Florence Annie Yeldham (30 October 1877 – 10 January 1945) was a British school teacher and historian of arithmetic. She supported the idea of following the

history of mathematics The history of mathematics deals with the origin of discoveries in mathematics and the History of mathematical notation, mathematical methods and notation of the past. Before the modern age and the worldwide spread of knowledge, written examples ...

as a motive to teach arithmetic.

Early life and education

Florence Yeldham was born at School House,

Brightling Brightling is a village and civil parish in the Rother district of East Sussex, England. It is located on the Weald north-west of Battle and west of Robertsbridge. The village lies in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty a ...

Battle, East Sussex Battle is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Districts of England, district of Rother District, Rother in East Sussex, England. It lies south-east of London, east of Brighton and east of Lewes. Hastings is to the south- ...

, on 30 October 1877, the daughter of school teacher Thomas Yeldham, who later became a school inspector, and his wife, Elizabeth Ann Chesterfield. She was the second daughter and second of at least seven children. She was not originally from

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

but moved there from

Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...

and studied in

James Allen's Girls' School James Allen's Girls' School, abbreviated JAGS, is a Private schools in the United Kingdom, private day school situated in Dulwich, South London, England. Founded in 1741, it is the second oldest girls’ independent school in Great Britain, with ...

Dulwich Dulwich (; ) is an area in south London, England. The settlement is mostly in the London Borough of Southwark, with parts in the London Borough of Lambeth, and consists of Dulwich Village, East Dulwich, West Dulwich, and the Southwark half of H ...

. James Allen's Girls' School awarded her an exhibition to go to Bedford College,

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...

, from where she matriculated in 1895. Yeldham graduated with a BSc (division two) in 1900, having chosen papers in

pure mathematics Pure mathematics is the study of mathematical concepts independently of any application outside mathematics. These concepts may originate in real-world concerns, and the results obtained may later turn out to be useful for practical applications ...

, experimental

physics Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...

, and

zoology Zoology ( , ) is the scientific study of animals. Its studies include the anatomy, structure, embryology, Biological classification, classification, Ethology, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinction, extinct, and ...

. Whilst she is listed as having gained honours, which one would have expected, no details have been found.

Career

Although she did not enjoy a remarkable teaching career, Yeldham wrote books herself. She produced her first printed work in 1913. Her works include ''The Story of Reckoning in the Middle Ages'', ''The Teaching of Arithmetic Through 400 Years, 1535–1935'', ''A Study of Mathematical Methods in England to the Thirteenth Century'' and ''Percentage Tables''. Her books were well regarded and included reference material which was not easily available. Yeldham fell victim to chronic

arthritis Arthritis is a general medical term used to describe a disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, Joint effusion, swelling, and decreased range of motion of ...

, which made her final years uncomfortable. She died while staying at Metropolitan Convalescent Home,

Walton-on-Thames Walton-on-Thames, known locally as Walton, is a market town on the bank (geography), south bank of the River Thames, Thames in northwest Surrey, England. It is in the Borough of Elmbridge, about southwest of central London. Walton forms part ...

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

, where she spent the last six months of her life.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yeldham, Florence 1877 births 1945 deaths 19th-century British mathematicians 20th-century British mathematicians British non-fiction writers People from Brightling People educated at James Allen's Girls' School Alumni of Bedford College, London 20th-century English women writers 20th-century English writers 19th-century English women writers 19th-century British writers 20th-century British women scientists Schoolteachers from Sussex 19th-century British women mathematicians 20th-century British women mathematicians