Alice Perry
She smashed a centuries-old barrier, becoming one of Europe's first female engineering graduates and paving the way for women in technical fields.
1885–1969 (age 84)·Irish engineer·Birthday: October 24·The Lost Generation
Biography
Alice Perry stepped into history not with a shout, but with the quiet determination of a scholar. Born in County Galway, she was immersed in a family that valued education, a rare gift for a woman in late 19th-century Ireland. Her academic prowess led her to Queen's College Galway (now University of Galway), where she studied in what was then an exclusively male domain. In 1906, her graduation with first-class honors in civil engineering wasn't just a personal triumph; it was a seismic crack in the glass ceiling of a profession that had systematically excluded women. Perry's subsequent career, though relatively brief in engineering itself, saw her serve as a county surveyor and later transition into factory inspection and poetry. Her legacy, however, is cemented in that single, groundbreaking academic achievement, proving that intellect and capability knew no gender.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Alice was born in 1885, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alice Was Born
The biggest hits of 1885
Alice's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1885Born
Karl Benz builds the first gasoline-powered automobile
President: Grover Cleveland
1890Started school
Wounded Knee massacre marks the end of the Indian Wars
President: Benjamin Harrison
1898Became a teenager
Spanish-American War; US emerges as a world power
President: William McKinley
1901Could drive
Queen Victoria dies, ending the Victorian era
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1903Could vote
Wright brothers achieve first powered flight
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1906Turned 21
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1915Turned 30
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1925Turned 40
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1935Turned 50
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1945Turned 60
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1955Turned 70
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 80
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1969Died at 84
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
Key Achievements
- Graduated with first-class honors in civil engineering from Queen's College Galway in 1906, a landmark moment for women in Europe.
- Became one of the first, if not the first, woman in Ireland and among the first in Europe to hold an engineering degree.
- Served as a county surveyor for Galway County Council, a significant technical role for a woman at the time.
- Later worked as a factory inspector, applying her technical knowledge to worker welfare and safety.
Did You Know?
Her father, a county surveyor himself, was a major influence and likely sparked her interest in engineering.
She was also a published poet, showcasing a blend of scientific and artistic talents.
The engineering building at the University of Galway is named the Alice Perry Engineering Building in her honor.
She graduated the same year her father died, taking his post briefly as county surveyor.
“I graduated in engineering on a Friday and began work as County Surveyor the following Monday.”
