Rachel Parsons Pioneering Engineer

Episode 2: Rachel Parsons

Born in 1885, Rachel Parsons was a woman of ‘firsts’, breaking the boundaries of Edwardian convention. Scientific and technological genius ran in her family, and in 1910 she became the first woman to study engineering at Cambridge University.

Her pioneering career continued during the Great War, when she was appointed a director of an engineering firm in Newcastle upon Tyne, then the powerhouse of British industry. Responsible for supervising the largely female workforce, she later joined the Ministry of Munitions and trained women around the country.

In 1919, Rachel and her mother founded the Women’s Engineering Society to champion female workers in industry. To advance the cause, Rachel entered politics, winning a seat on the London County Council and standing for Parliament. But – regarded as a ‘difficult’ woman – her ambitions were thwarted, and her life ended in dramatic tragedy.

About the Author

Henrietta Heald is the author of Magnificent Women and Their Revolutionary Machines (Unbound, 2021) and William Armstrong, Magician of the North (McNidder & Grace, 2012).

Here is a downloadable link

Career Guide for women engineers

⁠https://bit.ly/CareerGuideEngineering⁠

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