Marion Delf-Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marion Delf-Smith
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| Born |
Ellen Marion Delf
31 January 1883 |
| Died | 23 February 1980 (aged 97) |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | Girton College, Cambridge |
| Occupation | Botanist |
Ellen Marion Delf-Smith (born Ellen Marion Delf, January 31, 1883 – February 23, 1980) was an important British botanist. Botanists are scientists who study plants. She was also a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London, which is a famous group for natural history.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ellen Marion Delf was born on January 31, 1883. Her father was Thomas William Herbert Delf, a secretary, and her mother was Catherine Mary Delf.
She went to James Allen's Girls' School. After that, she studied natural sciences at Girton College, Cambridge. She was a student there from 1902 to 1906. Ellen was very good at her studies, getting top marks in botany.
Starting Her Career
After finishing her studies at Cambridge, Ellen Delf started working at Westfield College, which is part of the University of London. Her job was to create a new botany teaching program there.
At first, the college didn't have much money for equipment or plant samples. But Ellen worked hard to get funds. She made the laboratory much better. Because of her efforts, the University of London approved Westfield's lab for botany degrees. She was also recognized as a university teacher in 1910.
From 1911 to 1916, she studied how plants release water, a process called transpiration. In 1912, she earned her Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) degree from London. She also returned to Girton College in 1914 as a research fellow.
Important Research Work
From 1916 to 1920, Delf worked at the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine. Here, she researched the vitamin content in foods. This was very important during World War I, especially for soldiers' food.
In 1920, she took a temporary job in Johannesburg. She studied the diets of mine workers there. She focused on how much vitamin C they were getting. Her research helped to greatly improve their health. She also spent time in Cape Town studying sea plants, known as marine algae.
Return to Westfield and Later Life
In 1921, Ellen Delf went back to Westfield College. She became a lecturer in botany and stayed there for the rest of her career. In 1939, she became the head of the Botany department. During World War II, she managed to move the department safely to Oxford.
She retired in 1948 but continued to work at Westfield. She helped manage the college gardens. Later, she served on the college council. From 1950 to 1955, she was the president of the group for former students. In 1955, she was made an honorary fellow.
In 1928, she married the artist Percy John Smith. She then took the last name Delf-Smith. They both loved drawing and gardening. Their marriage was happy, but Percy died in 1948. Ellen Marion Delf-Smith passed away on February 23, 1980, at the age of 97.
