[4] She educated at La Convent of the Sainte Union des Sacres Coeurs in North London and in Paris.

[3][5] As a result of a government requested reorganisation, which Cook played a significant role in, production increased tenfold in four months.

[3][2][7] In 1951 she joined Wilman Engineering Co. Ltd, a small company making electronic equipment and automatic control units.

[8] She worked as chief mechanical engineer and chairman of the company,[3] and helped it to survive financial difficulties.

Holmes also proposed her as a full member many years later in 1955, with Caroline Haslett acting as an application referee.