Elizabeth Jane Smith (engineer) facts for kids

Elizabeth Jane Smith (born 3 October 1889) was a trailblazer! She was the very first woman to study engineering at a university in Scotland. Even though she didn't finish her degree at the University of Edinburgh, she went on to start and lead her own company, the British Resorcin Manufacturing Co., Ltd, in London.

Her Early Life and Education

Elizabeth Jane Smith was born near Edinburgh, Scotland. She started her schooling at Currie Primary. After that, she attended James Gillespie's High School for four years.

When she was 12, Elizabeth went to the Broughton Junior Student Centre. From there, she was accepted into the University of Edinburgh in 1909. She first started studying for an Arts degree, which usually covers subjects like history, literature, and languages. Later, she changed her studies to a Pure Science degree. This type of degree focuses on subjects like chemistry, physics, and biology.

Elizabeth passed most of her university courses. However, she left the university in 1913 without officially graduating. Even so, her journey was just beginning!

Starting Her Own Company

In 1917, Elizabeth Jane Smith showed her amazing leadership skills. She founded and became the Director of the British Resorcin Manufacturing Co Ltd. Being the Director meant she was in charge of the whole company! Her company was located in London.

The company operated for a few years, closing in 1922. But during that time, they made an important appearance. In August 1918, her company was listed as an exhibitor at the British Scientific Products Exhibition. This big event was held at King's College London. It was organized by the British Science Guild to show off new scientific inventions and products. This showed that Elizabeth's company was recognized for its work in science and manufacturing.