Dora Metcalf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dora Metcalf
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Metcalf in 1935
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Dora Greene
March 11, 1892 Madras (now Chennai), India
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| Died | October 17, 1982 (aged 90) Otley, England
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| Occupation | Entrepreneur, engineer, mathematician, computing pioneer |
Dora Stuart Primrose Metcalf (born March 11, 1892 – died October 17, 1982) was an amazing woman. She was an entrepreneur, engineer, mathematician, and a pioneer in computing. During World War I, she worked with machines called comptometers in a factory. This made her realize how useful mechanical calculators could be. Later, during World War II, she helped supply special machines called "bombes" to the Bletchley Park codebreakers in England. These machines helped crack secret enemy codes.
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Dora Metcalf's Early Life
Dora Metcalf, whose maiden name was Greene, was born in Madras, India. This city is now known as Chennai. She was the oldest of three children. Her father passed away when she was only eight years old. Because of this, Dora and her family moved back to England.
She went to Bedford High School. At just 15, she started studying for a degree from the University of London. By the time she was 19, in 1911, she had earned her Bachelor's degree in mathematics. Her first job was teaching math and riding at a school in London.
Working During World War I
During World War I, Dora worked in a factory that made supplies for the war. She operated a comptometer, which was an early type of mechanical calculator. This experience showed her how powerful these machines could be. They were like modern versions of the ancient abacus. The comptometer was the first calculator that worked by pressing keys.
Sadly, her fiancé was killed during the war. This made Dora decide to focus on her career. She believed she might never marry. So, in 1916, she started selling comptometers in Belfast, Ireland.
Pioneering in Computing
In 1916, when Dora was 24, she went to Belfast. Her job was to introduce comptometers to offices in shipyards. She stayed with George Clarke, who owned a large shipyard. This was happening as Ireland was starting its journey towards independence.
Expanding Her Business
Dora's business of selling comptometers was very successful. In 1917, she opened more offices in Dublin and Cork. In Dublin, she stayed with Matilda Cullen Knowles, a famous botanist. Matilda's home was a meeting place for many smart people in Dublin. Famous visitors included writers like W. B. Yeats.
Dora soon realized something important. Many business owners and government managers didn't fully understand how to use comptometers. They also lacked the math skills needed. As a trained mathematician and a smart entrepreneur, she saw a new opportunity. Instead of just selling machines, she could offer services. She could help businesses use the machines to analyze their information.
Founding Calculating And Statistical Services
In 1924, Dora founded her own company. It was called Calculating And Statistical Services (CSS). She started it with her cousin and a friend. CSS won a big contract to analyze information from the Northern Irish census in 1926. A census is a count of the population.
She opened another office in Dublin in 1929. Dora created a global market for information services. She used comptometers and other machines to help businesses. Her biggest client was the Irish Hospitals' Sweepstake. Other clients included the Electricity Supply Board and large railway companies. In 1932, she opened an office in London.
In 1934, Dora joined the British Tabulating Machine Company (BTM). She started their Service Bureaux Division. At the same time, she continued to run her own successful company, CSS. In August 1935, she married Royal Navy officer John Savile Dent Metcalf. After that, she was known as Dora Metcalf.
Helping During World War II
During World War II, BTM supplied the "bombe" machines. These machines were vital for the codebreakers at Bletchley Park in England. The bombes helped them decode secret messages from the enemy. Dora Metcalf was in charge of managing this important supply contract. However, she had to leave this work in 1942 due to health issues.
After the war, in 1949, Dora worked with a doctor named Dorothy Price. They helped with a program to vaccinate children against tuberculosis in Ireland. This was done through St Ultan's Hospital. In 1957, Dora was responsible for bringing the first electronic computer to Ireland. She sold it to the Irish Sugar company. She retired from her work in 1962.
Later Years
Dora and her husband, John Metcalf, loved to fish for salmon and trout. When they retired, they moved from London to a lodge on Loch Morar in Scotland. They lived there until 1970. Afterward, they spent their final years in Otley, Yorkshire, England.
Dora Metcalf passed away in 1982 when she was 90 years old. She was buried in a cemetery in Leeds, England.
