Miriam Tildesley facts for kids

Miriam Louise Tildesley (born July 1, 1883 – died January 31, 1979) was an amazing English scientist. She was an anthropologist, which means she studied humans. She looked at how people developed over time, both physically and culturally.

Early Life and Education

Miriam Tildesley was born in Willenhall, England, on July 1, 1883. Her parents were William Henry Tildesley and Rebecca Fisher. She grew up and went to school in Birmingham.

First, Miriam became a teacher and taught for three years. This experience helped her learn how to explain things clearly.

Becoming an Anthropologist

During World War I, Miriam helped with important number-crunching work. She worked with Professor Karl Pearson at University College London. He was a very famous scientist.

In 1918, she became a special research student. She studied craniometry, which is the measurement of human skulls. Later, in 1920, she started working at the Hunterian Museum. Here, she studied human bones, also known as osteological collections, at the Royal College of Surgeons.

Studying Sir Thomas Browne's Skull

In 1923, Miriam Tildesley wrote an important book. It was called Sir Thomas Browne: his skull, portraits and ancestry. She wanted to see if a person's skull could tell us about their personality or intelligence.

She studied the skull of Sir Thomas Browne, a famous writer. Miriam found that his skull looked like a typical English male's. But she concluded that the skull's shape didn't really show how smart or creative he was.

Museum Work and Awards

Also in 1923, Miriam became a research assistant at the Hunterian Museum. She was in charge of their collections. From 1932 to 1934, she was a curator of human bones for the museum. This meant she took care of the bone collections.

In 1939, Miriam Tildesley became a fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute (RAI). This is a big honor for anthropologists. She was on the council for the RAI for many years. She even served as vice-president from 1952 to 1955. She also led a committee that worked on standardizing anthropology techniques.

Miriam was recognized for her contributions to anthropology. She was made a member of the Order of the British Empire. This is a special award from the British government.

Later Life

Miriam Tildesley passed away in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, on January 31, 1979. She was 95 years old and had a long and impactful career.