Nina Baker
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ninabake2.bsky.social
Nina Baker
@ninabake2.bsky.social
2.9K followers 740 following 5.6K posts
Independent engineering historian: women in engineering, motoring, aviation, construction. Writing book on women's motoring clubs worldwide.
Ex-MN. Ex-Deacon Hammermen of Glasgow. OBE.
No profile? I won't follow you
https://womenengineerssite.wordpress.com
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ninabake2.bsky.social
Nina Baker @ninabake2.bsky.social · Nov 14
I am writing a book about the history of the clubs that women motorists have set up for themselves worldwide from the 1890s to the present day.
If you or your mum etc were ever in such a group anywhere in the world I would love to hear from you.
Here are some of the badges of UK clubs:
Essex Ladies' Motoring Club badge Guild of Lady Drivers badge Women's Automobile & Sports Association badge The Women Drivers Association badge
Reposted by Nina Baker
merryrobin.bsky.social
Mary Ambree (fl. 1584) was an English army captain from Antwerp who participated in the liberation of the Belgian city Ghent during the war against Spain. While she has not been recorded extensively in history, she was featured in ballads and referenced in culture from the 1620s onwards.
The image is an illustration from a historical print depicting two characters, titled "The Valarous Acts performed at GAUNT, by the brave Bonny Lass Mary Ambree, who in Revenge of her Loves death, did play her part most gallantly." It shows a feminine and masculine figure in period clothing. On the left, Mary Ambree is dressed in masculine attire, featuring a wide-brimmed hat, cloak, and boots, holding what appears to be a musket. On the right is a man in elaborate clothing, possibly a noble or soldier, with a sword and ornate garb. This illustration is likely from a ballad or story celebrating her brave deeds, framed within a historic or folkloric context. The image reflects the storytelling style and printing technology of the 17th to early 18th centuries, characterized by its detailed line engravings and narrative text included in the layout.
July 13, 2024 at 8:29 AM
Reposted by Nina Baker
merryrobin.bsky.social
Volcxken Diericx (c. 1525 – 1600) was a Flemish print-maker and publisher.
She and her husband Hieronymus Cock founded an important publishing house in Antwerp, which she continued to operate after the death of her husband.
Here, by Johannes Wierix.
A black and white, maybe lithographic portrait of a middle-aged white woman posing seated, wearing an elaborate 16th-century outfit. The outfit includes a delicate white headpiece, and a dramatic gown with different textures of fabric. She looks meditative.
March 27, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Reposted by Nina Baker
wisarchive.bsky.social
Astronomer Elisabetha Hevelius was born 379 years ago today. She married astronomer Johannes Hevelius at 16, and after his death it was she who published the Prodromus Astronomiae in 1690, a rigorously computed collection of 1564 star positions.

#WomenInSTEM #AstroSky 🧪🔭
January 17, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Reposted by Nina Baker
womenshistscot.bsky.social
We’re delighted to share a new book by our Steering Committee member @deborahsimonton.bsky.social. Girlhood in Eighteenth-Century Britain: The Working Girl explores the lives and labour of working girls in the eighteenth century.

Find out more 🔗 womenshistoryscotland.org/2026/01/17/n...
New publication ‘Girlhood in Eighteenth-Century Britain: The Working Girl’ – Women's History Scotland
womenshistoryscotland.org
January 17, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by Nina Baker
politicdormouse.bsky.social
Dorothy Rowntree BSc. 1st woman in UK to qualify in naval architecture & 1st woman to graduate in engineering from @glasgow.ac.uk Worked @ Fairfield Shipbuilding Yard #Govan. Later moved to #Lebanon & worked @ American University of Beirut' b. #OTD 16 Jan 1903 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothy...
Dorothy Rowntree in gradusation gown from the University of Glasgow.
January 16, 2026 at 10:23 PM
Reposted by Nina Baker
blufly.media
As huge fans of Amy Johnson, we were really intrigued by the photo above, which was recently posted by @politicdormouse.bsky.social. We had never seen it previously. Our crack research team quickly busied itself tracking down its source … | 🛩️ 👩🏻‍✈️ 📚 | 🧵 1/4
Pauline Gower
Much has been written about Pauline Gower in recent years – in books and articles in newspapers and magazines. She has also been featured in a number of television documentaries about the Wom…
solentaviatrix.wordpress.com
January 16, 2026 at 10:18 PM
Reposted by Nina Baker
courtneymilan.com
One of the most hilarious unintended side effects of the administration’s lies about “organized groups” is that the people I know who aren’t quite as plugged in are all like “wait, there are organized people out there! Awesome! Where do I join?”
January 16, 2026 at 5:44 PM
Reposted by Nina Baker
politicdormouse.bsky.social
Velma Huskey computing pioneer. Information specialist @ NIST. 1948-52 technical writer @ Inst for Numerical Analysis @ UCLA. Editor @ IEEE Transactions on Computers. 1959 went to USSR for technical delegation in computers. Ada Lovelace biographer. d #OTD 16 Jan 1991 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velma_H...
Velma Huskey in blurry b&W heatshot photo #WomenInSTEM
January 16, 2026 at 5:32 PM
ninabake2.bsky.social
@politicdormouse.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Nancy Lane Perham obituary
Other lives: Electron microscopist, cell biologist and champion of women in science
www.theguardian.com
January 16, 2026 at 6:59 PM
ninabake2.bsky.social
@rolpheygibson.bsky.social
nautiluscarly.bsky.social Carly @nautiluscarly.bsky.social · 1d
I'm thrilled to be working on two international projects. My neurodiversity research fellowship is based in Amsterdam but has a worldwide cohort. And the Kenya project will be my first time working with anyone in Africa. Neat!
January 16, 2026 at 2:48 PM
Reposted by Nina Baker
pastandotherplaces.bsky.social
"The Johnstones say it costs them 38.5p to produce a litre of milk but they are currently receiving 35.7p a litre from Arla."
#dairy #milk 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Dairy farm crisis: The money we earn from selling our milk doesn't cover our costs
Adam and Lucy Johnstone have seen the money they receive for their milk tumble over the last three months.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 16, 2026 at 8:41 AM
ninabake2.bsky.social
When I came out of hospital after 6 weeks in bed, I really really wanted such a prescription: to a seaside convalescent home. To the best of my googling no such thing exists in the UK any more. Major market gap there IMO.
hpsvanessa.bsky.social Dr Vanessa @hpsvanessa.bsky.social · 1d
Q; what is the cheapest/fastest "medical"-related qualification I could get in the UK that would allow me to advise women that they have hysteria/melancholia & need to immediately spend 4 weeks living at a hotel at the seaside for their humours? Asking for me, it's always me.
#DrButtersSeasideCures
January 16, 2026 at 2:29 PM
ninabake2.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/video/opinio...
Video: Opinion | Dear America, Greenland Is Not on Zillow
Trump wants Greenland? Its previous colonizer has some thoughts.
www.nytimes.com
January 16, 2026 at 2:19 PM
Reposted by Nina Baker
michelleroy78.bsky.social
He had multiple opportunities to prevent this and deliberately pissed them away.
January 15, 2026 at 4:32 PM
Reposted by Nina Baker
politicdormouse.bsky.social
Diana Barnato Walker UK #pilot. #WWII early Air Transport Auxiliary #ATA pilot flying 80 types of aircraft & delivering 260 Spitfires. 1963 1st British woman to break sound barrier flying at Mach 1.6, a world air speed record for women. b. #OTD 15 Jan 1918 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_B...
Diana Barnato Walker at the controls of an Airspeed Oxford
January 15, 2026 at 11:52 PM
Reposted by Nina Baker
politicdormouse.bsky.social
1913 Elin Falk caused national controversy revolutionising gymnastics teaching in #Swedish schools. 1895 qualified as gymnastikdirektör, learned new ideas in Europe & US, made gym fit children's needs rather than forcing them into stiff movements. b. #OTD 16 Jan 1872 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elin_Falk
Elin Falk in e C20th b&W photo. head and shoulders of young white woman in profile, looking right of photo. long dark hair pulled back into large low bun at back of head, dark dress, very serious expression
January 16, 2026 at 8:22 AM
ninabake2.bsky.social
Just been alerted to this intriguing article about South African women #radar operators in #WW2. I hope the guy gets his book published.
dispatch.pressreader.com/article/2816...

@politicdormouse.bsky.social
The remark­able story of SA’S ‘radar girls’ The Spe­cial Sig­nals Ser­vices pro­gramme dur­ing World War 2 was shrouded in secrecy. Image of a cargo ship alongside a jetty.
January 15, 2026 at 12:49 PM
Reposted by Nina Baker
politicdormouse.bsky.social
Pilots Amy Johnson & Pauline Gower playing snowballs @ Stag Lane #Aerodrome #London 1931. Both later flew for Air Transport Auxiliary #ATA in #WWII, Gower as commandant of Women;s Section en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauline... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Joh... #WomenInHistoryShouldntBeAMystery #WomenPilots
Amy johnson and pauline gower snowballing 1931, two unidentified men on left. Image from Women With Wings, book written by Pauline Gower
January 15, 2026 at 8:54 AM
ninabake2.bsky.social
Kalaallit Nunaat kalaallinut inuiaqatigiinnut = Greenland for the Greenlandic people. With background of Greenland flag
January 15, 2026 at 10:26 AM
Reposted by Nina Baker
politicdormouse.bsky.social
Justicia Acuña 1st woman civil engineer in #Chile. 1919 only woman grad in University of Chile Faculty of Physical & Mathematical Sciences @uchile.bsky.social 1920 worked as calculator @ Dept of Roads & Works. Left & returned whilst raising 7 children, retiring 1954 b #OTD 14 Jan 1893 bit.ly/2VQrxKW
Justicia Acuña in B&W photo cropped from her class photo of 1919
January 14, 2026 at 10:55 PM
ninabake2.bsky.social
@tarsociety.bsky.social
January 14, 2026 at 10:37 PM
Reposted by Nina Baker
politicdormouse.bsky.social
Marie Stellwag-Bes #Dutch chemical engineer & city councillor in Delft. Thought to be 1st woman to receive an #engineering degree in #Netherlands @tudelfteemcs.bsky.social TU Delft. 1 of 1st 3 female municipal councillors in #Delft b #OTD 14 Jan 1882 #WomenInSTEM en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_E...
Maria Elisabeth (Marie) Stellwag-Bes in close up B&W photo wearing a hat 1920/30s?
January 14, 2026 at 10:31 PM
Reposted by Nina Baker
theduncanmackay.bsky.social
The Norfolk Carnyx: a Playmobil story in 4 parts. 🧵
#DiggingForBritain
#DrawingDiggingForBritain
#PlaymobilInfestation
@profaliceroberts.bsky.social
@pcaarchaeology.bsky.social

1: Life
Playmobil Cacofonix the bard blowing a miniature reproduction of the Norfolk carnyx, on a green field with other Iron Age Playmobil figures in the distance.
January 14, 2026 at 9:18 PM
ninabake2.bsky.social
My train this evening (Neilston to Glasgow central) was delayed on the bridge over the Clyde, due to "Squirrel on the line".
I kid you not. That's what the driver said.
January 14, 2026 at 10:32 PM
Reposted by Nina Baker
constructionhist.bsky.social
12th Annual CHS Conference Call for Abstracts: Queens’ College, Cambridge, 25-27th Sept 2026
1st day theme: Building Practice: regulation, corruption, & adaptation. 2nd day: general.
The proceedings will be published & available at the conference.
www.constructionhistory.co.uk/wp-content/u...
www.constructionhistory.co.uk
January 14, 2026 at 12:05 PM