Dr Anita McConnell, Dip Arch, BSc, PhD, FRGS, FRMetS, FRSA, who died on 28 April 2016, came to academia after doing jobs as varied as catering to the film crew of Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) and lorry driving, but her BSc degree in geography at University College, London (1971) set her on a path of scholarship which lasted until the end of her life. Curator of the Science Museum (1964–1987) and Research and Associate Editor of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (1994–2004) she leaves a corpus of small but meticulously researched and highly respected publications on scientific instrument makers which combined high level biographical research skills with impressive technical knowledge and keen historical insight. A Fellow of the RGS from 1968, she served on Council for many years, and enjoyed the company of fellow geographers at the Geographical Club.