Frances Cave-Browne-Cave

Summary

Frances Evelyn Cave-Browne-Cave FRAS (1876–1965) was an English mathematician and educator.

Frances Cave-Browne-Cave
in 1919 at Girton
Born(1876-02-21)21 February 1876
Died30 March 1965(1965-03-30) (aged 89)
NationalityBritish
EducationGirton College, Cambridge
OccupationMathematician
EmployerGirton College, Cambridge
TitleDirector of Mathematical Studies
FamilyBeatrice Mabel Cave-Browne-Cave, Henry Cave-Browne-Cave and the Cave-Browne-Cave baronets
AwardsLife Fellow of Girton College

Early life edit

Frances Cave-Browne-Cave was the daughter of Sir Thomas Cave-Browne-Cave and Blanche Matilda Mary Ann Milton. She was educated at home in Streatham Common with her sisters and entered Girton College, Cambridge, with her elder sister Beatrice Mabel Cave-Browne-Cave in 1895. She obtained a first-class degree and she would have been Fifth Wrangler in 1898 if she had been a man. She took Part II of the Mathematical Tripos in 1899.[1]

Career and continued studies edit

Like her sister, she was usually known by the single surname Cave professionally.[1] Along with Beatrice, she worked with Karl Pearson at University College London.[2] Her work was funded by the first research grant offered at Girton: an Old Students' Research Studentship from Girton, provided by Florence Margaret Durham.[3] Her research in the field of meteorology produced two publications in the Proceedings of the Royal Society which discussed barometric measurements, and was read to the British Association at Cambridge in 1904.[3][4]

In 1903, Cave returned to Girton as a fellow. She prioritised teaching over research, and focused on developing the weakest students because she felt that was where the biggest difference could be made.[1] She became the director of studies in 1918.[3] She was on the executive council of the college and was largely responsible for drafting the charter of incorporation granted in 1924.[4] On the 11 November 1921 she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.[5] Cave was made honorary fellow of Girton in 1942.[3]

Cave received an MA from Trinity College, Dublin, in 1907 (since the rules of Cambridge University did not then permit women to take degrees) and from Cambridge in 1926.[3]

Later life and death edit

Cave retired to Southampton in 1936. She died in Shedfield in a nursing home on 30 March 1965.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Davis, A.E.L. "Cave, (Frances) Evelyn Cave-Browne- (1876–1965), mathematician". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/61586. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ David Alan Grier, When Computers Were Human, Princeton University Press, 2005, pp. 111–112
  3. ^ a b c d e Beery, Janet L.; Greenwald, Sarah J.; Jensen-Vallin, Jacqueline A.; Mast, Maura B. (2017). Women in Mathematics: Celebrating the Centennial of the Mathematical Association of America. Springer. ISBN 9783319666945.
  4. ^ a b "Miss F. E. Cave-Browne-Cave". The Times. No. 56286. 2 April 1965. p. 18.
  5. ^ "1921MNRAS..82....1. Page 1". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 82: 1. 1921. Bibcode:1921MNRAS..82....1.. doi:10.1093/mnras/82.1.1.

External links edit

  • Papers in Girton College Library