y colog ist . ▁ ▁Biography ▁Born ▁in ▁Ron deb os ch ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 6 ▁to ▁William ▁P oc ock ▁and ▁Elizabeth ▁Da comb , ▁Mary ▁P oc ock ▁attended ▁Bed ford ▁High ▁School ▁and ▁Ch el ten ham ▁Lad ies ' ▁College . ▁P oc ock ▁then ▁attended ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁London ▁where ▁she ▁studied ▁bot any , ▁receiving ▁her ▁degree ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 8 . ▁Following ▁her ▁degree ▁P oc ock ▁taught ▁at ▁girls ▁schools ▁in ▁London ▁and ▁the ▁Cape ▁before ▁continu ing ▁her ▁study ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 ; ▁comple ting ▁an ▁additional ▁hon ors ▁degree ▁in ▁bot any ▁at ▁Cambridge . ▁She ▁was ▁a ▁lect urer ▁at ▁Rh odes ▁University ▁for ▁a ▁year ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 , ▁a ▁position ▁which ▁she ▁took ▁up ▁occasionally ▁again ▁during ▁her ▁career . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁she ▁travel led ▁with ▁Dor othe a ▁Ble ek ▁from ▁Rh odes ia ▁to ▁Lu anda ▁collect ing ▁flow ering ▁plants ▁which ▁she ▁studied ▁at ▁the ▁Royal ▁Botan ical ▁Gard ens , ▁K ew ▁and ▁the ▁British ▁Museum ▁upon ▁her ▁return . ▁Tra v elling ▁back ▁to ▁South ▁Africa , ▁P oc ock ▁became ▁interested ▁in ▁alg ae , ▁obtain ing ▁a ▁Ph D ▁on ▁the ▁subject ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Cape ▁Town ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 4 6 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁she ▁established ▁Rh ode ▁University ' s ▁her b arium . ▁She ▁studied ▁Vol vo x ▁in