Old College, University of Edinburgh, South Bridge, Edinburgh, EH8 9YL

Eleanor Anne Ormerod (1828 – 1901) as a British entomologist, and one of the first to establish economic and agricultural entomology. She acquired extensive knowledge on controlling insect pests, and her publications on this matter became very popular, establishing her as an authority on entomology. Ormerod was a consultant to the Royal Agricultural Society of England and was awarded the Flora medal by the Royal Horticultural Society for her contributions to their collection of insect pests. She became the first woman to be given an honorary LLD degree by the University of Edinburgh, and in 2017 the university also named their research cloud computing service, ‘Eleanor’, after her. Ormerod’s portrait can be found at the foot of the south-east stair in Old College.

Note: This portrait is currently on display in a staff-only area of Old College, so in-person viewing may not be possible.

Sources:

• “Eleanor Anne Ormerod.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Sept. 2023.
• Spooner, Amo. “Eleanor Anne Ormerod.” Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Accessed 15 Sept. 2023.
• “Notable Alumni: Eleanor Anne Ormerod (1828–1901).” The University of Edinburgh. Accessed 15 Sept. 2023.

Additional links:

• Hidden women of history: Eleanor Anne Ormerod, the self-taught agricultural entomologist who tasted a live newt, The Conversation