Margaret Jane Benson 1859 – 1936
(Mrs Drummond, also known as M J Benson)
Botanist, palaeobotanist, mycologist.
20 October 1859 – 20 June 1936
Education
Home tutored.
1878-9 Studied Classics at Newnham College.
1887 Started studying botany at University College London taking a firt-class BSc degree in 1891.
1892-3 Conducted postgraduate research at University College and Newnham College supported by a research studentship. Investigated the embryology of catkin-bearing plants.
1894 Awarded a SSc (London).
Some Key Achievements and Interests
Worked as an assistant mistress at Exeter High School for seven years to earn a living.
1889- 1893 Worked as a senior lecturer in botany and zoology at Royal Holloway College.
1893-1922 Head of the Department of Botany at Royal Holloway College.
Worked to strengthen botanical studies at the college researching laboratory equipment and developing a botanical garden, museum and herbarium.
Elected a fellow of Newnham College and University College.
1902 Began research in palaeophytology and developed a name for herself as a palaeobotanist.
Published findings of her research.
Travelled and collected botanical material.
1905 Made a Fellow of the Linnean Society when the Society accepted women.
1912 Made Professor of Botany’ in recognition of her work.
Issues
Had to work for many years to finance her university study.
Published under the name M J Benson to disguise her gender.
Waited many years to be awarded a professorship and be accepted as a Fellow of the Linnean Society because she was a woman.
Connection to Bloomsbury
University College London
Female networks
Include: Ethel Sargant, Emily Berridge, Helen Fraser, Helen Gwynne-Vaughan, Theodora Lisle Prankerd, Nesta Ferguson,
Works
See publications listed: Margaret Jane Benson – Wikipedia
Further reading
Celebrating the Linnean Society’s First Women… | The Linnean Society