Elizabeth Brown

Elizabeth Brown (6 August 1830 – 5 March 1899) was a British astronomer and Quaker who specialized in solar observation, especially sunspots and solar eclipses. She was instrumental in founding the British Astronomical Association and was also one of the first women Fellows of the Royal Meteorological Society. Elizabeth was born and lived in Cirencester, Gloucestershire. Her father, Thomas Brown, introduced her to science, including observing sunspots and taking meteorological measurements, notably, of rainfall. She took over her father's meteorological observations from 1871 until his death aged 91 in 1883. After this release of domestic and filial duties, she began to travel the world to make observations of solar eclipses, publishing two anonymous accounts of her travels. She was admitted to the Liverpool Astronomical Society following the death of her father. At this time the society operated as an association of amateur astronomers across Britain, rather than as a local organisation. Brown travelled a 140-mile round journey from Cirencester to Liverpool to attend its meetings. She soon afterwards became the director of its Solar Section.