Mary Everest Boole

Her progressive ideas on education, as expounded in The Preparation of the Child for Science, included encouraging children to explore mathematics through playful activities such as curve stitching.

[1] She was born in England, the daughter of Reverend Thomas Roupell Everest, Rector of Wickwar, and Mary nee Ryall.

Self-taught mathematician George Boole tutored her, and she visited him in Ireland where he held the position of professor of mathematics at Queen's College Cork.

In August 1865, her address was listed as 68 Harley Street in a Deed of Assignment in which she disposed of her husband's former house in Ireland, acting as the Executrix of his will.

As well as working as a librarian, she also tutored privately in mathematics and developed a philosophy of teaching that involved the use of natural materials and physical activities to encourage an imaginative conception of the subject.

At Queen's College, against the approval of the authorities, she organised discussion groups of students with the unconventional James Hinton, a promulgator of polygamy.

After the Boer war 1899–1902 she became more outspoken in her writings against imperialism, organised religion, the financial world and the tokenism she felt that Parliament represented.

After marrying George Boole she began contributing to the scientific world by advising her husband in his work while attending his lectures, both of which were unheard of for a woman to do in that time period.

[6] One of her most notable contributions in the area of physical manipulations is curve stitching with the use of sewing cards, which she discovered as a form of amusement as a child.

She revealed the manuscript to Frederick Denison Maurice who objected to its controversial ideas and this resulted in her losing her job as librarian at Queens College.

Ethel Lilian (1864–1960) married the Polish revolutionary Wilfrid Michael Voynich and was the author of a number of works including The Gadfly.