| Mary Cecilia Foley | |
| Workplaces: | University of London |
| Alma Mater: | University College, London B.Sc (1891) |
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| Thesis1 Url: | and |
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| Thesis1 Year: | and |
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| Birth Date: | 8 October 1859 |
| Birth Place: | Wadhurst, Sussex, United Kingdom |
| Death Date: | 22 October 1925 |
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| Father: | John Foley |
| Mother: | Caroline Elizabeth Windham |
| Relatives: | Caroline Rhys Davids (sister) |
Mary Cecilia Foley (8 October 1859 - 22 October 1925)[1] was a British geologist who worked at the University of London.[2]
Foley was born at Wadhurst, Sussex in October 1859. She was the daughter of John Foley, vicar of Wadhurst, and Caroline Elizabeth Foley (née Windham), and had a sister, Caroline Rhys Davids and a brother Charles Windham Foley.[1]
Foley studied at University College, London under geologist Thomas George Bonney. She graduated in 1891 with an honours degree in geology and was awarded the Morris prize for geology.[2]
During the 1890s, Foley was an active member of the Geologists' Association, and published a number of reports of field excursions.[3] [4] [5] In 1896, she published a paper on 'enclosures of glass in basalt', based on field observations of some volcanic outcrops in the Eifel.[6]
She served on the council of the Geologists' association from 1897 to 1900, and from 1909 to 1912.[2] Foley was only the second woman, after Catherine Raisin, to be elected to serve on the council.[7] From 1901 to 1903, Foley was excursions secretary for the association.[8]
From 1901 to 1925 Foley was the Chief Lady Invigilator at London University.[9]
During the 1900s, Foley assisted her sister Rhys Davids with the transcription of two Buddhist texts in the Pali language: the Dukapaṭṭhāna (1906) and the Yamaka (1911).[10]