Abstract
Caroline Haslett was born in Sussex in 1895. During the First World War, she joined the Cochran Boiler Company where she completed basic engineering training, which was unusual at that time. From that point on, she became a pioneer for women in the electrical and professional world.
Dame Caroline’s activities aroused great interest among several women’s organisations, town planning authorities and other bodies and she was active in many such organisations. In recognition of her services, she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1931 and in 1947 was promoted to Dame Commander.
She travelled widely in connection with her offices: to Europe, the Middle East, Canada and the United States. During the Second World War, she undertook several missions at the request of the British and United States Governments and was appointed chairman of the Hosiery Working Party and Honorary Adviser on Women’s Training to the Ministry of Labour.
She retired to live at the home of her sister (and biographer) Rosalind Messenger in Suffolk, where she died on 4 January 1957. Her extraordinary legacy continues to this day. Her chief interest was in harnessing the benefits of electrical power to emancipate women from household chores, so that they could pursue their own ambitions outside the home.
Please see the links bleow for further information on Dame Caroline Haslett.
https://www.theiet.org/publishing/library-archives/the-iet-archives/biographies/dame-caroline-haslett/
https://www.theiet.org/publishing/library-archives/the-iet-archives/online-exhibitions/women-and-engineering/dame-caroline-haslett/
