(1898-1988, North London Collegiate School 1912-1916)
As far as we were concerned that was the first intimation that we had that an engagement was in the offing and, of course, they were married shortly afterwards" claimed F Dickens, one of Christopher Ingold's colleagues, after Ingold accidentally poisoned himself with phosgene in 1923, and Edith Usherwood was the first to his rescue.
Edith Hilda Usherwood was born on May 21st 1898. The daughter of an engineering teacher she displayed strong academic potential from a young age. When she won a scholarship to North London Collegiate School in 1912, the family moved from Horsham to Finchley so that she could take her place."
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| Edith is seated in the middle of the front row |
During her time at the school she received many prizes and won the most prestigious scholarship to study chemistry and botany at Royal Holloway College, from where she achieved a first class honours degree in 1920, and won many awards.
After this she carried out postgraduate research in organic chemistry under Martha Whitely at Imperial College, where she obtained her PhD in 1922, and where she met Sir Christopher Ingold whom she married.
She attained a DSc in 1924 but her research work stopped after the birth of her three children, Sylvia (1927), Keith (1929) and Dilys (1932). Thereafter, she supported her husband with the administration of his work, and eventually was appointed administrative assistant to UCL's chemistry department in 1946. She continued this job until her death in 1988.
Written and researched by Pernia Price (Yr 12)
Photograph:2nd Hockey 11, 1914 - 1915