Women's Engineering Society

The Women's Engineering Society (WES) is a United Kingdom professional learned society, membership organization, and advocacy body for women working in engineering, science, and technology. Established on 23 June 1919, it was created in response to the large contribution women made to engineering during the First World War and the subsequent pressure to remove them from roles when servicemen returned. Its founding purpose was to help women obtain training, employment, professional recognition, and long-term acceptance in engineering and allied technical fields. WES was established by seven women associated with engineering, manufacturing, transport, and technical work. They included Lady Katharine Parsons, Rachel Parsons, Lady Margaret Moir, Laura Annie Willson, Eleanor Shelley-Rolls, Janetta Mary Ornsby, and Margaret Rowbotham. Caroline Haslett became the society's first secretary and was an important early organizer and editor of its journal, The Woman Engineer. The society's formation predated the establishment of the Society of Women Engineers in the United States by approximately three decades, making WES one of the earliest professional organizations specifically created for women engineers. During its early decades, WES combined professional networking with public advocacy. It supported women entering technical occupations, promoted access to education and apprenticeships, and advised on employment practices affecting women. Its membership included engineers, scientists, inventors, pilots, industrial designers, and technical educators. Notable members and officeholders included Verena Holmes, Hilda Lyon, Margaret Partridge, and Amy Johnson, the aviator who served as WES president from 1935 to 1937. The society also developed links beyond Britain, with historical membership records showing participants in countries including the United States and Germany. The society's activities have included professional membership grades, conferences, regional events, student activities, mentoring, school outreach, corporate diversity work, and communications about women's participation in engineering. The Woman Engineer began as a publication containing technical and professional material and later developed into a record of engineering work and women's involvement in the field. Its historical archive is held by the Institution of Engineering and Technology. WES has also created or supported initiatives intended to widen the future engineering talent pipeline. The Verena Holmes Trust lecture programme began in 1969 using a bequest from former president Verena Holmes to introduce schoolchildren to engineering. WES members later contributed technical expertise to the Women in Science and Engineering outreach buses associated with the 1980s WISE campaign. In 2014, the society launched Magnificent Women and their Flying Machines, a practical programme for secondary-school girls based on women's aircraft-manufacturing work during the First World War; the programme ended in 2018 as WES redirected campaign resources toward inclusion in the engineering industry. A major contemporary initiative is International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), launched by WES on 23 June 2014 during the society's 95th anniversary year. WES continues to coordinate the annual observance and establish its theme. In 2019, its centenary year, the society launched the WES Centenary Trail to bring attention to the histories and achievements of women engineers. WES is governed as a charitable company. Its president and board members serve as company directors and charity trustees, while operational responsibilities are delegated to the chief executive and staff. The society encourages participation by men as well as women, although its mission remains focused on improving women's representation, experience, and progression in engineering and related disciplines. Its work spans individual support, employer engagement, education, public policy, professional recognition, and collective advocacy for a more inclusive engineering sector.

The Women's Engineering Society was established on 23 June 1919, in the aftermath of the First World War. During the war, women had entered engineering and industrial roles to replace men serving in the armed forces. When the conflict ended, the Restoration of Pre-War Practices Act 1919 helped returning servicemen reclaim their former occupations. Employers, government bodies, and trade unions generally did not support the continued employment of women in many of the roles they had filled during wartime. WES emerged from this reversal, with the practical aim of helping women secure training, jobs, professional standing, and acceptance in engineering. The founding group consisted of seven women: Lady Katharine Parsons, Rachel Parsons, Lady Margaret Moir, Laura Annie Willson, Eleanor Shelley-Rolls, Janetta Mary Ornsby, and Margaret Rowbotham. Caroline Haslett served as the first secretary and helped shape the society's early administrative and publishing work. From 1926, Theodora Llewelyn Davies served as honorary legal adviser and was later succeeded in that role by Helena Normanton; both were among the early women admitted to the legal profession as barristers. WES quickly developed beyond a short-term employment campaign. It became a professional learned society with membership grades reflecting qualification and experience, and it promoted engineering and allied sciences among women. Members in the 1920s and 1930s included engineers and inventors such as Verena Holmes, Hilda Lyon, and Margaret Partridge. Amy Johnson, the pioneering pilot and engineer, belonged to the society and was its president from 1935 to 1937. Historical membership records also show that WES had an international dimension, with members in countries including the United States and Germany. The society's journal, The Woman Engineer, was an important vehicle for professional communication. In its early period it carried technical articles as well as organizational news; over time it increasingly documented engineering disciplines and women's participation in them. The journal's digital archive is maintained by the Institution of Engineering and Technology. WES has also held annual conferences, student conferences, regional workshops, and networking events, allowing the organization to combine professional development with community building. Education and outreach became an increasingly visible part of the society's work. Verena Holmes left a legacy that funded an annual lecture intended to stimulate girls' interest in engineering. The first Verena Holmes lecture tour took place in 1969, during the first UK Women in Engineering Year, and was delivered to children at multiple venues. WES members later supplied technical expertise for the Women in Science and Engineering buses launched after the 1984 WISE Year; that outreach continued into the 1990s. Mentoring has been another sustained strand of WES activity. MentorSET was inspired by WES president Petra Gratton, formerly Petra Godwin, in 2000 and developed in collaboration with the Association for Women in Science and Engineering. The scheme was designed to support women engineers' career development and assist those returning to engineering after a career break. It received support from the UK Department of Trade and Industry, the UK Resource Centre for Women in SET, and BAE Systems. A relaunch in 2015, supported by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, later the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and Women in Nuclear, broadened its relevance to women in science and technology as well as engineering. In 2014, WES created Magnificent Women and their Flying Machines, an outreach project that recreated aspects of women's First World War aircraft-production work for secondary-school girls. The programme was discontinued in 2018 as the society concentrated more of its campaign activity on making engineering workplaces and institutions inclusive. The same anniversary period produced International Women in Engineering Day, launched on 23 June 2014. WES continues to organize the event and set its annual theme, giving the society a prominent public platform for celebrating women engineers and discussing participation barriers. WES marked its centenary in 2019 with the WES Centenary Trail, a historical project designed to surface stories of women engineers. Today it operates as a charitable company governed by a president and board of directors who also act as charity trustees. Day-to-day work is delegated to the chief executive and staff. Its membership model accommodates women entering engineering through university, postgraduate study, apprenticeships, and other routes, while men are also encouraged to participate. The organization remains focused on member support, recruitment and retention, corporate gender diversity, policy engagement, and collective representation of women in engineering.

• 2019

  WES centenary celebrated

  [1]Women's Engineering Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The society marked 100 years with the WES Centenary Trail, highlighting historical contributions by women engineers.

• 2014

  International Women in Engineering Day launched

  [1]Women's Engineering Societyen.wikipedia.org

  WES launched INWED on its 95th anniversary and continues to coordinate the annual observance.

• 2000

  MentorSET initiated

  [1]Women's Engineering Societyen.wikipedia.org

  A WES-inspired mentoring scheme was developed to support women engineers' careers and returners after career breaks.

• 1969

  Verena Holmes lecture programme begins

  [1]Women's Engineering Societyen.wikipedia.org

  A legacy from Verena Holmes funded a lecture tour designed to encourage schoolchildren, particularly girls, to consider engineering.

• 1935

  Amy Johnson becomes president

  [1]Women's Engineering Societyen.wikipedia.org

  Pilot and engineer Amy Johnson served as WES president from 1935 to 1937.

• 1919

  Women's Engineering Society established

  [1]Women's Engineering Societyen.wikipedia.org

  Seven women formed WES on 23 June 1919 to defend and expand women's access to engineering training, employment, and professional recognition after the First World War.

A specialist professional society and advocacy network using membership, mentoring, education, outreach, publishing, and employer engagement to support women and improve gender inclusion across engineering and related technical professions.

• Membership organization · 1919

  Professional membership

  WES provides membership for women in engineering, science, and technology at different career and experience stages, including students, apprentices, professionals, and self-funding members. Participation by men is also encouraged. Membership supports professional connection, representation, events, and access to the society's wider development and advocacy work.

• Public campaign · 2014

  International Women in Engineering Day

  An annual awareness and engagement campaign launched by WES in 2014. It celebrates women's achievements in engineering, promotes engineering careers, and gives employers, educators, professional bodies, and individuals a platform to address gender inclusion in the sector.

• Mentoring programme · 2000

  MentorSET

  A mentoring initiative created to help women in engineering and related technical fields navigate career development and return to work after a career break. The programme was developed with partner organizations and later relaunched with support that broadened its scope across science, technology, and engineering.

• Professional journal

  The Woman Engineer

  WES's journal began with technical and professional articles and evolved into a publication documenting engineering disciplines and women's participation in them. Its historical digital archive is held by the Institution of Engineering and Technology.

• School outreach programme · 2014

  Magnificent Women and their Flying Machines

  A practical outreach programme launched in 2014 for secondary-school girls. It recreated aspects of women's aircraft-wing manufacturing during the First World War to connect engineering history with hands-on encouragement to consider technical careers.

• 2019WES Centenary Trail

  United Kingdom

  A centenary project presenting historical stories of women engineers and their contributions to engineering.

  Outcome. The trail helped connect WES's historical archive and public outreach with its centenary programme.

  Source
• 2014Magnificent Women and their Flying Machines

  United Kingdom

  WES used reconstructed First World War aircraft-production activities to introduce secondary-school girls to engineering and the historical role of women in technical manufacturing.

  Outcome. The programme was discontinued in 2018 as WES shifted campaign emphasis toward improving inclusion within the engineering industry.

  Source
• 2014International Women in Engineering Day

  United Kingdom · International

  WES launched an annual observance on 23 June to recognize women engineers, promote engineering careers, and focus public attention on gender diversity and inclusion.

  Outcome. WES continues to organize the day and select its annual theme.

  Source
• 1984Women in Science and Engineering bus outreach

  United Kingdom

  WES members contributed technical expertise to mobile outreach buses launched after the 1984 WISE Year, bringing information about science and engineering careers to schools and communities.

  Outcome. The initiative continued into the 1990s and extended WES's school-facing work beyond formal membership activities.

  Source
• 1969Verena Holmes Trust lecture tour

  United Kingdom

  A lecture programme funded by Verena Holmes's legacy brought engineering presentations to children aged approximately nine to eleven and encouraged girls to develop an interest in engineering.

  Outcome. The programme established a long-running school outreach tradition associated with WES and the Verena Holmes Trust.

  Source

• 2018

  Outreach priorities shifted toward workplace inclusionStrategy

  Background

  WES reviewed its campaign focus after operating Magnificent Women and their Flying Machines as a school outreach programme.

  Action taken

  The society discontinued the programme and refocused campaign work on supporting the engineering industry to become more inclusive.

  Aftermath

  WES continued combining education and outreach with employer engagement, advocacy, and inclusion-focused activity.

  Source

• 2015

  MentorSET relaunched with a broader technical remitStrategy

  Background

  The mentoring programme had originally focused on women engineers and support after career breaks. A new funding arrangement created an opportunity to renew and broaden the initiative.

  Action taken

  WES relaunched MentorSET with support from the Department of Energy and Climate Change, later BEIS, and Women in Nuclear, extending its relevance to women in science and technology as well as engineering.

  Aftermath

  The programme continued as a cross-disciplinary mentoring concept, although the available reference material does not specify its current operating status.

  Source

1. 1Women's Engineering Societyen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Women's Engineering Society official websitewes.org.uk