Evelyn Roxburgh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Evelyn Roxburgh
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|---|---|
| Born |
Mary Evelyn Roxburgh
10 October 1896 |
| Died | 24 April 1973 Long Wittenham, England
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| Burial place | St. Mary's churchyard, Long Wittenham |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Other names | Evi Roxburgh |
| Alma mater | Heriot-Watt College |
| Occupation | Electrical engineer |
| Known for | First Scottish female electrical engineer |
Mary Evelyn Roxburgh (born October 10, 1896 – died April 24, 1973) was a Scottish electrical engineer. Many believe she was the first woman electrical engineer in Scotland. She also worked as a government factory inspector in England.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Evelyn Roxburgh, often called Evi, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her family included many lawyers.
Evi went to Heriot-Watt College in Edinburgh. Today, this school is known as Heriot-Watt University. In 1923, she earned her diploma in electrical engineering. People widely believe she was the first woman to get this qualification in Scotland. This is because other women studying engineering in Scotland at that time were focused on civil engineering.
Starting Her Engineering Career
After finishing college, Evi began working at Metropolitan-Vickers. This company was one of the largest engineering firms in the country. It was known for hiring many women engineers between World War I and World War II. Finding such work was very hard for women back then, even with good skills. Before 1924, Evi joined the Women's Engineering Society. This group supported women in engineering.
Later, she moved to another company called British Thomson-Houston. This company was famous for its electrical systems and steam turbines. It was located in the Midlands region of England.
Work as a Government Inspector
In 1928, Evelyn Roxburgh took on a new role. She became an HM Inspector of Factories for the government. In this job, she was in charge of checking health and safety in factories.
A New Path in Radiography
Evi made a big career change later on. She left engineering to train as a radiographer. A radiographer takes X-ray images to help doctors see inside the body. She became the head radiographer at a hospital in Surrey.
One famous doctor there once said that Evi's X-ray images were some of the best he had ever seen. Her training in engineering helped her a lot. It made it easier for her to understand and use the complex radiography equipment.
Retirement and Later Life
In 1950, Evi's father passed away. He left money to both Evi and her sister. This allowed them to retire together. They moved to a small village called Long Wittenham in Oxfordshire. This village is close to the River Thames.
Evi Roxburgh died on April 24, 1973. She is buried next to her sister in the churchyard of St. Mary's, the local village church.
Images for kids
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Church of England parish church of St Mary, Long Wittenham, Oxfordshire.
