In the early nineteenth century, Mary Anning made some of the most significant scientific discoveries that changed how we thought about the natural world. However, Mary was never given full credit for her work, and she struggled financially all her life. For Women’s History Month, let’s dip into the life of a woman who is now recognised as one of the most influential scientists in British history.
Mary Anning’s Childhood
Mary was born in Lyme Regis, Dorset, in 1799 to Richard Anning, a cabinetmaker and amateur fossil collector, and Mary Moore. They had ten children, but only Mary and her older brother, Joseph, survived into adulthood.
The Annings were very poor. Richard sold the fossils he found to collectors and scholars to boost his income. His children became his assistants from an early age, and he taught them how to find fossils along the Blue Lias Cliffs of Dorset.
The Lyme Regis coastal area features fossil-rich limestone and shale dating from around 230 million years ago. Back then, the area was underwater and closer to the equator. It is now known as the Jurassic Coast and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In 1810, tragedy struck when her father died from tuberculosis. Joseph had to find work as an apprentice upholsterer and at 11 years old, Mary continued to search for fossils and sold them to help pay the bills.
Becoming a Fossil Expert
Because of a lack of funds, Mary had no formal education, but she could read. Mary taught herself geology, anatomy, palaeontology, and scientific illustration. Over her life, she became an expert regarding the fossils of invertebrates, such as ammonoids and belemnites, and coprolites (fossil faeces). Yep, she studied pre-historic poo.
Significant Discoveries
When Mary was 12, her brother found a fossilised skull, but it was Mary who spent the time digging out the 5.2-metre-long skeleton. Locals believed she had discovered a monster. Scientists believed it was a type of crocodile. It was named Ichthyosaurus or ‘fish-lizard’, but we now know it’s a marine reptile.
In 1823, Mary was the first to discover a complete skeleton of a Plesiosaurus. By now, Mary had developed a reputation for her skills in identifying fossils, but contemporaries we reluctant to recognise her work.
The supposed father of palaeontology, French zoologist Georges Culver, claimed the skeleton was a fake, but later had to admit his mistake. Mary became a celebrity. Scientists, collectors, and tourists flocked to Lyme Regis to speak to her about her discoveries and buy from her collection.
“She has arrived at the degree of knowledge as to be in the habit of writing and talking with professors and other clever men on the subject, and they all acknowledge that she understands more of the science than anyone else in this kingdom.”
Lady Harriet Silvester, after visiting Mary Anning in Lyme Regis.
Mary went on to discover the first pterosaur found outside of Germany. In 1823, the jumble of bones with a long tail and wings was called a Dimorphodon, but we now know it as a Pterodactyl.
Mary’s discoveries fuelled public interest in geology and palaeontology and provided evidence central to the new ideas about the history of the earth. Before her discoveries, there was little to challenge theories of creationism. Her discoveries shook the scientific community and encouraged it to investigate different explanations for the changes in the natural world.
Public Domain
Mary Anning’s Legacy
Mary died from breast cancer in 1847 and was still in financial difficulty despite a lifetime of scientific discoveries. Her expertise was never fully recognised, but her work informed that of her male contemporaries; some credited her contribution, but most did not. Well, she was a woman. How could she possibly know more than a man? (Cue eye-rolling.)
By the time of her death, geology had been established as its own scientific discipline, but The Geological Society refused to admit her. Mary was finally recognised for her contribution to science by the Royal Society in 2012. They took their time!
Mary’s ichthyosaur, plesiosaur, and pterosaur are displayed in The Natural History Museum in London. This month, four limited edition postal stamps have been created to recognise her contribution to the modern understanding of dinosaurs. The stamps feature a portrait of Mary and her three most famous finds.
Sources
Britannica – Mary Anning
