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) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies within mineralogy include the proces ...

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 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

in that capacity from 1837 to 1840.

Biography

Sarah Mawe was born Sarah Brown in

Derby, England Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gain ...

to the mineralogist Richard Brown. Sarah married her 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 fat ...

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 Mawe's shop on the Strand soon became extremely successful, and so they opened shops in

Cheltenham Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral s ...

and

Matlock Bath Matlock Bath is a village and civil parish in Derbyshire, England. It lies in the Peak District, 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 was ...

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

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

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 Sarah's collection until it was sold in 1846.

References

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