Claudia Parsons facts for kids

Claudia Sydney Maia Parsons (born August 15, 1900 – died June 5, 1998) was a British engineer, writer, and explorer. She was one of the first women to become an engineer in England. Claudia also wrote many books. She was the first woman to travel all the way around the world in a car.

Claudia Parsons: Early Life and Learning

Growing Up in India and England

Claudia Parsons was born in 1900 in Shimla, a hill station in British India. Her family had ties to India for a long time. Her father was in the Indian Army. Her mother's family worked for the East India Company for many years.

When Claudia was two, she and her older sister, Betty, moved to Britain. They lived with their grandmother and aunt in Guildford. Their mother went back to India. She later had another daughter named Avis.

School and Engineering Dreams

Claudia went to Tormead School, a private school for girls in Surrey. She also studied at Guilford Technical Community College. There, she learned about auto-cycle engines.

Claudia read about a new group called the Women's Engineering Society. She went with her mother to meet Caroline Haslett, the group's secretary. Caroline told them about a special engineering course. It was at Loughborough University. During World War I, this university was a factory for making war supplies.

Becoming an Engineer

In 1919, Claudia Parsons started studying automobile engineering. She was at Loughborough University. Out of 300 students, only four were women. They were called "lady engineers."

Claudia graduated in 1922. Her classmates included Dorothea Travers and Patience Erskine. Another famous engineer, Verena Holmes, was also there. After graduating, Claudia joined the Institution of Automobile Engineers.

Claudia Parsons: Amazing Career

Driving Around the World

After university, Claudia Parsons became a chauffeur. She drove people all over the world. She traveled through Europe, Asia, India, and America. Once, she drove an American heiress through snowy Bosnian forests. Wolves were howling, but Claudia kept going!

In 1938, Claudia bought a Studebaker car in Delhi. She named it Baker. She drove it with an American explorer, Kilton Stewart. They traveled through Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, and Tunisia.

Claudia Parsons is known for a huge achievement. She was the first woman to drive a car all the way around the world.

Writing and Wartime Work

Claudia was a member of the Women's Engineering Society. She wrote articles for their magazine, The Woman Engineer. One article was called 'What not to do when motoring abroad'.

During World War II, Claudia helped make war supplies. She worked with Verena Holmes. Claudia became a machinist. She also inspected factories that made munitions. Later, she worked for the Ministry of Labour until 1949. She wrote a report about engineering jobs. This report helped train new engineering officers.

Remembering Claudia Parsons

The Claudia Parsons Lecture

Loughborough University honors Claudia Parsons every year. Since 2014, they have held a special lecture in her name. Many famous scientists and engineers have given this talk:

• 2014 - Maggie Aderin-Pocock
• 2015 - Kate Bellingham
• 2016 - Helen Czerski
• 2017 - Emily Grossman
• 2018 - Jess Wade
• 2019 - Suzanne Imber

A New Home at Loughborough

Loughborough University also named a new student building after Claudia Parsons. The first students moved into Claudia Parsons Hall in September 2019.

See also

In Spanish: Claudia Parsons para niños