Florence Violet McKenzie
Australian electrical engineer (1890-1982) · Australia · On the map · Scientists · Died at 91
Florence Violet McKenzie, affectionately known as "Mrs Mac", was Australia's first female electrical engineer, founder of the Women's Emergency Signalling Corps (WESC) and lifelong promoter of technical education for women.
Florence Violet McKenzie is read about 7 times a day, in 10 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 21 September 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 60 days, one point a day.
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Photos 7
Violet McKenzie and husband Cecil McKenzie c1935
The Wireless Shop Miss F.V. Wallace, electrical engineer
McKenzie working with the wireless radio c1922
The rooms of the Electrical Association for Women, c1936. McKenzie sitting at the piano
Dressed in the practical green uniforms designed by McKenzie, Corps members spell out W E S C in flag semaphore.
Mrs McKenzie with overseas naval personnel, c1953Awards
About this person
She campaigned successfully to have some of her female trainees accepted into the all-male Navy, thereby originating the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS). Some 12,000 servicemen passed through her signal instruction school in Sydney, acquiring skill in Morse code and visual signalling.
