Muriel Wheldale Onslow (1880 –1932)

Past times Muriel Wheldale Onslow (1880 –1932): pioneer plant biochemist Downloaded from http://portlandpress.com/biochemist/article-pdf/24/2/49/5901/bio024020049.pdf by guest on 29 September 2021 The British biochemist Muriel Wheldale Onslow was one of only two solve, proved to be far more complex by Marelene genetics researchers in the first decade of the 20th century who than was expected, and the solution Rayner-Canham performed plant breeding experiments and also investigated the she proposed (Proc. R. Soc. B 79, and Geoffrey corresponding chemistry of flower pigments of the plants (the other 1907) is entirely her own work. There Rayner-Canham being Erwin Bauer in Germany)1. J.B.S. Haldane used her research to is every reason to believe that it is conclude that genes controlled the formation of large molecules, such correct and I regard the paper as one of as pigment molecules2. considerable value.” This landmark publication was the Muriel was born in Birmingham on 31 be among the most widely first of a flurry of research papers on March 1880, the only child of John recognized in Bateson’s group. She the linkage between the inheritance of Newnham College, Wheldale, a barrister3. Muriel attended published a full factorial analysis of genetic factors and the production of Cambridge, group King Edward VI High School, flower colour inheritance in the pigments, the anthocyanins. photograph from 1903. Birmingham, a school that excelled in Antirrhinum in 1907. In a reference for Her research culminated in the writing Muriel Wheldale Onslow producing academic women4, and then Wheldale, Bateson commented7: “The of the classic monograph, The is circled. Photograph proceeded to Newnham College, problem of colour inheritance in Anthocyanin Pigments of Plants8. In courtesy of Newnham Cambridge in 1900, where she took Antirrhinum, which she set out to the preface of the monograph, she College Archives. First Class Honours in both parts of the Natural Sciences Tripos (the end of year examinations at Cambridge), specializing in botany. However, she could not receive formal degree status as Cambridge did not grant bachelor’s degrees to women until 19485. In 1903, Muriel joined the research group of William Bateson. With the revival of Mendel’s theories at the beginning of the 20th Century, Bateson had become one of Mendel’s most ardent champions. It was Bateson who had devised the term ‘genetics’ to describe the field and he had surrounded himself with a group of enthusiastic research students, many of them women6. Muriel’s particular niche was the study of the inheritance of flower colour in Antirrhinum. Her research proved to The Biochemist — April 2002. © 2002 The Biochemical Society 49 Past times Muriel became convinced that the criticism which this brought him. future lay not with the genetic aspects Even in the 1920s and 1930s, when, as of botany, but with the biochemical a Nobel laureate with a worldwide basis of plant pigment synthesis. To reputation he received hundreds of this end, she briefly attended the applications for places in his labora- University of Bristol to strengthen her tory, nearly half of the posts in his background in biochemistry. Though Department went to women scien- Bateson encouraged her to join his new tists.” group at the John Innes Horticultural The anthocyanin pigments that she Institution, Merton, South London she had studied genetically with Bateson, decided her future lay elsewhere. she studied chemically with Hopkins. With Muriel’s departure, Bateson This proved a fruitful line of research Downloaded from http://portlandpress.com/biochemist/article-pdf/24/2/49/5901/bio024020049.pdf by guest on 29 September 2021 lost not only one of the most gifted that cemented her reputation as a members of his research team, but leading chemical geneticist16. also his leading artist. In a letter of Her biochemical studies led her to reference that he wrote for Muriel, write a second edition of The together with an acknowledgement of Anthocyanin Pigments of Plants17. her considerable research talents, he This was no mere reprint of the first noted11: “As an artist in colour she edition, but a complete revision in has extraordinary skill. If she leaves light of the tremendous biochemical us, her loss will be a serious one, for advances of the previous decade. As she is the only person I know who she noted18: “Since the appearance of can reproduce the colours of flowers the first edition the publications of in such a way as to be an exact record. greatest value on the subject of In respect of accuracy and apprecia- anthocyanin pigments have been in tion of what scientific colouring connection with the chemistry and One of Muriel’s early commented9: “Herein lies the interest should be, the quality of her painting biochemistry of these substances. This publications in the connected with anthocyanin pigments. far exceeds that of any professional later work has now been included, and Biochemical Journal For we have now, on one hand, satis- whose work I know.” the present state of our knowledge of (1914) 8, 204 factory methods for the isolation, analyses and determination of the “By 1913, Muriel’s fame was such that she was one constitutional formula of these of the first three women (the other two being Ida pigments. On the other hand, we have Smedley and Harriet Chick) to be elected to the the Mendelian methods for deter- Biochemical Club10, the forerunner of the mining the laws of their inheritance. By Biochemical Society.” a combination of these two methods we are within reasonable distance of In 1914, Muriel was fortunate to be the significance of the pigments in being able to express some of the invited to join the research group of relation to plant metabolism has, as far phenomena of inheritance in terms of Frederick Gowland Hopkins. Though as possible, been indicated.” chemical composition and structure.” botany had always been an acceptable In 1916, she was introduced to By 1913, Muriel’s fame was such field for women12, chemistry and Huia Onslow, second son of the 4th that she was one of the first three biochemistry were another matter13. Earl of Onslow. Onslow had had a women (the other two being Ida Hopkins’ group14 was an exception to diving accident, which had paralysed Smedley and Harriet Chick) to be the male-dominated groups else- him from the waist down. elected to the Biochemical Club10, the where. As the science historian Creese Nevertheless, he began a research forerunner of the Biochemical Society. has noted15: “At the time when there program in chemical genetics from a She was also awarded a Prize were practically no women research laboratory constructed in his home. At Fellowship in 1915 by the British workers in any of the other university their first meeting together, they had Federation of University Women for departments at Cambridge, Hopkins tea followed by a “certain amount of her scientific research. gave them places in his, despite the Mendelian discussion”19. Over the 50 The Biochemist — April 2002. © 2002 The Biochemical Society Past times following years, Muriel spent much of Research into anthocyanin 18. Wheldale Onslow, M. (1925) The Anthocyanin Pigments of Plants, 2nd edn. p. vii, Cambridge her time helping Onslow with his continued at Cambridge with the University Press, Cambridge research, particularly that on the arrival in 1926 of a new graduate 19. Onslow, M. (1924) Huia Onslow: A Memoir. Edward origins of the iridescence of some from Imperial College, Rose Scott- Arnold, London 20. Hopkins, F.G. (1923) Biochem. J. 17, 1–4 butterflies, moths, and beetles (though Moncrieff (Mrs Meares). Muriel 21. Richmond, M.L. (1997) Isis 88, 422–455 she was never acknowledged in his persuaded Scott-Moncrieff to work 22. Wheldale Onslow, M. (1920) Practical Plant Biochemistry. Cambridge University Press, publications). In 1919, they were on the isolation of pigments, Cambridge (2nd edn published in 1923) married and, until his death in 1922, particularly the pigment of the 23. Onslow, M. (1931) The Principles of Plant Wheldale became the conduit between magenta Antirrhinum that had first Biochemistry, Part I. Cambridge University Press, 24 Cambridge Onslow and the Hopkins group. fascinated Muriel in 1914 . 24. Scott-Moncrieff, R. (1981) Notes Rec. R. Soc. London Hopkins, in an obituary of Onslow, Scott-Moncrieff worked initially 36, 125–154 25. Rayner-Canham, M.F. and Rayner-Canham, G.W. Downloaded from http://portlandpress.com/biochemist/article-pdf/24/2/49/5901/bio024020049.pdf by guest on 29 September 2021 commented20: “He married Muriel under the direction of Haldane, but (1999) Chem. Brit. 35, 45–46 Wheldale, one whose scientific work is she soon became the link to the very familiar to the readers of this research on plant pigments being [Biochemical] Journal. By a pleasant carried out at Oxford under the Marelene Rayner-Canham is a Laboratory Instructor and acceptable fiction Onslow claimed direction of Sir Robert Robinson. in Physics at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, Corner to be a member of the Biochemical Much of the anthocyanin research at Brook, Newfoundland, Canada. Her major Department at Cambridge. It became Oxford was performed by Gertrude research interest is the history of women in less of a fiction after marriage, for his Walsh (Lady Robinson). But that is science and is co-author of numerous articles and 25 wife brought his thoughts to us, and another story . three books (a biography of Harriet Brooks, a compila- tion on women in the early studies of radioactivity,and reported our activities to him. Indeed, a history of women in chemistry) on the subject. She is currently undertaking a comprehensive study of after all, it was no fiction. We knew that women members of the Chemical Society and the Royal Institute of Chemistry up to 1950.

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