Person Widdowson; Elsie May (1906 - 2000); nutritionist Widdowson Elsie May nutritionist 1906 - 2000 British Female The Ferns, Belmont Road, Wallington, Surrey, England 21/10/1906 19061021 Cambridge 14/06/2000 20000614 Burial: Barrington churchyard, Cambridgeshire, England (23 June 2000) Memorial service: Great St Mary's Church, Cambridge, England (20 October 2000)

Orchard House, Barrington, Cambridge, England (1969)

Nutritionist Dietetics Education: Sydenham County Secondary School; Imperial College, London Career: Courtauld Institute of Biochemistry at Middlesex Hospital (1932-1933); King's College of Household and Social Science (1933-1938); Staff, Department of Experimental Medicine, Cambridge University (1938-66); Infant Nutrition Research Division (1966-1972); Department of Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge (1972-1988); President, British Nutrition Foundation (1986-1996); died following a severe stroke while on holiday with her sister on the Dingle peninsula in Ireland. Honours: CBE 1979; CH 1993 Memberships: Nutrition Society (President 1977-1980); Neonatal Society (President 1978-1981) Parents: Thomas Henry Widdowson, grocer's assistant, and Rose, née Elphick. Sister: (Ethel) Eva Crane (1912–2007), founder of the International Bee Research Association. Distinguished for her pioneering work in several fields, and for her ability to carry out large scale experiments involving human subjects, the results of which have directed Government policy. Studied the differential analysis of carbohydrates and by applying this to human foods produced results which are still the only comprehensive ones on the subject. Following this became primarily responsible for the British tables of food composition which have received world wide recognition. Realised the possibility of studying the freely chosen dietary intakes of men, women and children on a large scale and, although this was done before the war, the results are still drawn upon by committees responsible for compiling tables of dietary requirements. During and after the war her work on calcium metabolism in Cambridge and Germany led to the enrichment of bread with this element. Her own analytical work has made her the recognised authority on the composition of the human body at all stages of development and her studies of the metabolism and growth of the new born infant are again directing nutritional policy. Fellow 18/03/1976 69 DNB Obituaries: Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society 2002 vol 48 pp 483-506, plate, by M Ashwell International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa 1996 ISBN 0-9696035-3-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbm.2002.0028 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/action/doSearch?ContribAuthorRaw=Widdowson%2C+Elsie+May RCN 7470 RCN R76571 RCN 24193 RCN 21689 RCN 13152 https://pictures.royalsociety.org/results?mi_search_type=adv&mi_adv_search=yes&adv_person_id=AUTH9105 21 Oct 1906 - 14 Jun 2000 The past Fellows entries are under continuous revision. If you have queries or additional information to contribute, please contact Library@royalsociety.org. Content in external sources is not controlled by the Royal Society and historical sources may include content that is now unacceptable. Reviewed on 22/01/2025 as part of the Name Authority Project update. NA5952 21/11/2001 Andyg Martind 23/03/2026 RS_NET\VirginiaM Yes 04d3484a-07d6-484a-bd27-e04848192303