Margaret Meyer facts for kids

Margaret Theodora Meyer FRAS (September 1862 – 27 January 1924), also known as Maud Meyer, was a brilliant British mathematician. She was one of the first people to direct math studies at a college. She was also one of the earliest members of the London Mathematical Society, a group for mathematicians. In 1916, she made history by becoming one of the first women chosen to be a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. This society is for people who study stars and space.

Margaret Meyer's Life Story

Early Life and Education

Margaret Meyer was born in September 1862 in Strabane, Ireland. Her father, Theodore Jonas Meyer, was a Presbyterian minister. This means he was a religious leader in a Christian church. Her mother was Jane Ann. Margaret had an older brother, Sir William Stevenson Meyer. He later became the first high commissioner for India, which was a very important job representing the British government there.

Margaret spent a lot of her childhood in Italy. She went to the North London Collegiate School for Girls. Then, in 1879, she joined Girton College, Cambridge. She studied mathematics and graduated in 1882. She was ranked 15th among the "wranglers." A "wrangler" was a student who achieved top honors in the math exams at Cambridge University. Later, in 1907, she received a special Master of Arts (MA) degree from Trinity College Dublin.

A Career in Math

From 1882 to 1888, Margaret taught at Notting Hill and Ealing High School in London. After that, she became a math lecturer at Girton College. She stayed there for 30 years, helping many students learn about numbers and equations.

During World War I, Margaret used her math skills to help her country. In her free time, she did calculations for the British War Office. This office was in charge of the army and military operations. In 1918, she left her job at the college. She then worked for the British Air Ministry. This work was important for designing and building airplanes during the war.

Margaret was very interested in astronomy, which is the study of space and stars. Her math degree included a part called "mathematical astronomy." This involves using math to understand how planets and stars move. She did a lot of research in this area, though much of it was never published. In 1916, she was one of the first women to be elected to the Royal Astronomical Society. Other women elected at the same time included A. Grace Cook and Fiammetta Wilson.

Beyond the Classroom

Margaret Meyer had other talents too! She enjoyed carving and helped students carve the beautiful oak panels in the chapel at Girton College.

She also loved mountain climbing. She was a member of the Ladies' Alpine Club, a group for women who enjoyed climbing mountains. She even became the president of this club later on.

Her Legacy

Margaret Meyer sadly died in 1924 at the age of 61. She was in a bicycle accident involving a bus. In her will, she left money to Girton College. She gave £2000 to help women who were studying mathematics. She also left another £1000 and her collection of math books to the college. Her gifts continue to support future generations of women in mathematics.