Dorothy Donaldson Buchanan facts for kids
Dorothy Donaldson Buchanan (born October 8, 1899) was a Scottish civil engineer. She made history in 1927 by becoming the first female member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. This was a huge step for women in engineering!
Contents
How Dorothy Started Her Engineering Journey
Dorothy was born in Langholm, Scotland. She was the youngest of five children. She went to school at Langholm Academy. Interestingly, a famous civil engineer named Thomas Telford had worked in Langholm as a mason. Maybe this inspired Dorothy!
In 1918, Dorothy began studying civil engineering at the University of Edinburgh. She learned from amazing teachers, including Charles Glover Barkla, who won a Nobel Prize in Physics. Another woman, Elizabeth Georgeson, was also studying engineering there. Dorothy joined the Women's Engineering Society while at university.
She faced some challenges, like getting sick with mumps. This delayed her studies, but she still graduated in 1923. After graduating, she got pneumonia. To feel better, she moved to London to continue her engineering training.
Building Bridges and Breaking Barriers
Dorothy's first big break came when she got a job with Sir Ralph Freeman. He was a top engineer who advised on steel designs. Sir Ralph hired Dorothy and then helped her move to a company called Dorman Long.
Working on Famous Bridges
At Dorman Long, Dorothy became part of the design team for the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia. She started in April 1924. Her salary was £4 per week, plus extra pay for overtime. This was the same pay as the "boys" working there. She worked under Sir Ralph Freeman's guidance.
At the same time, Kathleen M. Butler arrived from Australia. She was the project manager for the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Kathleen set up the London offices for the Australian part of the project.
Dorothy also worked on other bridges overseas, like those in Dessouk and Khartoum. To become a fully qualified civil engineer, she needed experience working on a construction site. So, Dorothy left London.
Site Experience in Northern Ireland
She went to Northern Ireland to work on the Silent Valley Reservoir project. This project was part of the Belfast water supply scheme. Her training supervisor there was Sir Ernest Moir. He was a director of S. Pearson and Son. Sir Ernest's wife, Margaret, Lady Moir, helped start the Women's Engineering Society.
Dorothy was very determined. It is said that she avoided needing a chaperone by simply leaving for work before the chaperone arrived! After six months, she had enough site experience. She then returned to Dorman Long in London.
Back in London, Dorothy continued her work on bridge design. She helped with the George V Bridge (now known as the Tyne Bridge) in Newcastle. She also worked on the Lambeth Bridge in London. In 1929, she gave a lecture about the construction of "Some Modern Bridges."
Making History at the Institution of Civil Engineers
Dorothy wanted to become a professional member of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). This meant she had to go for an interview at their headquarters in London.
In 1978, she shared a story about this interview. She was surprised to see another woman in the waiting room. Dorothy knew that if she passed, she would be the very first female engineer to be accepted by the ICE. It turned out the other woman was a chaperone. She was there just to make sure everything was "proper."
In December 1927, Dorothy was officially granted membership to the ICE. She was the only woman among 9,979 men! She later said, "I felt that I represented all the women in the world. It was my hope that I would be followed by many others."
Later Life and Legacy
In 1930, Dorothy married William H. Dalrymple Fleming, who was an electrical engineer. After getting married, she retired from her engineering career.
As Dorothy Fleming, she enjoyed other hobbies. She loved rock climbing and painting. She passed away in 1985 at the age of 85.
In February 2019, the ICE honored Dorothy. They named a room after her at their headquarters. This was the same building where she had to have a chaperone for her interview many years before. It was a great way to celebrate their first female member!
