List of female fellows of the Royal Society facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Female fellows of the Royal Society |
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Female fellows of the Royal Society elected from 2014 to 2018
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| Date | 1945 |
| Location | London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Currently held by | Since Kathleen Lonsdale and Marjory Stephenson in 1945, around 9% of fellows of the Royal Society are women |
The Royal Society is a very old and respected group of top scientists, engineers, and technology experts from the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries. To become a member, called a "Fellow," you must have made a huge difference in "natural knowledge," which includes mathematics, engineering, and medical science. Being chosen as a Fellow is a great honor and brings a lot of respect to the person and their workplace. In the UK, it's considered almost as important as winning a Nobel Prize.
For a long time, women were not allowed to become Fellows of the Royal Society, even though there wasn't a rule saying they couldn't. This was because girls and women in Britain didn't have much chance to get a formal education in the 1600s and 1700s. Slowly, in the 1800s, women started to join other important groups like the Zoological Society of London and the Royal Entomological Society.
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How Women Joined the Royal Society
The first time someone officially asked for women to be allowed into the Royal Society was in 1900. Marian Farquharson, who was the first female Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society, wrote a letter asking for "qualified women" to become full Fellows. The Royal Society said they had to check their old rules from over 300 years ago.
In 1902, Hertha Ayrton was suggested for membership, but she was turned down. They said that because she was married, she didn't have a legal standing. But things changed! In 1919, a law called the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 made it illegal for groups to stop people from joining because of their gender or if they were married.
Even with the new law, it took a while. In 1925, the Royal Society agreed with the law, but it wasn't until 1943 that another woman was suggested for membership. Finally, in 1945, Kathleen Lonsdale and Marjory Stephenson were elected as the very first female Fellows. This happened after a special vote to change the Society's rules to clearly allow women.
As of 2020, 198 women have been elected as Fellows. A few other women have also been honored in different ways. For example, some have been elected for special service to science, and four women from the British Royal Family have been Royal Fellows or Patrons. Also, 36 more women from other countries have been chosen as Foreign Members. In 2018, about 8.5% of all living Fellows and Foreign Members were women, which is a big jump from only 0.4% in 1945!
Female Fellows of the Royal Society
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Foreign Members
The Royal Society also elects "Foreign Members" who are top scientists from other countries. Here are some of the amazing women who have been chosen for this honor.
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Honorary and Special Fellows
Sometimes, the Royal Society elects people who have done great things for science, even if they don't fit the usual rules. From 1903 to 1996, there was a special rule called "Statute 12" for this. After 1997, these special members became known as "Honorary Fellows."
| Year of election | Image | Fellow | Field(s) | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 |  |
Margaret Thatcher | Politics | Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1979–1990) | |
| 1988 |  |
Margaret Gowing | History of science | Delivered the Wilkins Lecture in 1976 | |
| 2007 |  |
Onora O'Neill | Philosophy, politics | ||
| 2015 |  |
Lisa Jardine | History | ||
| 2023 | Kate Bingham | ||||
| Fiona Fox |
Royal Fellows and Patrons
Throughout its history, the Royal Society has also invited members of the British Royal Family to be Fellows. These are called "Royal Fellows." The reigning monarch of the UK has also always been a special supporter, or "Patron," of the Society since the 1700s.
| Year of election | Image | Fellow / Patron | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1838 |  |
Queen Victoria | Never elected as a Royal Fellow, instead served as Patron of the Society after her reign began as Queen of the United Kingdom and later Empress of India | |
| 1947 |  |
Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, and patron from 1952 | |
| 1956 |  |
[[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother {{{last}}}|Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother {{{last}}}]] | Queen consort of King George VI | |
| 1987 |  |
Princess Anne | Princess Royal |
See also
