Annie Lorrain Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Annie Lorrain Smith
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| Born | 23 October 1854 |
| Died | 7 September 1937 (aged 82) |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Royal College of Science |
| Known for | Lichenology |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Botany |
| Institutions | British Museum (Natural History) |
| Author abbrev. (botany) | A.L.Sm. |
Annie Lorrain Smith (born October 23, 1854 – died September 7, 1937) was a pioneering British scientist. She was an expert in lichenology, which is the study of lichens. Her book, Lichens (published in 1921), was a very important textbook for many years. Annie was also a mycologist, meaning she studied fungi. She helped start the British Mycological Society and was even its president twice!
Contents
Growing Up and Learning
Annie Lorrain Smith was born in Liverpool, England. However, her family lived in the countryside of Dumfriesshire, Scotland. Her father, Walter, was a minister.
After finishing school in Edinburgh, Annie traveled abroad. She studied French and German. Later, she worked as a governess, teaching children in their homes. Around 1878, she moved to London and began studying botany, the study of plants. She took classes at the Royal College of Science with a teacher named D. H. Scott.
Her Work as a Scientist
Annie's teacher, D. H. Scott, helped her get a job at the British Museum. Her task was to organize a collection of microscope slides of fungi. This was a big deal because, at that time, women were not usually hired for official positions at the museum. Annie had to be paid from a special fund!
Soon, she became responsible for identifying most of the fungi that arrived at the museum. She studied and reported on new fungi found in the UK and from other countries. She worked in the museum's cryptogamic herbarium (a collection of dried plants and fungi) from 1892 until 1933. During this time, she published many scientific papers.
In 1910 and 1911, Annie led a survey of lichens on Clare Island in Ireland. This project was part of the larger Clare Island Survey. Many scientists from Ireland and Europe worked together. They studied different parts of the island's nature. This team was recognized for being one of the first to fully study a specific natural area.
In 1921, Annie wrote an important book called Handbook of British Lichens. This book helped people identify all the known British lichens. In the same year, her book Lichens was published. It quickly became a classic textbook for studying lichens.
Awards and Recognition
Annie Lorrain Smith received many honors for her work. In December 1904, she became one of the first women to be elected as a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London. This happened after the society changed its rules to allow women members. She later served on their council from 1918 to 1921.
She was also a founding member of the British Mycological Society. She was elected president of this society twice, in 1907 and 1917.
In 1931, when she was almost 77 years old, she received a special pension. This was given "in recognition of her services to botanical science." She retired the following year. In 1934, she was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire). This award was given to her "for contributions to mycology and lichenology."
More About Annie
Annie Lorrain Smith was a strong supporter of women's rights. She believed women should have the right to vote. She also enjoyed traveling to other countries. For 50 years, she lived with her older sister. Her sister's death in 1933 was very difficult for Annie. Annie Lorrain Smith retired in 1934 and passed away in London in 1937.
Named After Her
A type of lichenized fungus, Verrucaria lorrain-smithiae, was named after Annie Lorrain Smith. It was named by another scientist, Matilda Cullen Knowles.
See also
In Spanish: Annie Lorrain Smith para niños
