The Bank of England announced this morning that the new £50 note will feature a scientist – and Nottingham’s own Ada Lovelace is in the running.
They’ve asked the public to vote for suggestions on the bank’s website, but many people are campaigning for a female scientist to appear on the note.
Ada Lovelace was the daughter of the notorious poet Lord Byron, born in 1815, and is known as being the first computer programmer.
This would make Ada Lovelace the first female to appear on the £50 note.
Women who have appeared on British bank notes previously include Florence Nightingale and Christian Philanthropist Elizabeth Fry.
Currently there are only two women on notes in current circulation; Queen Elizabeth II on all the notes and Jane Austen on the £10 note.
Some people think that Ada Lovelace, who died in 1852, would be a good fit because her work was previously overlooked. Her work was only recognised in the 1940s after Alan Turing used her notes to create the first modern computers.
Hawking, Franklin, Turing, Lovelace…so many possibilities.
Alan Turing would be amazing for LGBT representation, but Ada Lovelace has been much more overlooked by history. And Stephen Hawking is Stephen Hawking. Such a difficult choice. https://t.co/OgW3rjy3gr
— David Smith (@DVDSmith) 2 November 2018
Others think this would be a great opportunity for females in science to be recognised for their work.
A great opportunity to nominate a #female #scientist. Rosalind Franklin, Ada Lovelace, Mary Anning and many more have shaped British society and world science. A great opportunity for men to show their recognition for women’s contribution by nominating a woman. #WomenInSTEM https://t.co/mHKQDqyvHA
— Jo Evershed (@EvershedJo) 2 November 2018
With computers now being part of our every-day lives, people think it’s only right that she should be on it.
Given the ever increasing role computers play in our society surely #AdaLovelace or #AlanTuring should be on it? https://t.co/iFKrkLOgfJ
— Dr James Pope (@JamesPope10) November 2, 2018
You can nominate a scientist on the Bank of England website.
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