Madeleine Nobbs facts for kids
Madeleine Marie Nobbs (born December 14, 1914 – died December 10, 1970) was a talented engineer. She helped design the heating, ventilation, and cooling systems for buildings. One of her biggest jobs was fixing the famous Old Bailey court building in London after it was damaged in World War II. She also led the Women's Engineering Society from 1959 to 1960.
Contents
Madeleine Nobbs' Early Life and Career
Madeleine Nobbs first worked as a typist, but she felt it wasn't the right job for her. Her father, Walter William Nobbs, was a well-known engineer in London. He worked on many important buildings, like the New County Hall and the headquarters of the RIBA. Her grandfather was also an engineer.
Finding Her Path in Engineering
Madeleine loved math and geometry. After reading a book about technical drawing, she decided she wanted to be an engineer. Her father was unsure about this path for her. However, her mother, Francoise Leonie Thebault, met Adria Buchanan, who was the first woman to join a major engineering group. After this meeting, Madeleine's mother convinced her father to support their daughter's dream.
Madeleine found a job at an engineering company. She started as a tracer, which meant copying architectural drawings and adding details for heating and ventilation systems. She also studied at Borough Polytechnic. This helped her learn more about heating and ventilation work, including how to estimate costs and supervise installations.
Working During World War II
During World War II, Madeleine designed air raid shelters, factories, and boat ventilation systems. In her free time, she even drove an ambulance. She gained lots of practical experience on different jobs. By 1945, she was a fully qualified engineer and joined her father's company as a junior partner.
Leading Her Own Engineering Firm
In 1951, her father passed away while working on a big project: rebuilding the Old Bailey court after it was damaged in the war. Madeleine bravely stepped up. She became the senior partner of W. J. Perkins & Partners, Consulting Engineers, and took over the firm. She successfully finished the important Old Bailey contract on her own.
Leadership in the Women's Engineering Society
Madeleine joined the Women's Engineering Society (WES) in 1941. This society supports and promotes women in engineering. She quickly became very active, leading the London Branch from 1950 to 1952.
Becoming WES President
In 1959, Madeleine became the president of the Women's Engineering Society. She followed Marjorie Bell in this role and was later succeeded by Isabel Hardwich. She wrote many articles about heating and ventilation for The Woman Engineer magazine. She was also an active member of several other engineering organizations.
Contributing to International Surveys
In 1964, Madeleine could not attend the first International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists (ICWES) in New York. However, she created a very detailed report about women engineers in the United Kingdom for the conference. Her work was later used in a survey by the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1971.
Personal Life
In 1961, Madeleine Nobbs married Denis Moody, who was also an engineer. A few years later, Denis passed away. After his death, Madeleine focused on a big project: converting an old barn in Ipsden, Oxfordshire, into her home. She did most of the building work herself. Madeleine Nobbs died suddenly in 1970 at the age of 56.
See also
In Spanish: Madeleine Nobbs para niños
