103 years ago #OTD 24 Dec 1919 Womens Engineering Society became fully incorporated organisation. Founding signatories Eleanor Shelley-Rolls; Rachel M Parsons; Katharine Parsons; Janetta Mary Ornsby; Margaret Rowbotham; Margaret Moir & Laura Annie Willson. @histodons
@histodons Eleanor Shelley-Rolls, shareholder in Atlanta Co Ltd, women owned & operated #engineering firm set up in 1920s https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atalanta_Ltd Keen #balloonist, sister of Charles Rolls of #RollsRoyce fame https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleanor_Shelley-Rolls
Rachel Parsons 1st WES President #WWI ran engineering firm & taught 100s of women to make munitions. Fought "to keep % of women in engineering until legislation makes it possible for woman to have a chance in profession which appeals to her" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Mary_Parsons
Atalanta Ltd - Wikipedia

@histodons Lady Katharine Parsons 2nd WES President managed women in #WWI armaments factories. Campaigned for women who produced 'implements of war & destruction' to have 'privilege of fashioning munitions of peace' by keeping jobs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katharine_Parsons
Margaret Rowbotham read maths @ Cambridge Trained @ engineering workshops. Superintendent@ Tongland #Kircudbright car factories. #Engineered cars #munitions #steamlaundries managed #hotel #engineering co & apprentices https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Dorothea_Rowbotham
Katharine Parsons - Wikipedia

@histodons
Margaret Lady Moir engineer by marriage 'essential women become electrically minded..with electric washing machines, fires & cookers..sufficient technical knowledge..to repair fuses..rescue from all unnecessary household labours' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret,_Lady_Moir
Laura Annie Willson engineer #suffragette imprisoned x2. Factory work@ 10, 1st woman memb of Federation of House Builders, MBE for #WWI work. Made fortune frm building electrified houses 3rd WES President https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Annie_Willson
Margaret, Lady Moir - Wikipedia

@histodons Janetta Mary Ornsby 1871-1954. 1896 married Robert Ornsby colliery manager @ Seaton Delaval #Northumberland nr Parsons family. Signature on WES’ founding doc but not mentioned after 1st AGM. 1949 gave evidence at murder trial. https://womenengineerssite.wordpress.com/2020/12/25/the-fourth-signatory/
The Fourth Signatory

women engineers' history
@histodons 6 of 7 founding signatories have @Wikipedia pages. For 4 yrs we’ve been adding to & improving way historical #WomenInEngineering are represented on 5th most visited website in 🌍. Explore lives of >350 #WomenEngineers on our #map https://www.wes.org.uk/centenary-map
Thanks to all who have written Wiki pgs, helped train others to be editors, done original historical research, written it up & shared our #WomenInEngineering #History #WomenInHistoryShouldntBeAMystery
WES Centenary Trail Map | Women's Engineering Society