Construction is often considered a male-dominated industry, yet for centuries women have also been making their mark. From homemakers to home builders, it’s high time that women receive the recognition they deserve for their remarkable contributions.
While there are more opportunities for women in construction than ever before, the number of women working in the UK building industry has risen by a mere 3% since 1997. Of Britain’s 3.1 million construction workers, only 16% are women.
Now, experts in construction ERP software, believe the world should wake up to the incredible achievements of women in construction by championing its most influential figures through the ages. From the 16th-century pioneer Lady Anne Clifford to award-winning architect Zaha Hadid, these formidable females paved the way for future generations by proving there’s ample room for women in construction, even if getting there has been an uphill battle.
Lady Anne Clifford
Believed to be the first woman to take an active and leading role in a construction project, Lady Anne Clifford (1590-1676) led the design and building programme for five neglected castles and other run-down churches on her estates. Having inherited them in poor condition, she developed a major restoration plan for Brough, Brougham, Appleby, and Pendragon castles in Westmorland, plus Skipton Castle in Yorkshire. Thanks to her hands-on approach to building, Lady Anne transformed these dilapidated buildings from near ruins into magnificent country mansions fit for royalty.
Sarah Guppy
One of construction’s mystical figures, Sarah Guppy was an engineering trailblazer said to be the first woman to patent a bridge. In 1811, she took out a patent for ‘a new mode of constructing and erecting bridges and railroads without arches or sterlings whereby the danger of being washed away by floods is avoidable.’ This led to false claims she was the inventor of the modern-day suspension bridge and the innovator of Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s Clifton Suspension Bridge and Thomas Telford’s Menai Suspension Bridge. Despite the uncertainty around her career, she undoubtedly had a major influence on UK engineering and took out several more patents, including a forerunner for the toaster.
Ethel Charles
Ethel Charles won her titanic struggle to practice architecture to become the first woman to join the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in 1898. At a time when women were denied the same opportunities available to men in construction, Charles was barred from attending the Architectural Association School along with her sister, Bessie. But Ethel refused to give up and would go on to pass her RIBA exams and become an associate member. Even then she continued to meet barriers and struggled to secure commissions for larger projects, forcing her to focus on designing domestic buildings and modest housing work, often commissioned by female clients.
Alice Perry
In the days when construction was still a predominantly male industry, Alice Perry made headlines in 1906 by becoming the first woman in Great Britain and Ireland – and quite possibly Europe – to graduate with a degree in engineering. Her skill and natural flair for designing structures had been clearly evident during her formative years and she went on to achieve her degree from Queen’s College Galway, now the University of Galway, with first-class honours. Such was her positive impact on the construction industry that the university’s new engineering facility was named the Alice Perry Engineering Building in recognition of her contribution and the inspiration she provided for future female engineering graduates.
Dame Caroline Haslett
The name Dame Caroline Haslett is renowned throughout engineering. As the first secretary of the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) in 1918, she became a global figurehead and spokesperson for women in engineering and construction, inspiring many others to follow in her footsteps. Dame Caroline received engineering training with the Cochran Boiler Company during World War I, with specific expertise in electrics. She later became the joint-founder and director of the Electrical Association for Women, president of the WES in 1941, and was actively involved with several other bodies and town planning authorities before her death in 1957.
Irene Barclay
In 1922, Irene Barclay became the first female chartered surveyor in Britain before establishing herself as one of the 20th Century’s key social reformers. Barclay spent most of her working life improving London’s social housing and specifically the slums of St. Pancras. She joined the St. Pancras Housing Association when it was in its infancy, became its secretary in 1925, and held the office for an incredible 48 years, during which time mass slum clearance took place. Barclay continued to campaign for better housing and work closely with local authorities throughout her illustrious career, always insisting she was selected for her knowledge and expertise as a surveyor and not as a token woman.
Elisabeth Scott
Public building design was once the work of men, and men alone. That was until 1929 when Elisabeth Scott beat off stiff competition from dozens of male colleagues to become the first female architect to win an international architecture competition to design the rebuild of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon that had been severely damaged by fire a few years earlier. In doing so, the theatre, now the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, became the first important public building in Britain to be designed by a female architect. The Lady, England’s longest-running women’s magazine, wrote: ‘Miss Scott’s theatre will stand as a landmark in the professional and artistic achievements of women.’
Zaha Hadid
Born in Iraq in 1950, Zaha Hadid is arguably the greatest female architect of modern times. Her unique, futuristic designs helped shape the architectural landscape and push the boundary of possibilities in construction. In 2004, Hadid became the first ever woman to win the Pritzker Architectural Prize, globally recognised as the highest honour in architecture, and went on to win countless more accolades throughout her life. From the London Aquatics Centre to Beijing’s Galaxy Soho to the Gangzhou Opera House, Hadid’s awe-inspiring structures continue to grace the skyline of major cities across the world. Her product designs with furniture, jewellery, lighting, shoes, and even magnificent superyachts further enhanced her reputation as one of the greatest women architects and designers. Though she died in 2016, Hadid’s impact on architecture, construction, and innovative design continues to this day.
The one thing that all these remarkable women have in common is the resilience, creativity, and leadership they displayed to overcome gender barriers in a male-dominated construction industry and reach the top of their profession. Not only were they responsible for some of the world’s most iconic structures, but they also helped change attitudes towards females in construction and opened the door for others to follow with the help of support networks like the Women into Construction not-for-profit organisation.
