Evelyn Macdonald was born in Waterford, Ireland, the daughter of George Macdonald, tailor, and Margaret Smyth. The family moved to Chester and Evelyn was educated at Queen’s School, Chester, before studying Natural Sciences at Girton from 1888-1892. She received an MA from Trinity College Dublin in 1905. Evelyn Macdonald was the aunt of George Macdonald, who married Mary Hetherington, daughter of Honoria Hetherington, née Ford. Like the Ford sisters, Cicely and Honoria, she was part of an extended family committed to educating their daughters. Evelyn’s brother, John Smyth Macdonald, who studied at Emmanuel College from 1886-89, voted in favour of the full admission of women to Cambridge University in 1897. Evelyn trained as a teacher and taught science at Wheelwright Grammar School, 1892-94, and Oxford High School, 1894-1921: her career was brought to an end as a result of head injuries caused by a bicycle accident, after which she retired to Christchurch.