Person: Fawcett, Philippa Garrett
In 1890 Philippa Fawcett came top in the Mathematical Tripos Examinations at Cambridge, being placed "ahead of the first Wrangler".
Mathematical Profile (Excerpt):
- While in the Fawcett's Cambridge home she would teach young Philippa, giving her a solid educational foundation.
- Henry Fawcett lost his parliamentary seat in Brighton but after this he was returned to parliament when elected to represent Hackney in the county of Middlesex, a borough of London.
- The Fawcetts then had homes both in Cambridge and in London, living in the capital at 51 The Lawn, Lambeth.
- Philippa's school education was in London where she attended Clapham Middle School and then Clapham High School.
- Of course with parents who spent part of their time in London and part in Cambridge, some living arrangements had to be made for Philippa since Clapham High School was an Independent Day School.
- It was not the most convenient of arrangements, for Philippa had to walk two miles from her parents' home to reach Clapham High School.
- At the age of fifteen Philippa was showing such outstanding ability at mathematics that her parents employed a mathematics tutor.
- Fawcett's performance in the Trinity Intercollege Examination which she sat after two years at Cambridge was outstanding and it was clear that she would excel in the Tripos Examinations of 1890.
- However, beat other people is exactly what Fawcett did in the twelve three hour examination papers.
- Fawcett had become the first woman at Cambridge to come top in the Mathematical Tripos Examinations.
- The deafening cheers of the throng of undergraduates redoubled as Miss Fawcett left the Senate House by the side of the Principal.
- After dinner toasts were proposed: the healths drunk were those of the Principal, Miss Fawcett, her Coach (Mr Hobson) and Senior and Junior Optimes.
- After one year of research Fawcett was appointed as a lecturer at Newnham College.
- Then, in July 1901 at the time of the Boer War, Millicent Fawcett was sent by the British Government to report on the British concentration camps for Boer civilians.
- There is no doubt that Philippa Fawcett's dazzling academic honours assured her a large measure of confidence from British sections of the population.
- Philippa Fawcett was an ardent worker pursuing her ends along no devious routes and she may be truly regarded as one of the founders of the widespread educational system which continues to afford sure hope of common international effort in South Africa.
- In 1905 Millicent Fawcett discovered that the post of principal assistant to the Director of Education of London County Council was to be filled.
- She contacted Philippa immediately suggesting that she should apply and, even though she was not in the country to attend an interview, Fawcett was appointed.
Born 4 April 1868, Cambridge, England. Died 10 June 1948, London, England.
View full biography at MacTutor
Tags relevant for this person:
Origin England, Women
Thank you to the contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0! 
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- non-Github:
- @J-J-O'Connor
- @E-F-Robertson
References
Adapted from other CC BY-SA 4.0 Sources:
- O’Connor, John J; Robertson, Edmund F: MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
