Dorothy Helen Hatfield OBE FRAeS née McRither (b.1940), aeronautical engineer, was the first female engineering apprentice at Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft), Brooklands. She became President of the Women's Engineering Society and was instrumental in setting up the Daphne Jackson Trust and the Lady Finniston Award^[1] for first year female engineering students.^[2] Hatfield was appointed an OBE for services to engineering in 2014.^[3][4]

Life and career

Hatfield left school at 16 and successfully applied to be an engineering apprentice at Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd, Brooklands, the first women to do so. After six years, she graduated with a first class honours degree in aeronautical engineering.

Hatfield returned to work after a career break to work in the flight simulation industry. She joined the Women's Engineering Society in 1962 and was elected president in 1990. She was made a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 1996.^[2]

Recognition

For her work with the Women's Engineering Society, Hatfield was awarded the Isabel Hardwich Medal in 2007.^[5]