Elsie MacGill
| Elsie MacGill | |
|---|---|
Elsie MacGill during her CC&F years
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| Born |
March 27, 1905 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Died | November 4, 1980 (aged 75) Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Education | Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering, University of Toronto (1927); Master of Science in Engineering (aeronautics), University of Michigan (1929); Doctoral studies at MIT in Cambridge (1932-1934). |
| Occupation | Aeronautical engineer, Aircraft designer, Human rights activist, Author |
| Title | "The Queen of the Hurricanes" |
| Spouse(s) | E. J. (Bill) Soulsby |
| Children | (Two stepchildren) |
| Parent(s) | James Henry MacGill and Helen Gregory MacGill |
Elizabeth Muriel Gregory "Elsie" MacGill, OC (March 27, 1905 – November 4, 1980), known as the "Queen of the Hurricanes", was the world's first woman to earn an aeronautical engineering degree. She worked as an aeronautical engineer during the Second World War and did much to make Canada a powerhouse of aircraft construction during her years at Canadian Car and Foundry (CC&F) in Fort William, Ontario. After her work at CC&F she ran a successful consulting business. Between 1967–1970 she was a commissioner on the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada, published in 1970.
MacGill was born in Vancouver on March 27, 1905, youngest daughter of James Henry MacGill, a prominent Vancouver lawyer, part-time journalist, and Anglican deacon, and Helen Gregory MacGill, a journalist and British Columbia's first woman judge. She had two older step-brothers from her mother's first marriage, and an older sister Dr. Helen "Young Helen" MacGill Hughes (1903) with whom she was very close.
In the early years, the MacGill children were home schooled in a formal setting to mimic that of Lord Roberts, the public school that the older boys attended. This included drawing lessons with Emily Carr, and swimming lessons with Joe Fortes. Later, they attended King George Secondary School, which was affiliated with McGill University. This rigorous education facilitated Elsie entering University of British Columbia when she was 16. She was admitted to the applied sciences program, but the Dean of the faculty asked her to leave after only one term.
When MacGill was 12 years old, her mother was appointed Judge of the Juvenile Court of Vancouver. After 1911, the racial strife in British Columbia continued to escalate, and Jim MacGill's immigration-related legal work was directly impacted. This caused severe financial strain for the family during the war years. Her early aptitude for "fixing things" held the family in good stead, and informed discussions of possible careers.
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Wikipedia