Dr MARY E PENNINGTON 1872-1952 First female member of ASRE
(Mini-biography from The Comfort Makers, Brian Roberts, ASHRAE, 2000) (From Heat & Cold: Mastering the Great Indoors, Barry Donaldson & Bernard Nagengast, ASHRAE, 1994)
(From ASHRAE Journal, June 1994)
Dr Mary Pennington in the 1930 s
MARY E. PENNINGTON 1872 1952 Mary Engle Pennington was born October 8, 1872, and at an early age moved to Philadelphia. She was admitted to the University of Pennsylvania in 1890 and earned her PhD in 1895 under Edgar Smith. Pennington s post-graduate work led her to the field of bacteriological chemistry and ultimately to refrigeration engineering. Current confidence in safe handling, storage, and transportation of foods is due in a large part to her work. In 1898 she accepted a position as Director of the Clinical Laboratory at the Women s Medical College of Pennsylvania. During this time she also worked as a bacteriologist with the Philadelphia Bureau of Health. She not only carried out scientific studies on the relationship between handling conditions and bacterial levels in milk products, she also used her work to persuade farmers to agree to new procedures that would keep milk products safe for the consumer. In 1905, Pennington began her long association with the US Department of Agriculture as a bacteriological chemist. Her exceptional performance led her to become Chief of the food research laboratory. She was a member of ASRE from 1920-1948, and elected Fellow in 1948. She was awarded the Notable Service Medal from President Hoover in 1919, the Garvan medal in 1940, and in 2002 she was inducted into the National Women s Hall of Fame. During her long career she published more than 30 papers and one book. Mary Pennington died in 1952. She was inducted into the ASHRAE Hall of Fame in 2007. (Edited extract from ASHRAE Hall of Fame Citation)
ANGIER MARCH PERKINS 1799-1881 A detailed biography is available under Victorian Heating Engineers on this web site No portrait has so far been discovered (Mini-biography from The Comfort Makers, Brian Roberts, ASHRAE, 2000)
A M Perkins Patent Hot Water Apparatus, Pedestals and Coils (From his book Patent Apparatus for Warming and Ventilating Buildings, 1840)
(Text extract from Building Services Engineering, Neville S Billington & Brian M Roberts, 1982)
Perkins Patent Hot Water Apparatus (1840)
Section through Perkins Apparatus (1840)
(Text extract from Heat & Cold: Mastering the Great Indoors, Barry Donaldson & Bernard Nagengast, ASHRAE, 1994)
Perkins Furnace, Royal High School, Edinburgh, c.1900 Photographed in 1975 (CIBSE Heritage Group Collection)
Furnace and system (Black & white drawings are from A Popular Treatise on the Warming and Ventilation of Buildings, C J Richardson, 1856 edition)
Enlarged view of the Bird Room at the British Museum, London, 1835
Mr Cadell s premises in Edinburgh, 1834
The Patent Office in Lincoln s Inn Fields, London, c.1836
Layout of a Perkins system
The Office of Sir Robert Smirke (Architect to the Bank of England), London
The Atlas Insurance Office in Cheapside, London (Furnace details)
A Vinery and Forcing House
A Vinery and Forcing House
Strathfieldsaye House, for the Duke of Wellington, 1833
The Architectural Conservatory at Kew, c.1836
JACOB PERKINS 1766-1849 Jacob Perkins, here described as a Civil Engineer (Mechanics Magazine) Inventor of the first vapour-compression refrigerating machine A detailed biography is available under Victorian Heating Engineers on this web site
(Mini-biography from The Comfort Makers, Brian Roberts, ASHRAE, 2000) Sketch and summary of his 1834 British Patent
Extract from BP No.6662
(Top) Patent drawing (Bottom) Labelled version of Fig.30 below
Description from The Mechanical Production of Cold, Sir J A Ewing, 1921 (CIBSE Heritage Group Collection) Following pages: Jacob Perkins Obituary from Scientific American
Perkins was interred in the family vault at Kensal Green Cemetery, London