Dame Louise Johnson – biophysicist and structural biologist (1940 – 2012)
Louise Johnson is an inspiring female scientist described as one of the pioneering spirits of protein crystallography and structural enzymology, and remembered for her kindness and mentoring.
About Louise Johnson:
- Wilson, K., & Stuart, D. (2012). Dame Louise Napier Johnson (1940-2012) Obituary. https://doi.org/10.1107/S1744309112044132
- Barford, D. & Blundell, T. L. (2022). Dame Louise Napier Johnson. 26 September 1940—25 September 2012. Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, 72, 221-250. http://doi.org/10.1098/rsbm.2021.0038
Further resources:
- Sansom, M. (2012). Louise Johnson (1940-2012). Nature, 490(7421), 488–488. https://doi.org/10.1038/490488a
- Watts, G. (2012). Louise Napier Johnson. The Lancet, 380(9854), 1642–1642. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61938-2
Charlotte Trower – botanical artist (1855-1928)
Charlotte Trower, “a gifted botanical watercolourist”, was known as an amateur botanist. During her time, amateur botany and flower painting were undervalued and not worthy of being part of natural history. Yet, in collaboration with other amateur botanists, her sister Alice and George Claridge Druce, she produced detailed drawings that have contributed to our contemporary knowledge of the flora of the British Isles.
About Charlotte Trower:
- Harris, Stephen (2010). Trower botanical illustrations BRAHMS: Trower (ox.ac.uk)
- Harris, S. A. (2010). The Trower collection: Botanical watercolours of an Edwardian lady. Journal of the History of Collections, 22(1), 115–128. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhc/fhn019
About the illustrations:
- The Oxford Ragwort, 1 May 1907, first illustration produced by Charlotte Trower after she and her sister began their association with G.C.Druce. The original is held in the Sherardian Library of Plant Taxonomy, Bodleian libraries. Shelfmark: Oxford Ragwort MS Sherard 428, f.12.
- Monkey Orchid 7 June 1907 was produced by Charlotte Trower. The Monkey Orchid was discovered by G.C. Druce. He kept the precise location secret from his collaborators and only revealed the site to the Trower Sisters many years later. The original is held in the Sherardian Library of Plant Taxonomy, Bodleian Libraries. Shelfmark: Monkey Orchid MS Sherard 439, f.27.
- Search Trower paintings Index (ox.ac.uk)
Find the full list of the pioneering members of the scientific community featured in our portraiture on our previous blog post.