Margaret Jane Benson | |
---|---|
Born |
London, England | 20 October 1859
Died | 20 June 1936
Highgate, London | (aged 76)
Nationality | British |
Alma mater | |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Botany |
Institutions | |
Doctoral advisor | Francis Wall Oliver |
Doctoral students |
|
Other notable students |
Margaret Jane Benson (20 October 1859 – 20 June 1936) was an English botanist specialising in paleobotany, and one of the first female members of the Linnean Society of London. [1] Most of her career was spent as the head of the Department of Botany at Royal Holloway College, University of London from 1893 to 1922. [2] In 1927, a botanical laboratory was dedicated in her name. [2] She travelled extensively with Ethel Sargant, collecting specimens, laboratory equipment, and meeting other botanists around the world. Her students included Dame Helen Gwynne-Vaughan, Theodora Lisle Prankerd, Nesta Ferguson, and Emily Mary Berridge. [3] [4]
Benson was born 20 October 1859 in London to William Benson and Edmunda Bourne, who was the daughter of the landscape painter James Bourne. [5] Benson's mother was also a painter and exhibited at the Royal Academy of Art. [6]
Benson was introduced to botany by her father, an engineer and architect with an interest in the subject. [5] She was first educated by her sister, who had attended Queen's College. [4] In 1878–9 she studied Classical Studies for one year at Newnham College, Cambridge, before working for seven years as a teacher at Exeter High School in order to have the finance for university study. [7] [8] She then matriculated to University College London in 1887 and earned her bachelor's degree in Botany with first class honors from the university in 1891. [7] [2] She gained a Marion Kennedy research scholarship [7] and earned her doctorate in 1894 from the University of London, working with Francis Wall Oliver. [5] Her work focused on embryology of a category of Fagales that were called Amentiferae at the time.
Benson started working as a lecturer at Royal Holloway College in 1889. [7] Benson was appointed head of the Botany Department at Royal Holloway College in 1893, [5] and remained so until her retirement in 1922. She was the first female Botanist to become a department head in the UK. [2] In 1897, Benson travelled around Europe with Ethel Sargent to gain equipment and knowledge to set up the department. [9] Benson is also credited with planning and stocking the Botanical Garden, Herbarium and Museum. [5]
Benson made various collecting trips for botanical material, including to Australia in 1905–1906, and to Australia, Java and India in 1914-15. [5] Her observations of herbaceous plants from the early Paleozoic era and the earliest true ferns are considered notable. [5] She proposed a model for the evolution of the ovule, [10] which remains a likely explanation. [2] She also described the species Cordaites felicis found in coal deposits in England. [11] To adopt the new technique of microscopic anatomy of fossils, she cut sections herself with a gas-powered machine in her garden shed. [8] Her papers are characterised by precise drawings and wash-paintings which are believed to be produced by Benson herself. [2]
In 1904, she became a fellow of the Linnean Society of London, [1] one of the first fifteen women who were admitted. [5] [12] In 1912 she was made a Professor by the University of London. [5]
Upon her retirement in 1922, [5] Benson was succeeded by Professor Elizabeth Marianne Blackwell as Head of Botany at Royal Holloway College. Benson died in Highgate on 20 June 1936, and Blackwell authored Benson's official obituary. [4]
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Media related to Margaret Jane Benson at Wikimedia Commons
Margaret Jane Benson | |
---|---|
Born |
London, England | 20 October 1859
Died | 20 June 1936
Highgate, London | (aged 76)
Nationality | British |
Alma mater | |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Botany |
Institutions | |
Doctoral advisor | Francis Wall Oliver |
Doctoral students |
|
Other notable students |
Margaret Jane Benson (20 October 1859 – 20 June 1936) was an English botanist specialising in paleobotany, and one of the first female members of the Linnean Society of London. [1] Most of her career was spent as the head of the Department of Botany at Royal Holloway College, University of London from 1893 to 1922. [2] In 1927, a botanical laboratory was dedicated in her name. [2] She travelled extensively with Ethel Sargant, collecting specimens, laboratory equipment, and meeting other botanists around the world. Her students included Dame Helen Gwynne-Vaughan, Theodora Lisle Prankerd, Nesta Ferguson, and Emily Mary Berridge. [3] [4]
Benson was born 20 October 1859 in London to William Benson and Edmunda Bourne, who was the daughter of the landscape painter James Bourne. [5] Benson's mother was also a painter and exhibited at the Royal Academy of Art. [6]
Benson was introduced to botany by her father, an engineer and architect with an interest in the subject. [5] She was first educated by her sister, who had attended Queen's College. [4] In 1878–9 she studied Classical Studies for one year at Newnham College, Cambridge, before working for seven years as a teacher at Exeter High School in order to have the finance for university study. [7] [8] She then matriculated to University College London in 1887 and earned her bachelor's degree in Botany with first class honors from the university in 1891. [7] [2] She gained a Marion Kennedy research scholarship [7] and earned her doctorate in 1894 from the University of London, working with Francis Wall Oliver. [5] Her work focused on embryology of a category of Fagales that were called Amentiferae at the time.
Benson started working as a lecturer at Royal Holloway College in 1889. [7] Benson was appointed head of the Botany Department at Royal Holloway College in 1893, [5] and remained so until her retirement in 1922. She was the first female Botanist to become a department head in the UK. [2] In 1897, Benson travelled around Europe with Ethel Sargent to gain equipment and knowledge to set up the department. [9] Benson is also credited with planning and stocking the Botanical Garden, Herbarium and Museum. [5]
Benson made various collecting trips for botanical material, including to Australia in 1905–1906, and to Australia, Java and India in 1914-15. [5] Her observations of herbaceous plants from the early Paleozoic era and the earliest true ferns are considered notable. [5] She proposed a model for the evolution of the ovule, [10] which remains a likely explanation. [2] She also described the species Cordaites felicis found in coal deposits in England. [11] To adopt the new technique of microscopic anatomy of fossils, she cut sections herself with a gas-powered machine in her garden shed. [8] Her papers are characterised by precise drawings and wash-paintings which are believed to be produced by Benson herself. [2]
In 1904, she became a fellow of the Linnean Society of London, [1] one of the first fifteen women who were admitted. [5] [12] In 1912 she was made a Professor by the University of London. [5]
Upon her retirement in 1922, [5] Benson was succeeded by Professor Elizabeth Marianne Blackwell as Head of Botany at Royal Holloway College. Benson died in Highgate on 20 June 1936, and Blackwell authored Benson's official obituary. [4]
{{
cite book}}
: CS1 maint: others (
link)
{{
cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location (
link)
Media related to Margaret Jane Benson at Wikimedia Commons