Maude Dickinson

Maude Dickinson (1868 or 1869 - 31 March 1933) was a member of the Women's Engineering Society and a female scientist at the beginning of the 20th century who believed she had discovered organic radium crystals. She was proclaimed as "A High Priestess of Hygiene".

Early life Maude Dickinson was born Mary Lock in 1868 or 1869. Her father was Peter Lock, gentleman of Fareham. In 1885, she married John Oldridge Dicker, a solicitor and Freemason, of Camden Square, London.

In 1890, Mary filed for divorce from Dicker on the grounds of adultery and desertion by him. However, the decree nisi is rescinded and the divorce files show that Dicker counter-petitioned against Mary stating that she was cohabiting as wife to a Mr Thomas Gordon Dickinson, in Brighton, East Sussex. Fifty-six loaves of yeastless bread, were sent to Prisoners of War in Germany in 1915, “This bread keeps so very fresh that the men are able to enjoy it even after three weeks journey” and a loaf was even sent to the Queen (Mary) and a letter of thanks was received by Maude Dickinson. The codicil to her will states to “my dear friend Hastings White [Alfred George] of The Royal Society...and I bequeath to the said Hastings White, irrespective of his acceptance or rejection of such offices all tubes and contents, and crystals and scientific photographs in connection with my researches...together with the gold box with the ruby clasp containing such tubes and also my collection of scarabs should the British Museum be unwilling to accept the bequest thereof.”