This timeline charts Hertha Ayrton's remarkable scientific career, documenting her research, inventions, publications, and recognition in the male-dominated fields of physics and electrical engineering.
Evening Classes at Finsbury Technical College
1884
Ayrton began attending evening classes in electricity at Finsbury Technical College, taught by Professor William Edward Ayrton, whom she would later marry.
Research on the Electric Arc
1893
Ayrton began her extensive research on the behavior of the electric arc. This became her major area of scientific investigation for many years.
First Paper Read Before the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE)
1895
Ayrton read her first paper, 'The Hissing of the Electric Arc,' before the Institution of Electrical Engineers. She was the first woman to present a paper to the IEE.
First Woman to be Elected a Member of the IEE
1899
Ayrton became the first woman elected as a member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, though she was not granted full membership.
Awarded the Hughes Medal by the Royal Society
1900
The Royal Society awarded Ayrton the prestigious Hughes Medal for her research on the electric arc. She was the first woman to receive this honor.
Publication of 'The Electric Arc'
1901
Ayrton published her comprehensive book, "The Electric Arc", summarizing her extensive research on the subject. It became a standard reference work.
Nomination for Fellowship of the Royal Society
1902
Ayrton was nominated for Fellowship of the Royal Society. Her nomination was rejected, due in part to the legal status of married women at the time, which limited their ability to enter into contracts.
Invention of the Ayrton Fan
1915-1918
During World War I, Ayrton developed the Ayrton fan, also known as the 'Ayrton Flapper,' to dispel poisonous gas from trenches. Over 100,000 were used on the Western Front.
Awarded Patent for Ayrton Fan
1916
Ayrton received a patent for her Ayrton fan invention.
Death in New Milton, Hampshire
26 August 1923
Hertha Ayrton died in New Milton, Hampshire, from blood poisoning resulting from an insect bite. She was 69 years old.
