Graeme Gooday (University of Leeds) and Patricia Fara (University of Cambridge) Today is the 172nd anniversary of an extraordinary woman: Hertha Ayrton (1854–1923), who was born as Sarah Phoebe Marks on 28 April 1854. She was the first woman to... Continue Reading →
Anne Locker, Library and Archives Manager In 2026, we celebrate the 120th anniversary of the Royal Society awarding Hertha Ayrton the Hughes medal for her contributions to science. Seven years earlier, she became a Member of the Institution of Electrical... Continue Reading →
By Asha Gage, IET Archivist When two pieces of carbon are connected to a high voltage electricity supply, an arc of brilliant light is "struck" between them when they are a short distance apart. The first man to observe this... Continue Reading →
IET Archives blog 