- Caroline Haslett
Dame Caroline Harriet Haslett,
DBE , JP (1895, Worth (now inCrawley ,West Sussex ) – 1957) was a British electrical engineer and electricity industry administrator.She was the first secretary of the Women's Engineering Society as well as first director of the Electrical Association for Women (which she co-founded) which pioneered such wonders as the "All-Electric House" in
Bristol in 1935. Her particular interest was electricity, and how this might benefit women by liberating them from household drudgery. In the early 1920s, few houses had electric light or heating, let alone electrical appliances; theNational Grid was not yet in existence.First World War
During the
First World War , she joined the Cochran Boiler Company where she acquired a basic engineering training and from that time became something of a pioneer for women in the electrical and professional world.Career
*In 1919 she became first secretary of the Women's Engineering Society (WES) and was President in 1941. In 1924 she became the first director of the Electrical Association for Women of which she was a joint-founder. She was Chair of the Council of Scientific Management in the Home and presented papers on home management in various countries.
*From 1946-1954 Haslett was the only woman member of the Council of the British Institute of Management, and the first woman Chairman (from 1953-1954) of the British Electrical Development Association.
*Dame Caroline became President of the British Federation of Business and Professional Women and President of the International Federation in 1950.
Honours
In recognition of her services she was made a
Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1931 and was created aDame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1947. She was elected an IEE Companion in 1932. From 1950 until her death she was JP for theCounty of London .econd World War
During the
Second World War she undertook several missions at the request of the British and United States Governments and was appointed chairman of theHosiery Working Party and Honorary Advisor on Women's Training to the Labour Ministry.Reportedly, her dying wish was that she be cremated by electricity Fact|date=March 2007.
Links
* [http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101033751/ Oxford Index]
* [http://www.iee.org/TheIEE/Research/Archives/Histories&Biographies/Haslett.cfm IEE archives]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/timeline/caroline_haslett.shtml BBC Woman's Hour]
* [http://www.bpw-international.org/about-bpw/about-bpw-history-vol1-1956-1960.htm BPW Int'l]
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