Winifred Elsie Brenchley OBE, DSc (Lond), FLS, FRES (1883–1953), an agricultural botanist who worked at the Rothamsted Research Station. Along with Katherine Warington, she demonstrated the role of boron as an essential micronutrient for plants. She was the first woman in the UK to break into the male-dominated sphere of agricultural science.[1] She has been described as "perhaps Britain's leading authority on weeds in the early twentieth century".[2]
Winifred Brenchley was born in London on 10, August, 1883 to Elizabeth Beckett and William Brenchley, a schoolmaster who was once the Mayor of Camberwell. Measles in childhood left her partially deaf. She was educated at James Allen's Girls' School in Dulwich, where one of her teachers was the well-known botanist Dr Lilian Clarke.[3]
She attended Swanley Horticultural College for two years, completing her course in 1903. At the school, the new science-based study provided an alternative to the earlier emphasis on practical apprenticeship training, thus opening up male-dominated horticultural trades to women. By 1903 the college was only taking women students, to provide suitable occupations for unmarried women. (There was also a growing demand for horticulturalists and agriculturalists in the British colonies and it was felt that women were suited to this role.) Brenchley won the Royal Horticultural Society Silver Gilt medal but gave up gardening to study botany.[4] She received her BSc from University College London in 1905, where she studied under Francis Wall Oliver. She was awarded a Gilchrist Scholarship for postgraduate study for 1906-7 and was awarded a DSc from the University of London in 1911 for her thesis: On the strength and development of the grain of wheat (Triticum vulgare).[5] She became a Fellow of University College in 1914.
The Gilchrist Scholarship took her to Rothamsted Experimental Station in Harpenden. She was the first woman to work there in the 60 years of the laboratories' existence, and it was admitted that she was appointed 'because the funds available would not have attracted a suitable man'.[6] At Rothamsted, where she was the only woman, a tradition of afternoon tea was established as it was considered appropriate for her by the rest of the male staff. It was this afternoon tea and a later woman scientist, Muriel Bristol, that inspired the famous work of R.A. Fisher, Lady tasting tea, on applying permutations in experiments.[7] The quality of her work was soon apparent and after a year she became a permanent employee as head of the Botany Department, a post she held until her retirement at 65.[8]
Early on at Rothamsted, she demonstrated her technical skills, improving the technique for growing plants in water culture and coming close to discovering the essential role of copper and zinc in plant nutrition, as detailed in her book Inorganic Plant Poisons and Simulants (1914, revised 1927). Katherine Warington's discovery of boron's role as a micronutrient in 1923[9][10] and the subsequent investigations into the effects of boron is perhaps the best-known work from her laboratory.[11] Her other chief interest was in the ecology of weeds and Weeds of Farmland (1920) she produced the first comprehensive scientific study of weeds in the UK. Her work on the permanent Park Grass plots at Rothamsted resulted in another book Manuring of Grass Land for Hay (1924) describing how lime and fertilizers affect the botanical composition of grasslands.
Brenchley was elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society in 1910. In 1920, she became a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society. She was closely associated with A D Imms with whom she collected in the field. Her main entomological interest was in the Lepidoptera.[12] She was awarded the OBE in 1948, the year she retired.
Later lifeedit
In retirement, Brenchley returned to her gardening. She was also bringing together vast quantities of unpublished material in her research notebooks, but she suffered a severe stroke and died in Harpenden on 27, October, 1953.
Publicationsedit
Inorganic Plant Poisons and Stimulants, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1914 (Revised 1927)[13][14]
Manuring of Grass Land for Hay London, Longmans, Green, 1924
Suppression of Weeds by Fertilizers and Chemicals (with HC Long) London, Crosby Lockwood, 1949
52 scientific papers, many in the Annals of Botany. A bound volume of the collection is held at Rothamsted Library.
Referencesedit
^D.S. Jenkinson, "Brenchley, Winifred Elsie (1883–1953)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004. Retrieved 7 August 2012
^Clinton L. Evans The War on Weeds in the Prairie West: An Environmental History Calgary, Univ. of Calgary Press, 2002 p.219
^Amanda Thomas "Dr.Winifred Brenchley, O.B.E. (1883–1953)". Retrieved 29 July 2013.
^Donald L. Opitz (2013) 'A Triumph of Brains over Brute': Women and Science at the Horticultural College, Swanley, 1890–1910. Isis 104(1) pp 30–62
^Sir E J Russell 'A History of Agricultural Science in Great Britain 1620–1954' London, Allen & Unwin, 1966 p.235
^Berry, Kenneth J.; Johnston, Janis E.; Mielke Jr., Paul W. (2014). A Chronicle of Permutation Statistical Methods: 1920–2000, and Beyond. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 57–58.
^Russell, E. J. (1953). "Dr. Winifred Brenchley, O.B.E." Nature. 172 (4386): 936. Bibcode:1953Natur.172..936R. doi:10.1038/172936a0.
^Warington, K. (1923) "The effect of boric acid and borax on the broad bean and certain other plants". Annals of Botany 37 pp. 629–672
^Warington, Katherine; Brenchley, Winifred E. (1 January 1927). "The Role of Boron in the Growth of Plants". Annals of Botany. os-41 (1): 167–188. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aob.a090062. ISSN 0305-7364.
^Anonymous (1948). "Botany at Rothamsted: Dr. Winifred Brenchley". Nature. 162 (4123): 727. Bibcode:1948Natur.162S.727.. doi:10.1038/162727c0.
^The Remarks (on Fellows who have died in the year 1953) Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society C 18 p.79
^"Botany at Rothamsted : Dr. Winifred E. Brenchley". Nature. 162 (4123): 727. 1 November 1948. Bibcode:1948Natur.162S.727.. doi:10.1038/162727c0. ISSN 1476-4687. S2CID 4020784.
^Brenchley, Winifred Elsie (1914). Inorganic Plant Poisons and Stimulants. University Press. ISBN978-1-5084-1219-9.
Further readingedit
Dr. Winifred Brenchley. Times 28 October 1953: the Times Digital Archive. Web. 29 July 2013
Haines, C. M. C. & Stevens, H. M.International women in science: a biographical dictionary to 1950. Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIO, 2001
External linksedit
Rothamsted Research Archives
National Portrait Gallery print of Brenchley
November 28, 2023
winifred, brenchley, winifred, elsie, brenchley, lond, fres, 1883, 1953, agricultural, botanist, worked, rothamsted, research, station, along, with, katherine, warington, demonstrated, role, boron, essential, micronutrient, plants, first, woman, break, into, m. Winifred Elsie Brenchley OBE DSc Lond FLS FRES 1883 1953 an agricultural botanist who worked at the Rothamsted Research Station Along with Katherine Warington she demonstrated the role of boron as an essential micronutrient for plants She was the first woman in the UK to break into the male dominated sphere of agricultural science 1 She has been described as perhaps Britain s leading authority on weeds in the early twentieth century 2 Winifred Elsie BrenchleyContents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 Later life 4 Publications 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksEarly life and education editWinifred Brenchley was born in London on 10 August 1883 to Elizabeth Beckett and William Brenchley a schoolmaster who was once the Mayor of Camberwell Measles in childhood left her partially deaf She was educated at James Allen s Girls School in Dulwich where one of her teachers was the well known botanist Dr Lilian Clarke 3 She attended Swanley Horticultural College for two years completing her course in 1903 At the school the new science based study provided an alternative to the earlier emphasis on practical apprenticeship training thus opening up male dominated horticultural trades to women By 1903 the college was only taking women students to provide suitable occupations for unmarried women There was also a growing demand for horticulturalists and agriculturalists in the British colonies and it was felt that women were suited to this role Brenchley won the Royal Horticultural Society Silver Gilt medal but gave up gardening to study botany 4 She received her BSc from University College London in 1905 where she studied under Francis Wall Oliver She was awarded a Gilchrist Scholarship for postgraduate study for 1906 7 and was awarded a DSc from the University of London in 1911 for her thesis On the strength and development of the grain of wheat Triticum vulgare 5 She became a Fellow of University College in 1914 Career edit nbsp Brenchley working in her laboratory at Rothamsted Experimental StationThe Gilchrist Scholarship took her to Rothamsted Experimental Station in Harpenden She was the first woman to work there in the 60 years of the laboratories existence and it was admitted that she was appointed because the funds available would not have attracted a suitable man 6 At Rothamsted where she was the only woman a tradition of afternoon tea was established as it was considered appropriate for her by the rest of the male staff It was this afternoon tea and a later woman scientist Muriel Bristol that inspired the famous work of R A Fisher Lady tasting tea on applying permutations in experiments 7 The quality of her work was soon apparent and after a year she became a permanent employee as head of the Botany Department a post she held until her retirement at 65 8 Early on at Rothamsted she demonstrated her technical skills improving the technique for growing plants in water culture and coming close to discovering the essential role of copper and zinc in plant nutrition as detailed in her book Inorganic Plant Poisons and Simulants 1914 revised 1927 Katherine Warington s discovery of boron s role as a micronutrient in 1923 9 10 and the subsequent investigations into the effects of boron is perhaps the best known work from her laboratory 11 Her other chief interest was in the ecology of weeds and Weeds of Farmland 1920 she produced the first comprehensive scientific study of weeds in the UK Her work on the permanent Park Grass plots at Rothamsted resulted in another book Manuring of Grass Land for Hay 1924 describing how lime and fertilizers affect the botanical composition of grasslands Brenchley was elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society in 1910 In 1920 she became a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society She was closely associated with A D Imms with whom she collected in the field Her main entomological interest was in the Lepidoptera 12 She was awarded the OBE in 1948 the year she retired Later life editIn retirement Brenchley returned to her gardening She was also bringing together vast quantities of unpublished material in her research notebooks but she suffered a severe stroke and died in Harpenden on 27 October 1953 Publications editInorganic Plant Poisons and Stimulants Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1914 Revised 1927 13 14 Weeds of Farm Land London Longmans Green 1920 Manuring of Grass Land for Hay London Longmans Green 1924 Suppression of Weeds by Fertilizers and Chemicals with HC Long London Crosby Lockwood 1949 52 scientific papers many in the Annals of Botany A bound volume of the collection is held at Rothamsted Library References edit D S Jenkinson Brenchley Winifred Elsie 1883 1953 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press 2004 Retrieved 7 August 2012 Clinton L Evans The War on Weeds in the Prairie West An Environmental History Calgary Univ of Calgary Press 2002 p 219 Amanda Thomas Dr Winifred Brenchley O B E 1883 1953 Retrieved 29 July 2013 Donald L Opitz 2013 A Triumph of Brains over Brute Women and Science at the Horticultural College Swanley 1890 1910 Isis 104 1 pp 30 62 University of London Library Catalogue Sir E J Russell A History of Agricultural Science in Great Britain 1620 1954 London Allen amp Unwin 1966 p 235 Berry Kenneth J Johnston Janis E Mielke Jr Paul W 2014 A Chronicle of Permutation Statistical Methods 1920 2000 and Beyond Springer Science amp Business Media pp 57 58 Russell E J 1953 Dr Winifred Brenchley O B E Nature 172 4386 936 Bibcode 1953Natur 172 936R doi 10 1038 172936a0 Warington K 1923 The effect of boric acid and borax on the broad bean and certain other plants Annals of Botany 37 pp 629 672 Warington Katherine Brenchley Winifred E 1 January 1927 The Role of Boron in the Growth of Plants Annals of Botany os 41 1 167 188 doi 10 1093 oxfordjournals aob a090062 ISSN 0305 7364 Anonymous 1948 Botany at Rothamsted Dr Winifred Brenchley Nature 162 4123 727 Bibcode 1948Natur 162S 727 doi 10 1038 162727c0 The Remarks on Fellows who have died in the year 1953 Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society C 18 p 79 Botany at Rothamsted Dr Winifred E Brenchley Nature 162 4123 727 1 November 1948 Bibcode 1948Natur 162S 727 doi 10 1038 162727c0 ISSN 1476 4687 S2CID 4020784 Brenchley Winifred Elsie 1914 Inorganic Plant Poisons and Stimulants University Press ISBN 978 1 5084 1219 9 Further reading editDr Winifred Brenchley Times 28 October 1953 the Times Digital Archive Web 29 July 2013 Haines C M C amp Stevens H M International women in science a biographical dictionary to 1950 Santa Barbara ABC CLIO 2001External links editRothamsted Research Archives National Portrait Gallery print of Brenchley Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Winifred Brenchley amp oldid 1161136697, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
