ALICE PERRY
- Alice Perry(1855-1969) graduated from Queens College Galway (now nui galway)
- She was the first woman in Ireland and Great Britain to be given a degree in engineering. There is a possibilty that she was the first in the world.
- Her and her sisters moved to London in 1908 as inspectors of lady’s factories (factories that employed women).
- She moved back to Galway after the death of her father and she took his place as county surveyor (county engineer).
- Her brother founded the Electric Light Company. This company generated electricity in Loughrea and built houses in Victoria Terrace, Barrack St. Loughrea.
- She married an englishman who served in the British army.
- After six months of taking over her father’s work they decided she couldn’t have the job permanently because of her age and lack of experience
- She then moved with her husband back to London.
- After two years of living in London her husband died in action during the First World War.
- After that she moved to the U.S where she lived for 45 years.
- The fact remains that she was the first woman in Ireland and Great Britain as a county serveyor with a degree in engineering.