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Margaret Dorothea Rowbotham (19 June 1883 – 23 February 1978) was an engineer, a campaigner for women's employment rights and a founder member of the Women's Engineering Society.

Early life and education
Born on 19 June 1883 at 6 Park Villas, Plumstead, Kent, Margaret Dorothea Rowbotham was the daughter of John Edward Rowbotham, a shipbroker, and Miriam Anne Isaac. She was educated at Blackheath High School for girls (1893–1902) and graduated in 1905 from Girton College, Cambridge, where she studied mathematics. In 1906, she gained a teacher's diploma from Cambridge Training College.

Career
From 1906 to 1913 she taught maths at Roedean School for girls in Brighton. Having completing six months' training in motor engineering at the British School of Motoring, she was awarded a RAC driving certificate. This was followed by an assignment in 1914 as a teacher at Rupert's Land Ladies' College, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where she stayed for two years.

In 1916, Rowbotham returned to Britain to take part in the war effort and to pursue her interest in engineering, joining Galloway Engineering Co. at Tongland near Kirkcudbright, Dumfriesshire. In 1917, she was appointed machine shop and works superintendent at Tongland Works.

When the Women’s Engineering Society was formed in 1919, Margaret Rowbotham was a founding member. She was made an honorary member of WES in 1962 and remained affiliated with the society throughout her life.

She went to work for Swainson Pump Company in Newcastle by June 1921. She was the assistant works manager there. She worked for other engineering organizations, including an electrical contracting firm owned by Margaret Partridge.

In her later years, she worked in Eastbourne as a manager of a guesthouse. She died on 23 February 1978.