Mann - Somerville

John William Mann

• Educated at Chatham House and then at St.Catherine’s College, Cambridge
• Taught Maths, Physics, English and History at RCS
• Died as a result of his wounds on August 22 1918, shortly before the Armistice

Mary Somerville 1780 -1872

• Started to study algebra on her own against her parents’ wishes
• Pressured to marry her cousin, who did not want his wife to study Science
• After the death of her husband she began to study Science, Maths and Geography
• Started to publish her own research
• One book prompted John Couch Adams to search for the planet Neptune, for which she is credited as a co-discoverer
• She became the first woman accepted into the Royal Astronomical Society
• Awarded a gold medal from the Royal Geographical Society and was elected to the American Philosophical Society.

The charity that Mann-Somerville is supporting this year is called Macmillan. They provide practical, medical and financial support and push for better cancer care. We decided to support them because cancer is something that affects a lot of people in some way or another, be it a close family member or friend it has an impact on everyone’s life.