist, suffragette and founder of Artist Suffrage League in 1909. Born Dorset. Trained in stained-glass work. Lived and worked in Chelsea. The photo shows Lowndes in 1890.
Suffragettes
The wonderful Spitalfields Life published a map on the East End Suffragette activities. And London Historians has a post 'Parliament and Votes for Women'.
Norah Lyle-Smyth, Norah Smyth
Painter, sculptor, photographer and suffragette. Born Norah Veronica Lyle-Smyth in Cheshire. She was befriended by Sylvia Pankhurst and accompanied her on a speaking tour around Europe. She finance...
Person, Art, Gender Issues, Photography, Politics & Administration, Sculpture, Ireland
Marie Stopes
Born in Edinburgh. Scientist, writer, dramatist and poet. Publicist of the campaign for sexual education. Advocate of family planning and founder of pioneer birth control clinic. Courageous crusade...
Previously viewed
Queen Elizabeth II Field - SE16
SE16, Fulford Street
The round plaque is laid in the ground, land-side of the monument. London Screen Archives have a film, made by the London Borough of Sou...
John Penfold
Surveyor and architect. Born John Wornham Penfold in Haslemere, Surrey. He was a founding member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and is best known for designing the British hexagona...
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