Celebrating Hertha Ayrton and her legacy throughout 2026 and beyond.
Email hello@firebrigademusical.com to contribute your own events and activities to this page.
WHO WAS HERTHA AYRTON?
Read more about the British physicist, mathematician, inventor and social activist – who was so famous in 1910 that police refused to arrest her at a Suffrage march – on the Institution of Engineering and Technology website.
Watch a video by the Royal Society all about Hertha, which includes an interview with ‘Ayrton Fan Club’ member Patricia Fara.
EVENTS IN 2026
MAY
Sunday 10th May — LINCOLN — Student performance of the Hertha Ayrton musical by Musical Theatre students at University of Lincoln, 2pm and 7pm (tickets).
JUNE
Saturday 6th June — CHELTENHAM SCIENCE FESTIVAL — Free concert performance of the Hertha Ayrton musical at 12.30pm and free family singing workshop at 10am (details here – just turn up!)
Sunday 7th June — LONDON — Free concert performances of the Hertha Ayrton musical, 2.15pm and 4.30pm at Great Exhibition Road Festival, South Kensington (details & registration here).
Wednesday 10th June — LONDON & ONLINE — Wikipedia Edit-a-thon hosted by The Institution of Engineering and Technology and Imperial College London, focussing on Hertha Ayrton and her circle. Contact archives@theiet.org to find out more about how you can take part.
Saturday 20th June — OXFORDSHIRE GAP FESTIVAL — Concert performance of the Hertha Ayrton musical, 5.15pm at Goring Fire Station (tickets here) and free family singing workshops at 10am and 12 noon (book here).
JULY
Sunday 26th July — LINCOLN — Free concert performance of the Hertha Ayrton musical and free family singing workshops (details to follow).
MORE ACTIVITIES
- Enjoy a digital tour of this “Stuffed Academics” crochet diorama of Hertha Ayrton in her laboratory, created by researcher Sarah Houghton. Free crochet pattern of Hertha coming soon!
- Science Made Simple in Cardiff have created a show for schools and festivals that features Hertha Ayrton alongside other brilliant women in STEM. Find out about it show here – and learn how to make an “air doughnut” that would make Hertha proud!
- Go direct to the source and read Hertha Ayrton’s notebooks, which have been digitised by the Science Museum here. There’s also a great article about Hertha here.
- If you attend a public event at the Royal Society, you may be able to see some of Hertha Ayrton’s correspondence and the (unsuccessful) nomination papers for her fellowship in the basement exhibition cabinets.
- Walk in Hertha’s footsteps to find the English Heritage blue plaque for Hertha Ayrton, outside her home in Paddington – or follow Dr Shini Somara on a walking tour of three women scientists in Central London with this video from English Heritage:
PAST EVENTS
28th April 1854 — Hertha Ayrton was born in Portsea, Hampshire, as Phoebe Sarah Marks.
10th March 2026 — ONLINE — Hertha Ayrton video documentary released by the Royal Society.
6th April 2026 — University of Edinburgh opened their new Engineering Forum teaching building, with a classroom named after Hertha Ayrton!
“THE AYRTON FAN CLUB”
These event listings are collated and maintained by a group of Hertha Ayrton academics and enthusiasts. We aim to shine a light on every celebration of her life and legacy throughout 2026.
The Ayrton Fan Club are:
- Helen Arney, science comedian and co-writer The Cambridge First All-Ladies Fire Brigade.
- Anne Barrett, University Archivist, Imperial College London.
- Liz Bruton, author of “The life and material culture of Hertha Marks Ayrton”, Science Museum Group Journal.
- Patricia Fara, Historian of Science and Emeritus Fellow, Clare College Cambridge, author of many books including A Lab Of One’s Own.
- Graeme Gooday, Professor of the History of Science and Technology, University of Leeds, project leader Electrifying Women and Herstories.
- Anne Locker, Library and Archives Manager, Institution of Engineering and Technology.
- Brian Mackenwells, science communicator and co-writer of The Cambridge First All-Ladies Fire Brigade
To contribute your own event listings and resources to this page, please email hello@firebrigademusical.com.
The Cambridge First All-Ladies Fire Brigade 