Gertrude Elles

Who was Gertrude Elles?

Gertrude Lilian Elles MBE was a British geologist, known for her work on graptolites.

Born in Wimbledon, she was educated at Wimbledon High School and Newnham College, Cambridge, where in 1895 she received first class honours in the Natural Science tripos. She worked with Ethel Wood and Charles Lapworth.

She was awarded the Lyell Fund of the Geological Society of London in 1900, but was unable to collect it since women were barred from meetings. In 1919 she became one of the first female Fellows of the Geological Society, and in the same year won its Murchison Medal.

She was awarded the MBE for work with the Red Cross during the First World War.

She was president of the British Association in 1923.

She never married and had no children.