A Twist Of Fate For Williamina Fleming
When Williamina Fleming moved from Scotland to Boston with her husband at the age of 21, she likely knew her life would change. Still, she could have no idea just how much. For one, that husband soon abandoned her and their new child, forcing Fleming to find quick work to support the family.
She soon landed a position as a maid with Professor Edward Charles Pickering, the director of the Harvard College Observatory. For Fleming, who used to be a schoolteacher and possessed a keen mind, work sweeping floors was a major downgrade. Just not for long.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
One Big Promotion
According to one story, Pickering soon got fed up with his staff’s lackluster astronomical efforts. In a fit of rage, he exclaimed “My Scotch maid could do better!”—then promptly hired her on. It’s a suspect story, but the likely truth is even better. Pickering, who was famous for his progressive views on women’s intellect, probably listened to his wife when she told him the new maid was too smart to stay one.
A Pioneer To The Stars
Either way, Pickering's hiring decision paid off tenfold Fleming was excellent at her new job. This immigrant single mother eventually helped Pickering develop a designation system for stars, not to mention catalogued thousands of celestial bodies and astronomical phenomena. Most famously, she discovered the Horsehead Nebula in 1888. She was barely in her 30s at the time.
