Sarah Mawe (1767-1846) was an English

mineralogist Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical mineralogy, optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifact (archaeology), artifacts. Specific s ...

of the 19th century, appointed to serve

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

in that capacity from 1837 to 1840.

Biography

Sarah Mawe was born Sarah Brown in

Derby, England Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...

to the mineralogist Richard Brown. She married the mineralogist and dealer in minerals

John Mawe John Mawe (1764 – 26 October 1829) was a British mineralogist who became known for his practical approach to the discipline. Biography Mawe was born in Derby in 1764 to Samuel Maw(e). His mother died when he was ten and he was raised by his fa ...

in 1794 and he became her father's business partner, and took charge of the London mineral shop. "She became a highly competent mineral appraiser, purchaser, and identifier in her own right." The Mawes' shop on the Strand soon became extremely successful, and so they opened shops in

Cheltenham Cheltenham () is a historic spa town and borough adjacent to the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort following the discovery of mineral springs in 1716, and claims to be the mo ...

and

Matlock Bath Matlock Bath is a village and civil parish in Derbyshire, England. It lies in the Derbyshire Dales, south of Matlock on the main A6 road, and approximately halfway between Buxton and Derby. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census ...

. Mawe constructed her own collections of minerals, loaned as examples to

James Sowerby James Sowerby (21 March 1757 – 25 October 1822) was an English natural history, naturalist, illustrator and mineralogist. Contributions to published works, such as ''A Specimen of the Botany of New Holland'' or ''English Botany'', include his ...

for photographs to be used in Exotic Mineralogy (1811-1820) and British Mineralogy (1804-1817). The business in London was taken on by James Tennant who held Mawe's collection until it was sold in 1846.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mauwe, Sarah 1767 births 1846 deaths British mineralogists People from Derby