Susan Mary Auld facts for kids
Susan Mary Auld (born Susan Denham Christie on January 10, 1915 – died March 9, 2002) was a very important woman in engineering. She was the first woman to graduate as a naval architect from Durham University. A naval architect is someone who designs ships!
Early Life and Learning
Susan Auld grew up in a family that designed and built ships. Her grandfather helped start a big shipbuilding company called Swan Hunter. Her father also led this company for many years.
Susan learned at home until she was 14. Then, she went to a school called Cheltenham Ladies' College. In 1932, she started studying how to design ships at Durham University. She learned from a famous engineer named Sir Westcott Abell.
In 1936, Susan earned her degree. She was the first English woman ever to get a degree in naval architecture! She was also the first woman allowed to join a group called the North East Coast Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders. This was a big step for women in engineering.
Designing Ships
After finishing university, Susan Denham Christie started working at the Swan Hunter shipyard. This was a time when very few women worked in shipbuilding. She became a pioneering designer for the Royal Navy, which is the UK's navy.
During World War II, Susan helped design important warships. She worked on the battleship HMS Anson, which was launched in 1940. She also helped design the aircraft carrier HMS Albion. One of her most important jobs was designing the special floating vessels used to land Allied troops in France on D-Day in 1944. These vessels were crucial for the war effort.
After the war, Susan designed ships for everyday use, like cargo ships. She was part of the team that designed the Leda. This ship carried passengers between Tyneside in England and Norway.
In 1952, Susan married an electrical engineer named John Gwynne Auld. After she got married, she stopped working as a naval architect. However, she still wrote for The Shipyard magazine, which was the company's own publication. Susan Auld passed away in Newcastle upon Tyne in 2002. She is remembered as a trailblazer for women in engineering and shipbuilding.
