Women as Industrial Analytical Chemists

The majority of women chemists entered the analytical field. Women were probably more accepted for this work, as repetitious and exacting analyses were considered compatible with women s talents. Throughout the war, there was a demand for analytical chemists some to determine purities of explosives and of their precursors and others, the purities of pharmaceuticals.36 Even graduating high school women chemistry students were taken on for the war effort, as was mentioned above. 

A crucial task was to analyse samples of the iron and steel used in the production of, for example, ships and tanks. It is not surprising, then, that Sheffield, the centre of the British steel industry, became the focus for training of women in chemical 

Sheffield also provided specialised courses in other areas. For example, six women were trained as analysts for coke oven laboratories.38 

Some of the steel companies welcomed the women analysts. The Chief Supervisor of the Women s Welfare Department of Thos. Frith Sons Ltd. of Sheffield, J. H. A. Turner, wrote to Conway to inform her that 4 women had worked in the research laboratory and 16 in the general laboratory at the company, primarily on the analysis of iron and steels and in microphotography. 

He added I understand that this Firm was one of the first (if not the first) in the Country to employ women at such work and the results have been quite satisfactory to the Heads of the two Laboratories. 39 

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