Georgina Kermode facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Georgina Kermode
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| Born | 1868 Barnet, United Kingdom
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| Died | 5 September 1923 |
| Nationality | Australian |
Georgina Kermode (1868 – September 5, 1923) was an amazing woman. She fought for women's right to vote. She was also a scientist who studied metals. Plus, she was an inventor and a business owner. She held many patents for her clever inventions.
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Her Early Life and Fight for Women's Rights
Georgina Kermode was born in 1868 in Barnet, United Kingdom. Her full name was Georgina Elizabeth Fawns. Her family came from Tasmania, an island in Australia. When she was seventeen, Georgina married Robert Crellin Kermode. He was also from Tasmania and owned land there. They lived in a house called Mona Vale. People sometimes called it Calendar House because it had twelve chimneys!
When Georgina was about 27, she became a strong supporter of women's rights. She was a suffragette. This meant she believed women should have the right to vote. She led a group called the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) in Campbell Town. Georgina became the main leader for women's voting rights in Tasmania for the WCTU.
She worked hard to convince politicians to let women vote. In 1896, she organized many meetings and collected signatures all over Tasmania. She worked closely with another important suffragette named Jessie Rooke.
A Pioneer in Metals and Inventions
Georgina's husband had interests in mining. Because of this, Georgina became a director of the Tasmanian Metals Extraction Co. Ltd. She became very skilled at understanding the metal ores found in Tasmania. Metal ores are rocks that contain valuable metals.
The company faced challenges in getting the metals out of the ores. Around 1904, Georgina traveled to England. She wanted to learn a special method called electrolytic extraction. This method uses electricity to separate metals from their ores. She wanted to use it for zinc-lead ores. Georgina never returned to Australia after this trip. Her husband did visit the UK later when he joined the army in 1914.
From 1907 to 1923, Georgina invented many things. She received 27 patents for her inventions. A patent is like a special permission from the government. It means only the inventor can make, use, or sell their invention for a certain time. Her patents were in countries like the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Denmark, and the United States.
Clever Vending Machines
Her most important inventions were machines that automatically sold postage stamps. The UK post office bought her machines. The very first one was placed in the Houses of Parliament in London. These machines were used until 1920. One great thing about her machines was that they were better at spotting fake coins. This helped prevent people from cheating the system.
Other Inventions
Georgina also had patents for other useful inventions. These included better designs for furnaces, which are used to heat things. She also invented improved breathing equipment for firefighters and divers. She even designed a special diving suit.
First Woman Member of the Institute of Metals
On December 21, 1916, Georgina Kermode made history. She was elected as the first woman member of the Institute of Metals. This was a big achievement for women in science and engineering. She often attended events held by the institute. She was also involved in other organizations related to mining.
Georgina Kermode passed away in Middlesex, England. Her body was taken back to Tasmania to be buried.
