Phoebe Sarah Hertha Marks, later known as Hertha Ayrton, was born in Portsmouth, England, the third of eight children to Levi Marks, a Polish watchmaker and clockmaker, and Alice Theresa Moss, a seamstress. Her early life was marked by financial hardship, but she showed early signs of intelligence and independence.

After her father's death in 1861, Hertha was sent to live with her aunt, Marion Hartog, in London. This proved to be a turning point in her life as her aunt ran a school and introduced Hertha to a stimulating intellectual environment. She excelled in her studies, particularly in mathematics and science.

Hertha's academic aptitude led her to Girton College, Cambridge, where she studied mathematics and was coached by the renowned mathematician, Philippa Fawcett. Although she performed brilliantly in her final examinations, Cambridge did not grant degrees to women at the time.

Hertha married William Edward Ayrton, a physics professor at the Central Technical College (later Imperial College London), and a pioneer in electrical engineering. Their marriage was one of intellectual partnership and mutual support, and he actively encouraged her scientific pursuits. William introduced Hertha to the practical study of electricity.

Hertha began her intensive research on electric arcs, which were used in street lighting at the time. She systematically investigated the phenomena associated with the arcs, demonstrating that hissing was caused by oxygen reacting with the carbon electrodes, rather than being inherent to the arc itself. This work significantly advanced the understanding of electric arc behavior.

Hertha Ayrton became the first woman to read her own paper before the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE), a major accomplishment and a significant step in breaking gender barriers in the scientific community. This event established her reputation as a leading authority on electric arcs.

Despite her significant contributions, Ayrton's nomination for Fellowship of the Royal Society was initially rejected due to her gender. Although she never achieved fellowship status in her own right, her groundbreaking research was eventually recognized by the Royal Society when she was awarded the Hughes Medal in 1906.

The Royal Society awarded Hertha Ayrton the Hughes Medal for her outstanding original discoveries in physics, specifically related to her work on the electric arc and sand ripples. This prestigious award acknowledged her scientific accomplishments and solidified her standing in the scientific community.

During World War I, Hertha Ayrton invented the Ayrton anti-gas fan to clear poisonous gas from trenches. She tirelessly advocated for its adoption by the British Army, demonstrating its effectiveness and promoting its use to save soldiers' lives. While not universally adopted, the fan was used to some extent and represented a critical contribution to wartime efforts.

Hertha Ayrton died on August 26, 1923, in Newington, England, from blood poisoning resulting from an insect bite. Her death marked the loss of a brilliant scientist, inventor, and advocate for women's rights, leaving behind a legacy of groundbreaking research and pioneering achievements in the fields of electrical engineering and physics.