Firts of Galway woman engineering graduate

Sideny Geraghty · Post by **Sideny Geraghty** » Sun Oct 04, 1998 4:05 pm

Alice Jacqueline Perry Engineer, Poet,Christian ScientistIn the late forties at one of the lectures on land surveying at University College Galway, I listened to the lecturer, the late Hubert O'Connor,M.E., who demonstrated his talk with a theodolite, beautifully and precisely made, but which even then was from a past era.While pointing out the accuracy of the instrument he would extol the fineness of the reticule cross hairs and say, as he did every year, that they were from the head of a Galway woman engineering graduate. Her name was Alice Jacqueline Perry, born to James Perry, M.E. and Martha Perry née Park on 24 October, 1885, probably at their house, Wellpark, just outside Galway on the road to Ballybrit racecourse. On 26 October,1906, she received a first class honours degree in civil engineering, which was ratified by the Royal University, Dublin.She was the first woman to graduate in Great Britain and Ireland with a degree in civil engineering.Her family background would suggest that a professional career in engineering would for her have been more than successful. Her uncle John Perry, a Fellow of the Royal Society, invented the gyroscope which is used in aircraft and which overcomes the difficulty caused by the steel hulls of submarines rendering the magnetic compass useless. His book, "Spinning Tops" was published by the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, 1919. Her father, James Perry, was county surveyor for Galway West from 1882 until; "he died after a brief illness at his residence, Wellpark, Galway on 28 November, 1906" (obituary, Institution of Civil Engineers). With the assistance of his famous brother, John Perry, FRS, he had founded the Galway Electric Works at Newtownsmyth, on the site of the present ESB suboffice.She was educated at Millbrook House, now a block of apartments along the river bank opposite Mill Street Garda station in Galway, the school being run by a Miss Chestnut. Despite a name which one would associate with a comedy by Oscar Wilde, Miss Chestnut produced results. Frances Moffett, who wrote the charming booklet, "I also am of Ireland", another graduate of University College Galway, was also a former pupil of Millbrook House. Neither did the school hinder the advancement of either Alice Jacqueline Perry or her sisters. In The Galway Advertiser of 29 February, 1996, the late Thomas P.O'Neill pointed out that Agnes M.Perry, Alice's sister, was in 1903 the sixth woman to graduate in Galway. Three sisters were graduates . The youngest sister, Patty, qualified in domestic economy at Battersea Tech, where she afterwards instructed. The Perry sisters' brother, Sam, became an officer in the British army in India. He retired to Moycullen as Major Perry in 1930 and died there in 1944.On graduation on 26 October, 1906 Alice was awarded a senior scholarship to allow her to take further education in engineering, but subsequent events stopped her continuing with what would have been a brilliant engineering career.Her father who had been working on problems with Kilbeg pier on Loch Corrib died the following month. Within a month of her graduation Alice Perry assumed the duties which were left undone on the death of her father. One can imagine the ache and loneliness that this work must have caused her. She had now lost her father; her mother dying in the previous year. It also says something for the sympathies of the Council which was expressed in a practical way..The paper, the Connaught Champion of December 1906, reporting a meeting of the Galway County Council announced;" Mr.J.C.McDonnell proposed Miss Alice Perry to discharge the duties of Co.Surveyor for the Western District until a successor to Mr.Perry was appointed. Mr. Larkin seconded. The resolution was passed unanimously. It was arranged that Miss Perry be appointed from the date of her father's death and paid at the rate of her father's salary while acting. The salary was £400 and £100 travelling expenses."The Connaught Champion of December 15, 1906, page 4 had the following report;"The Galway Co.Council has paid a graceful tribute to the memory of the late Mr. James Perry by appointing his brilliant young daughter to succeed him as temporary Co.Surveyor for the Western Division, pending a permanent appointment, which cannot be made for some months. We believe that Miss Perry is the first lady in the United Kingdom who qualified in engineering and who is certainly the first lady in Ireland who has acted as Co.Surveyor. She had a distinguished collegiate course and with the practical experience she acquired as assistant to her late father we believe she would be an ornament to the position were the final choice to fall on her....." Her report to the Galway County Council on 19 February on the burden of duties over the three months in which she had been acting as County Surveyor shows that she had been very busy indeed with the engineering problems arising in the Western Division. With the death of a Mr. Smith, the County Surveyor for the Eastern Division, she was also involved in that division of the county. Of her work during these months, the lines that come to mind are : "But work of serf and sweeper, the tale of common things." Her work took her to Clifden, Inishbofin, Bealadangan, Duras, Spiddal, Annaghdown, Oughterard, and east to Gort. These journeys during the severe winter months at the end of December through January and into February, by open side car or in unheated compartments of the Clifden train included inspection of roads, piers, courthouses and county buildings. This survey of maintenence requirements in a matter of weeks for a newly qualified engineer with primitive means of travel was well above and way beyond the normal call of duty. Her extreme diligence and industry in coping with an awesome and generally uninspiring work load was acknowledged by the paper the Connaught Champion in the subsequent week.Alice Perry's report after two months of work two weeks at least of which would have been lost during the Christmas holiday period, shows that she traversed a large area of the county, in the miserable weather of December and January, no doubt using the unheated Clifden train and open horse drawn side cars travelling to remote areas along badly surfaced roads. Her survey required the noting of uninspiring if neccessary minutiae of maintenence requirements of the fixed public assets of the county.Part of the second editorial of that paper for February 23 1907 reads; "...... She is the brilliant daughter of a worthy father. After a distinguished collegiate course she passed her final examination, taking the highest science and engineering degrees, and she is the first lady in Ireland who has acted as County Surveyor...... The many and arduous duties of County Surveyor have never been better or more faithfully discharged than since they were taken over by Miss Perry, and though her supporters for the permanency were few, each and every member of the County Council has borne willing testimony to her outstanding ability.... "From the Connacht Champion of Saturday February 23. Miss Perry's report.Clifden; works five of no great importance; a gullet across the road at Errislannan, £3; a small breach in the wall in Clifden £1.10s; a breach in the wall at Roundstone £24; a road from Mr Irwan's gate to the sea-shore near Ballinakill, to be repaired £15; another road in Manninmore, £12, the remainder being renewal contracts. O'Donnell's and Carey's roads whose contracts were billed at the last meeting of the County Council, are being repaired by the sureties until the 30 June. In the Galway district the late Mr. John Burke's road is being repaired by Mr. Michael Burke to the same date when the new contracts will commence.Galway; two special works; a gullet in the town of Spiddal £6. A road from Gardenham to Cregg Burial ground to be repaired £3. A new road at Annaghdown applied for and passed, 2/3 of the amount to be asked from the Congested Districts Board, £300 being the total amount applied for.Gort; special work on a footpath between the Chapel and Mr. Hayes house, Peterswell, the other applications were renewals. Oughterard; 200 perches (1006 m) of road in Townaleen, the total amount allowed £100, 2/3 of which is to be contributed by the Congested Districts Board. A road near Lettermuckoo £15, a gullet near Ashmount £2.10s, a breach in the wall near Leenane £4.00; to supply locks and chains, and do some small repairs to the bridge at Bealadangan, amount allowed £1.00.After the meeting of the County Council on the 29 January, I immediately took into my own hands this bridge at Beladangan, as instructed by the Council, and made arrangements for another man to take charge of the bridge and road until the 10th instant. I beg to apply for a further grant of £10 towards the repairing of Kiggaul bridge; £10 was granted for this before but no tenders were received for that amount, and on making a personal inspection of this bridge on the 31st ult., I considered that £10 was not sufficient, the woodwork of the platform of the bridge is much worn away in parts and needs renewing, and an accident might now occur if it is not repaired.Report to the Piers and Harbours committee; Inishboffin Pier and Fahy slip have been repaired since the meeting of the Co.Council on the 13th November, but Inishboffin has not been certified for. Duras Pier was inspected by Mr.Perry last year and I accompanied him on his inspection for this pier for which £100 was voted. Mr. Perry I believe, reported that there was no satisfactory tender received. The report was approved of.Miss Perry recommended the expenditure of £125 on repairs and improvements to county buildings in the western division. She certified for £15 for the painting of Tuam courthouse. After some discussion the proposal was carried by 15 votes to 13.Miss Perry had £34 estimated for repairs to the Town Hall Galway, including the remodelling of a drain. The Building Commitee of the Council submitted a report on the Town Hall and suggested that £150 be expended repairing the ceiling and carrying out other repairs.Mr.Larkin proposed that only repairs Miss Perry mentioned be carried out.A poll was taken and Mr.Larkin's proposition was carried by 15 to 13.The Council then proceeded to the appointment of a County Surveyor for the Western Division of Galway rendered vacant by the death of Mr. Perry. The salary £300 plus £100 travelling expenses and an allowance of £60 for clerical and office expenses. There were 18 applications received ....Four of the candidates were proposed. Alice Perry received eight votes the same as the second candidate, Her temporary post of County Surveyor ceased in April 1907. All of Alice Perry's diligence and industry went for naught. She was no more successful when she applied for the post of County Surveyor, Galway, east riding. Neither Ireland, and it would appear from her subsequent career, nor England were geared to the employment of a woman engineer. There was no alternative for her but to seek employment elsewhere. This she did by becoming a lady factory inspector, the official title of the post she was to hold for the next seventeen years.If there were reasons other than misogyny against a woman having the post they would have been the need of a man to have the job to support a family, her lack of years of experience in the work that the other applicants could offer to the post, and the Edwardian and Victorian view of women as "The Gentle ancestor_gender", being wholly unsuited to "man's work" in a man's world. But over and above all this there was a rule which required that the candidate for the post of County Surveyor be not less than twenty six years of age and in a responsible position in charge of important works for not less than four years, (see Queen's College Calendar for 1906). Sometime later she became a candidate for the post of County Surveyor in the Eastern Galway division, but she was no more successful than she had been for the Western Division. The time was just not right for women engineers. And one can ask whether, even now, there is a woman holding the post of County Engineer. At present the highest grade reached by women in Local Government is Senior Executive Engineer of which there are three.The Perry girls were over qualified for the work then available for women in Ireland. She and her sisters, had no choice, but to look elsewhere. They moved to London where in 1908 Alice was first appointed to the post of "His Majesty's Inspector of Fisheries" and was subsequently employed by the Home Office as a lady factory inspector.The Chief Inspector of Factories, in his annual report of 1879 was against the appointment of women inspectors.In 1892 the Home Secretary conceded that the appointment of women as factory inspectors might, 'be tried as an experiment'.In 1893 the first two lady factory inspectors were appointed, May Abraham (from Dublin) and Mary Paterson.Lady factory inspectors' days were taken up with enforcing the law on womens' hours of employment and in implementing the Truck Acts (introduced to overcome the custom of employers paying their employees in kind rather than money, e.g.tea being given in place of money). They tried to reduce the causes of accidents and the hazards of industrial poisoning. These poisonous substances, products or constituents of manufacturing, included lead, especially white lead in the manufacture of pottery, phosphorous, for the manufacture of matches, the fumes of which caused the terrible disfiguring disease known as "Phossy Jaw", the use of mercury, an intensely poisonous substance, and asbestos, particularly as a dust.The regulation of work in laundries was particularly important.Other problems which presented themselves were lack of guards for belts and rotating shafting, "Bullying" or what would now be termed sexual harassment, dismissal of workers for refusing to break the law, lack of proper and screened toilet facilities, battening on workers for the most trivial matters and for which fines were imposed by the employers, workers time during attendance at hospitals for injuries received at work being deducted from their wages.The women inspectors, often working to the limits of what is humanly possible, and at the cost of their own health were motivated by considerations of social justice, compassion and human dignity. They investigated and endeavoured to correct the abuse of fines and the illegal deduction of wages.The employers would take any steps to avoid being caught by the factory inspector while working their employees over long hours. Measures taken to avoid detection involved hustling their workers into adjacent rooms out of sight of the inspector, or in the case of one employer, into the bathroom of his own house nearby (see Women of Courage by Susan Yeandle).The extent of the vigilance and monitoring that were the daily lot of these lady inspectors was intimidating.In February 1900 a case was brought by a factory inspector, Rose Squire, at which: "The utmost confusion prevailed, several persons talking at once and each raising his voice louder to drown the other. The defendant insisted on so frequently interrupting his own solicitor, that at last the exasperated lawyer sat on the defendant, not metaphorically but physically, using his elbows alternately to push back the protesting head that appeared first on one side and then on the other of the eloquent advocate." The case ultimately went to Dublin, where judgement was against the inspector. (Women of Courage by Susan Yeandle)Alice Perry's training as an engineer is vindicated by a comment in Martindale's "Women servants of the state 1870-1938" (Allen & Unwin) "the women inspectors would find themselves handicapped by their inferior technical knowledge, as only a few women had graduated in engineering subjects in those days (p175)."The Chief Inspector's annual report for 1899 in referring to one investigation carried the following comment: "Nothing could exceed the courage and ability displayed by the Lady Inspector in circumstances of exceptional difficulty."Thom's Directory show Miss A.J. Perry registered as a lady factory inspector in the Home Office, London, from 1910 to 1913. From 1915 through 1918 she worked in the Glasgow office first under her maiden name and from 1918 under her married name of Mrs. Shaw. The Perrys were Presbyterian and Alice with that belief must have known of the Womens' Suffragette movement. By 1903 three countries (New Zealand, Australia and Finland) had given the vote to women and this subject must have been a topic of conversation among the women students at UCG.Her bent towards engineering showed that she came from an enlightened family with feminist views.While in Glasgow, she took an interest in Christian Science, a religion which believed in the message of the Bible without accepting its verbal inerrancy. Unlike some fringe beliefs it encourages members to be scrupulous about obeying public health laws and the use of the medical profession, while at the same time believing in a ministry of healing practised by qualified members of the church. The Mother Church of the religion is in Boston, U.S.A. In social terms the Christian Science movement has increasingly been perceived as anticipating the development of feminism in the religious world. (The Encyclopaedia Britannica 15th Edition)"..She became a Christian Scientist on June 1 1917 while living in Glasgow, Scotland. She later received primary class instruction from Duncan Sinclair, C.S.B."(letter dated May 3, 1995 from Ruth Hedberg, Archival Researcher, Church History, Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston, to Janet Moller, Administrative Assistant, Monitor Editorial,Boston. There is however authority for another date of admission to the Church of Christ, Scientist, it being 12 January 1919 in Alice Shaw née Perry's own hand. Another of her letters records her resignation as a factory inspector, which she later withdrew at the request of the Lady Inspector of Factories, Ms A.M.Anderson. Her decision to retire may have been as a result of what happened in 1917. She married an englishman, Bob Shaw, who was then serving in the army. They married on 30 September 1916 and spent a two night honeymoon at the Roxburghe hotel in Edinburgh. Her new husband left for the Western Front on 24 May 1917. He was killed in action on 26 October, 1917.Bob Shaw's death must have caused her to rethink her whole lifestyle. What was her purpose there in Glasgow? She had done well at engineering and yet could not find employment in that discipline. Her work as lady factory inspector though important was being carried out equally well by unqualified people. Her whole life must have appeared as a desert, with the sudden death of her father on her graduation, her lack of suitable employment both in her own country and in Britain, the death of her husband. The one oasis of comfort was her new found interpretation of Christianity, in the Church of Christ, Scientist.Even though she received promotion to Woman Deputy Superintendent Inspector with effect from 1 August 1921 with a transfer to Leeds, she must have been driven by the run of tragedies to make a fundamental change to her life.Her retirement from the Factory Inspectorate was officially acknowledged on 31 July 1921. A poem of hers was published in the Christian Science Journal in November 1922 and she left England for the United States on 25 January in 1923, "for six months". In Boston, U.S.A.; "she was employed in the Subscription Fulfillment Division of the circulation department of the Christian Science Publishing Society. In 1927 she transferred to the Journal, Sentinel and Herald Editorial Department, where she was poetry editor for the Church's religious periodicals. She did not work for the paper, The Christian Science Monitor though from time to time she wrote religious articles that appeared in that paper. She became a Christian Science practitioner in 1927." (From a letter dated July 12, 1995, from Yvonne C. Fettweis, Manager, Church History, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston, Massachusetts).Those engaged in the full-time healing ministry are called Christian Science practitioners and are listed monthly in a directory published in the denomination's major religious periodical, The Christian Science Journal. Practitioners are required to devote their full time to their healing work. "Systematic study and prayer are considered basic to the ongoing life of the denomination and the readiness of its members to meet the challenges of Christian healing." (Encyclopaedia Britannica)Whatever Alice Perry would set her hands to would be done with all her heart and mind. She had accepted the religion of Christian Science as a rule of life and to accomplish her self-imposed task she became a practitioner and no doubt an excellent practitioner.Little is known, despite numerous inquiries, of her subsequent life in Boston. As a Christian Science practitioner it is highly likely that her days were completely devoted to healing. She developed her talent for writing and poetry. Of poetry she published the following seven books; The Children of Nazareth 1930 The Morning Meal 1939 Collected Poems 1940 Mary in the Garden 1944 More Poems 1945 One Thing I Know 1953 Women of Canaan 1961Her address in Boston during the thirties was an apartment in 1070 Beacon Street, Brookline, Mass.02146, one of the older buildings in Boston and which is now under a preservation order because of its age. At sometime in the sixties she lived at other addresses in Brookline, at 44 Longwood Avenue and then at 1870 Beacon Street until her death.She made three visits home to Galway from Boston, once in 1930 and at another time from June to August 1948 and again from July to August in 1960. On her visit to Galway in 1948 she spoke with Mel Melvin, who was chief lab. supervisor in the engineering school and who has recently retired. She wished to take a photograph of the front of the University from the engineering school in order to use the photograph as a model for a picture she wished to paint. But the view from the top floor was occluded by the growth on the trees. Mel said that they tried to see whether the view might be better from the top of the Arts Block. The foliage was too dense even from the top of the Arts' Building to photograph the quadrangle. Mel's remark to me was how active Alice Perry was in mounting the stairs of both buildings. What impressed him, an adolescent, was this elderly lady's agility. She was about 63 at the time.One of her poems reads; Conversation at Nazareth Alice Jacqueline ShawWhat love is? Well that's a hard thing to say. To be a proper craftsman, that is love, There was a carpenter once, down the village there, Who loved his work-he was right quick at it; I heard his plane and hammer go all day. At evening he'd come out before the door, And sit awhile with us and talk as free As any of us here. He used to talk Of love, often as not. He held that love Was something different from the common thought. He used to say love meant perfection: all One did, or said, or made, it should be perfect. That's a hard saying. What became of him? He left here after a while, and the shop stood empty. Then I was away myself For ten years, but I heard them say he went As far as Jerusalem. I often think of him. Perfection! That's a big word-only God Is perfect as I see it. This man said We could be perfect too; that is if we loved, Tried hard enough, saw God morning,noon, night. But loving's hard too. Can you love A mean man or a thief? A liar's worse. Can you love those? I used to ask him that. He'd look at me with those great eyes of his And say: "Love? Yes, love God, the rest will come. There'll come a time when they will thieve no more, Will lie no more; if you keep loving on, "They'll come, they'll come." And when he said those words, His eyes would burn, and he'd get up and close The door, not in a hurry, and would stride, Quiet in all his movements, down the street- I think he used to meet his mother there. .................... In 1968. a short time before her death she paid for a plaque to her father James Perry and her mother Martha in the Presbyterian Church (now Arts Centre) in Galway.She died in Boston on 21 August, 1969.Her Church has the following statement on her death; "She served until she passed on in 1969" .......................In Galway engineering school, up to the fifties there remained one small memento of her passing, part of the rib of hair from her head forming the cross hairs in the reticule of a students' demonstration theodolite.Acknowledgements: Mr.J.Lynam, the only living relative of Alice Perry The Royal Society, 6 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5 AG Séamus Mac Mathúna, Registrar, University College, Galway The Galway Advertiser Yvonne C.Fettweis, Manager Church History, First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston Massachusetts. Michael Willis, First Church of Christ, Scientist, Herbert Park, Dublin. Brown University, Providence Rhode Island Who's Who of American Women 1966-1967 Women of Courage by Susan Yeandle H.M. Inspectors of Factories 1833-1983 Encyclopaedia Britannica Alice Jacqueline Shaw neé Perry. (about 5000 words) (c) W.S.Geraghty 22 University road, Galway tel.(091) 564890 Alice Jacqueline Perry Engineer, Poet,Christian ScientistIn the late forties at one of the lectures on land surveying at University College Galway, I listened to the lecturer, the late Hubert O'Connor,M.E., who demonstrated his talk with a theodolite, beautifully and precisely made, but which even then was from a past era.While pointing out the accuracy of the instrument he would extol the fineness of the reticule cross hairs and say, as he did every year, that they were from the head of a Galway woman engineering graduate. Her name was Alice Jacqueline Perry, born to James Perry, M.E. and Martha Perry née Park on 24 October, 1885, probably at their house, Wellpark, just outside Galway on the road to Ballybrit racecourse. On 26 October,1906, she received a first class honours degree in civil engineering, which was ratified by the Royal University, Dublin.She was the first woman to graduate in Great Britain and Ireland with a degree in civil engineering.Her family background would suggest that a professional career in engineering would for her have been more than successful. Her uncle John Perry, a Fellow of the Royal Society, invented the gyroscope which is used in aircraft and which overcomes the difficulty caused by the steel hulls of submarines rendering the magnetic compass useless. His book, "Spinning Tops" was published by the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, 1919. Her father, James Perry, was county surveyor for Galway West from 1882 until; "he died after a brief illness at his residence, Wellpark, Galway on 28 November, 1906" (obituary, Institution of Civil Engineers). With the assistance of his famous brother, John Perry, FRS, he had founded the Galway Electric Works at Newtownsmyth, on the site of the present ESB suboffice.She was educated at Millbrook House, now a block of apartments along the river bank opposite Mill Street Garda station in Galway, the school being run by a Miss Chestnut. Despite a name which one would associate with a comedy by Oscar Wilde, Miss Chestnut produced results. Frances Moffett, who wrote the charming booklet, "I also am of Ireland", another graduate of University College Galway, was also a former pupil of Millbrook House. Neither did the school hinder the advancement of either Alice Jacqueline Perry or her sisters. In The Galway Advertiser of 29 February, 1996, the late Thomas P.O'Neill pointed out that Agnes M.Perry, Alice's sister, was in 1903 the sixth woman to graduate in Galway. Three sisters were graduates . The youngest sister, Patty, qualified in domestic economy at Battersea Tech, where she afterwards instructed. The Perry sisters' brother, Sam, became an officer in the British army in India. He retired to Moycullen as Major Perry in 1930 and died there in 1944.On graduation on 26 October, 1906 Alice was awarded a senior scholarship to allow her to take further education in engineering, but subsequent events stopped her continuing with what would have been a brilliant engineering career.Her father who had been working on problems with Kilbeg pier on Loch Corrib died the following month. Within a month of her graduation Alice Perry assumed the duties which were left undone on the death of her father. One can imagine the ache and loneliness that this work must have caused her. She had now lost her father; her mother dying in the previous year. It also says something for the sympathies of the Council which was expressed in a practical way..The paper, the Connaught Champion of December 1906, reporting a meeting of the Galway County Council announced;" Mr.J.C.McDonnell proposed Miss Alice Perry to discharge the duties of Co.Surveyor for the Western District until a successor to Mr.Perry was appointed. Mr. Larkin seconded. The resolution was passed unanimously. It was arranged that Miss Perry be appointed from the date of her father's death and paid at the rate of her father's salary while acting. The salary was £400 and £100 travelling expenses."The Connaught Champion of December 15, 1906, page 4 had the following report;"The Galway Co.Council has paid a graceful tribute to the memory of the late Mr. James Perry by appointing his brilliant young daughter to succeed him as temporary Co.Surveyor for the Western Division, pending a permanent appointment, which cannot be made for some months. We believe that Miss Perry is the first lady in the United Kingdom who qualified in engineering and who is certainly the first lady in Ireland who has acted as Co.Surveyor. She had a distinguished collegiate course and with the practical experience she acquired as assistant to her late father we believe she would be an ornament to the position were the final choice to fall on her....." Her report to the Galway County Council on 19 February on the burden of duties over the three months in which she had been acting as County Surveyor shows that she had been very busy indeed with the engineering problems arising in the Western Division. With the death of a Mr. Smith, the County Surveyor for the Eastern Division, she was also involved in that division of the county. Of her work during these months, the lines that come to mind are : "But work of serf and sweeper, the tale of common things." Her work took her to Clifden, Inishbofin, Bealadangan, Duras, Spiddal, Annaghdown, Oughterard, and east to Gort. These journeys during the severe winter months at the end of December through January and into February, by open side car or in unheated compartments of the Clifden train included inspection of roads, piers, courthouses and county buildings. This survey of maintenence requirements in a matter of weeks for a newly qualified engineer with primitive means of travel was well above and way beyond the normal call of duty. Her extreme diligence and industry in coping with an awesome and generally uninspiring work load was acknowledged by the paper the Connaught Champion in the subsequent week.Alice Perry's report after two months of work two weeks at least of which would have been lost during the Christmas holiday period, shows that she traversed a large area of the county, in the miserable weather of December and January, no doubt using the unheated Clifden train and open horse drawn side cars travelling to remote areas along badly surfaced roads. Her survey required the noting of uninspiring if neccessary minutiae of maintenence requirements of the fixed public assets of the county.Part of the second editorial of that paper for February 23 1907 reads; "...... She is the brilliant daughter of a worthy father. After a distinguished collegiate course she passed her final examination, taking the highest science and engineering degrees, and she is the first lady in Ireland who has acted as County Surveyor...... The many and arduous duties of County Surveyor have never been better or more faithfully discharged than since they were taken over by Miss Perry, and though her supporters for the permanency were few, each and every member of the County Council has borne willing testimony to her outstanding ability.... "From the Connacht Champion of Saturday February 23. Miss Perry's report.Clifden; works five of no great importance; a gullet across the road at Errislannan, £3; a small breach in the wall in Clifden £1.10s; a breach in the wall at Roundstone £24; a road from Mr Irwan's gate to the sea-shore near Ballinakill, to be repaired £15; another road in Manninmore, £12, the remainder being renewal contracts. O'Donnell's and Carey's roads whose contracts were billed at the last meeting of the County Council, are being repaired by the sureties until the 30 June. In the Galway district the late Mr. John Burke's road is being repaired by Mr. Michael Burke to the same date when the new contracts will commence.Galway; two special works; a gullet in the town of Spiddal £6. A road from Gardenham to Cregg Burial ground to be repaired £3. A new road at Annaghdown applied for and passed, 2/3 of the amount to be asked from the Congested Districts Board, £300 being the total amount applied for.Gort; special work on a footpath between the Chapel and Mr. Hayes house, Peterswell, the other applications were renewals. Oughterard; 200 perches (1006 m) of road in Townaleen, the total amount allowed £100, 2/3 of which is to be contributed by the Congested Districts Board. A road near Lettermuckoo £15, a gullet near Ashmount £2.10s, a breach in the wall near Leenane £4.00; to supply locks and chains, and do some small repairs to the bridge at Bealadangan, amount allowed £1.00.After the meeting of the County Council on the 29 January, I immediately took into my own hands this bridge at Beladangan, as instructed by the Council, and made arrangements for another man to take charge of the bridge and road until the 10th instant. I beg to apply for a further grant of £10 towards the repairing of Kiggaul bridge; £10 was granted for this before but no tenders were received for that amount, and on making a personal inspection of this bridge on the 31st ult., I considered that £10 was not sufficient, the woodwork of the platform of the bridge is much worn away in parts and needs renewing, and an accident might now occur if it is not repaired.Report to the Piers and Harbours committee; Inishboffin Pier and Fahy slip have been repaired since the meeting of the Co.Council on the 13th November, but Inishboffin has not been certified for. Duras Pier was inspected by Mr.Perry last year and I accompanied him on his inspection for this pier for which £100 was voted. Mr. Perry I believe, reported that there was no satisfactory tender received. The report was approved of.Miss Perry recommended the expenditure of £125 on repairs and improvements to county buildings in the western division. She certified for £15 for the painting of Tuam courthouse. After some discussion the proposal was carried by 15 votes to 13.Miss Perry had £34 estimated for repairs to the Town Hall Galway, including the remodelling of a drain. The Building Commitee of the Council submitted a report on the Town Hall and suggested that £150 be expended repairing the ceiling and carrying out other repairs.Mr.Larkin proposed that only repairs Miss Perry mentioned be carried out.A poll was taken and Mr.Larkin's proposition was carried by 15 to 13.The Council then proceeded to the appointment of a County Surveyor for the Western Division of Galway rendered vacant by the death of Mr. Perry. The salary £300 plus £100 travelling expenses and an allowance of £60 for clerical and office expenses. There were 18 applications received ....Four of the candidates were proposed. Alice Perry received eight votes the same as the second candidate, Her temporary post of County Surveyor ceased in April 1907. All of Alice Perry's diligence and industry went for naught. She was no more successful when she applied for the post of County Surveyor, Galway, east riding. Neither Ireland, and it would appear from her subsequent career, nor England were geared to the employment of a woman engineer. There was no alternative for her but to seek employment elsewhere. This she did by becoming a lady factory inspector, the official title of the post she was to hold for the next seventeen years.If there were reasons other than misogyny against a woman having the post they would have been the need of a man to have the job to support a family, her lack of years of experience in the work that the other applicants could offer to the post, and the Edwardian and Victorian view of women as "The Gentle ancestor_gender", being wholly unsuited to "man's work" in a man's world. But over and above all this there was a rule which required that the candidate for the post of County Surveyor be not less than twenty six years of age and in a responsible position in charge of important works for not less than four years, (see Queen's College Calendar for 1906). Sometime later she became a candidate for the post of County Surveyor in the Eastern Galway division, but she was no more successful than she had been for the Western Division. The time was just not right for women engineers. And one can ask whether, even now, there is a woman holding the post of County Engineer. At present the highest grade reached by women in Local Government is Senior Executive Engineer of which there are three.The Perry girls were over qualified for the work then available for women in Ireland. She and her sisters, had no choice, but to look elsewhere. They moved to London where in 1908 Alice was first appointed to the post of "His Majesty's Inspector of Fisheries" and was subsequently employed by the Home Office as a lady factory inspector.The Chief Inspector of Factories, in his annual report of 1879 was against the appointment of women inspectors.In 1892 the Home Secretary conceded that the appointment of women as factory inspectors might, 'be tried as an experiment'.In 1893 the first two lady factory inspectors were appointed, May Abraham (from Dublin) and Mary Paterson.Lady factory inspectors' days were taken up with enforcing the law on womens' hours of employment and in implementing the Truck Acts (introduced to overcome the custom of employers paying their employees in kind rather than money, e.g.tea being given in place of money). They tried to reduce the causes of accidents and the hazards of industrial poisoning. These poisonous substances, products or constituents of manufacturing, included lead, especially white lead in the manufacture of pottery, phosphorous, for the manufacture of matches, the fumes of which caused the terrible disfiguring disease known as "Phossy Jaw", the use of mercury, an intensely poisonous substance, and asbestos, particularly as a dust.The regulation of work in laundries was particularly important.Other problems which presented themselves were lack of guards for belts and rotating shafting, "Bullying" or what would now be termed sexual harassment, dismissal of workers for refusing to break the law, lack of proper and screened toilet facilities, battening on workers for the most trivial matters and for which fines were imposed by the employers, workers time during attendance at hospitals for injuries received at work being deducted from their wages.The women inspectors, often working to the limits of what is humanly possible, and at the cost of their own health were motivated by considerations of social justice, compassion and human dignity. They investigated and endeavoured to correct the abuse of fines and the illegal deduction of wages.The employers would take any steps to avoid being caught by the factory inspector while working their employees over long hours. Measures taken to avoid detection involved hustling their workers into adjacent rooms out of sight of the inspector, or in the case of one employer, into the bathroom of his own house nearby (see Women of Courage by Susan Yeandle).The extent of the vigilance and monitoring that were the daily lot of these lady inspectors was intimidating.In February 1900 a case was brought by a factory inspector, Rose Squire, at which: "The utmost confusion prevailed, several persons talking at once and each raising his voice louder to drown the other. The defendant insisted on so frequently interrupting his own solicitor, that at last the exasperated lawyer sat on the defendant, not metaphorically but physically, using his elbows alternately to push back the protesting head that appeared first on one side and then on the other of the eloquent advocate." The case ultimately went to Dublin, where judgement was against the inspector. (Women of Courage by Susan Yeandle)Alice Perry's training as an engineer is vindicated by a comment in Martindale's "Women servants of the state 1870-1938" (Allen & Unwin) "the women inspectors would find themselves handicapped by their inferior technical knowledge, as only a few women had graduated in engineering subjects in those days (p175)."The Chief Inspector's annual report for 1899 in referring to one investigation carried the following comment: "Nothing could exceed the courage and ability displayed by the Lady Inspector in circumstances of exceptional difficulty."Thom's Directory show Miss A.J. Perry registered as a lady factory inspector in the Home Office, London, from 1910 to 1913. From 1915 through 1918 she worked in the Glasgow office first under her maiden name and from 1918 under her married name of Mrs. Shaw. The Perrys were Presbyterian and Alice with that belief must have known of the Womens' Suffragette movement. By 1903 three countries (New Zealand, Australia and Finland) had given the vote to women and this subject must have been a topic of conversation among the women students at UCG.Her bent towards engineering showed that she came from an enlightened family with feminist views.While in Glasgow, she took an interest in Christian Science, a religion which believed in the message of the Bible without accepting its verbal inerrancy. Unlike some fringe beliefs it encourages members to be scrupulous about obeying public health laws and the use of the medical profession, while at the same time believing in a ministry of healing practised by qualified members of the church. The Mother Church of the religion is in Boston, U.S.A. In social terms the Christian Science movement has increasingly been perceived as anticipating the development of feminism in the religious world. (The Encyclopaedia Britannica 15th Edition)"..She became a Christian Scientist on June 1 1917 while living in Glasgow, Scotland. She later received primary class instruction from Duncan Sinclair, C.S.B."(letter dated May 3, 1995 from Ruth Hedberg, Archival Researcher, Church History, Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston, to Janet Moller, Administrative Assistant, Monitor Editorial,Boston. There is however authority for another date of admission to the Church of Christ, Scientist, it being 12 January 1919 in Alice Shaw née Perry's own hand. Another of her letters records her resignation as a factory inspector, which she later withdrew at the request of the Lady Inspector of Factories, Ms A.M.Anderson. Her decision to retire may have been as a result of what happened in 1917. She married an englishman, Bob Shaw, who was then serving in the army. They married on 30 September 1916 and spent a two night honeymoon at the Roxburghe hotel in Edinburgh. Her new husband left for the Western Front on 24 May 1917. He was killed in action on 26 October, 1917.Bob Shaw's death must have caused her to rethink her whole lifestyle. What was her purpose there in Glasgow? She had done well at engineering and yet could not find employment in that discipline. Her work as lady factory inspector though important was being carried out equally well by unqualified people. Her whole life must have appeared as a desert, with the sudden death of her father on her graduation, her lack of suitable employment both in her own country and in Britain, the death of her husband. The one oasis of comfort was her new found interpretation of Christianity, in the Church of Christ, Scientist.Even though she received promotion to Woman Deputy Superintendent Inspector with effect from 1 August 1921 with a transfer to Leeds, she must have been driven by the run of tragedies to make a fundamental change to her life.Her retirement from the Factory Inspectorate was officially acknowledged on 31 July 1921. A poem of hers was published in the Christian Science Journal in November 1922 and she left England for the United States on 25 January in 1923, "for six months". In Boston, U.S.A.; "she was employed in the Subscription Fulfillment Division of the circulation department of the Christian Science Publishing Society. In 1927 she transferred to the Journal, Sentinel and Herald Editorial Department, where she was poetry editor for the Church's religious periodicals. She did not work for the paper, The Christian Science Monitor though from time to time she wrote religious articles that appeared in that paper. She became a Christian Science practitioner in 1927." (From a letter dated July 12, 1995, from Yvonne C. Fettweis, Manager, Church History, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston, Massachusetts).Those engaged in the full-time healing ministry are called Christian Science practitioners and are listed monthly in a directory published in the denomination's major religious periodical, The Christian Science Journal. Practitioners are required to devote their full time to their healing work. "Systematic study and prayer are considered basic to the ongoing life of the denomination and the readiness of its members to meet the challenges of Christian healing." (Encyclopaedia Britannica)Whatever Alice Perry would set her hands to would be done with all her heart and mind. She had accepted the religion of Christian Science as a rule of life and to accomplish her self-imposed task she became a practitioner and no doubt an excellent practitioner.Little is known, despite numerous inquiries, of her subsequent life in Boston. As a Christian Science practitioner it is highly likely that her days were completely devoted to healing. She developed her talent for writing and poetry. Of poetry she published the following seven books; The Children of Nazareth 1930 The Morning Meal 1939 Collected Poems 1940 Mary in the Garden 1944 More Poems 1945 One Thing I Know 1953 Women of Canaan 1961Her address in Boston during the thirties was an apartment in 1070 Beacon Street, Brookline, Mass.02146, one of the older buildings in Boston and which is now under a preservation order because of its age. At sometime in the sixties she lived at other addresses in Brookline, at 44 Longwood Avenue and then at 1870 Beacon Street until her death.She made three visits home to Galway from Boston, once in 1930 and at another time from June to August 1948 and again from July to August in 1960. On her visit to Galway in 1948 she spoke with Mel Melvin, who was chief lab. supervisor in the engineering school and who has recently retired. She wished to take a photograph of the front of the University from the engineering school in order to use the photograph as a model for a picture she wished to paint. But the view from the top floor was occluded by the growth on the trees. Mel said that they tried to see whether the view might be better from the top of the Arts Block. The foliage was too dense even from the top of the Arts' Building to photograph the quadrangle. Mel's remark to me was how active Alice Perry was in mounting the stairs of both buildings. What impressed him, an adolescent, was this elderly lady's agility. She was about 63 at the time.One of her poems reads; Conversation at Nazareth Alice Jacqueline ShawWhat love is? Well that's a hard thing to say. To be a proper craftsman, that is love, There was a carpenter once, down the village there, Who loved his work-he was right quick at it; I heard his plane and hammer go all day. At evening he'd come out before the door, And sit awhile with us and talk as free As any of us here. He used to talk Of love, often as not. He held that love Was something different from the common thought. He used to say love meant perfection: all One did, or said, or made, it should be perfect. That's a hard saying. What became of him? He left here after a while, and the shop stood empty. Then I was away myself For ten years, but I heard them say he went As far as Jerusalem. I often think of him. Perfection! That's a big word-only God Is perfect as I see it. This man said We could be perfect too; that is if we loved, Tried hard enough, saw God morning,noon, night. But loving's hard too. Can you love A mean man or a thief? A liar's worse. Can you love those? I used to ask him that. He'd look at me with those great eyes of his And say: "Love? Yes, love God, the rest will come. There'll come a time when they will thieve no more, Will lie no more; if you keep loving on, "They'll come, they'll come." And when he said those words, His eyes would burn, and he'd get up and close The door, not in a hurry, and would stride, Quiet in all his movements, down the street- I think he used to meet his mother there. .................... In 1968. a short time before her death she paid for a plaque to her father James Perry and her mother Martha in the Presbyterian Church (now Arts Centre) in Galway.She died in Boston on 21 August, 1969.Her Church has the following statement on her death; "She served until she passed on in 1969" .......................In Galway engineering school, up to the fifties there remained one small memento of her passing, part of the rib of hair from her head forming the cross hairs in the reticule of a students' demonstration theodolite.Acknowledgements: Mr.J.Lynam, the only living relative of Alice Perry The Royal Society, 6 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5 AG Séamus Mac Mathúna, Registrar, University College, Galway The Galway Advertiser Yvonne C.Fettweis, Manager Church History, First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston Massachusetts. Michael Willis, First Church of Christ, Scientist, Herbert Park, Dublin. Brown University, Providence Rhode Island Who's Who of American Women 1966-1967 Women of Courage by Susan Yeandle H.M. Inspectors of Factories 1833-1983 Encyclopaedia Britannica Alice Jacqueline Shaw neé Perry. (about 5000 words) (c) W.S.Geraghty 22 University road, Galway tel.(091) 564890 
 
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