FLASHCARDS: Lillian Baumbach Jacobs: America’s First Female Master Plumber

🔎 Episode Overview

In this Flashcards episode of Math! Science! History!, we celebrate the life and legacy of Lillian Baumbach Jacobs, the first female master plumber in the U.S. Just in time for next week’s Fix a Leak Week, we explore how Lillian defied societal norms, mastered a trade dominated by men, and became an unexpected icon, even receiving fan mail from soldiers during the Korean War. From her early days learning plumbing alongside her father to becoming the head of Baumbach Plumbers, Lillian’s journey was one of perseverance, skill, and leadership. Her legacy not only paved the way for women in the trades but also serves as a powerful reminder that passion and expertise matter more than outdated stereotypes. In this episode, we discuss three major lessons we can take from her story—breaking barriers, following passion over stereotypes, and creating opportunities by challenging norms. Whether you’re pursuing a career in STEM, trades, business, or leadership, Lillian’s journey proves that no field is off-limits.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

✔️ Break Barriers in Any Industry
✔️ Follow Passion Over Stereotypes
✔️ Create Opportunities by Challenging Norms

🏛 Links & Resources:

Women in Plumbing & Piping (WiPP) – wipp.org (A network supporting women in the plumbing industry)

The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) – nawic.org (Support and scholarships for women in construction and trades)

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Episode Transcript

(00:02):
(Transcribed by TurboScribe.ai. Go Unlimited to remove this message.) It's Friday, and that means here at Math
Science History, it's time for Flashcard Friday.
Today, just in time for next week's Fix
-a-Leak Week.
Yep, Fix-a-Leak Week.
Check those leaks on your pipes.
I'm talking about the life and legacy of
Lillian Bombach-Jacobs, an incredible woman who broke

(00:23):
barriers in a field dominated by men.
Who was she, and what does she have
to do with fixing a leak?
Well, Lillian's story is one of perseverance, skill,
and a little bit of unexpected fame.
She was born in 1930 in Arlington, Virginia,
and from a young age, she was exposed
to the world of plumbing thanks to her

(00:44):
father, William Bombach.
He owned a successful plumbing business, Bombach Plumbers,
and young Lillian quickly took an interest in
his work.
Unlike many girls of her generation, who were
encouraged to pursue more traditional roles, Lillian was
fascinated by the mechanics of plumbing.
She would follow her father to job sites,
watch him work, and absorb everything he taught

(01:07):
her.
While many fathers might have discouraged their daughters
from entering such a male-dominated trade, William
Bombach supported her curiosity.
By the time she was a teenager, Lillian
was already helping with the plumbing jobs, learning
how to install pipes, repair leaks, and understand
complex plumbing systems.
Her hands-on experience, combined with her natural

(01:28):
aptitude, set the stage for her groundbreaking achievement.
In 1951, at the age of 21, Lillian
Bombach made history.
She took the Master Plumber's exam and passed,
becoming the first American woman to earn a
master's license in plumbing.
This was an incredible feat at a time
when women were rarely seen in the trades,

(01:49):
let alone holding a professional license in them.
But this wasn't just a personal achievement.
Lillian challenged societal norms.
Plumbing was considered a tough, dirty, and physically
demanding job.
It still is.
One that most people assumed only men could
handle.
Lillian shattered that perception.

(02:10):
She not only excelled in the field, but
also did so with confidence and expertise that
demanded respect.
Her accomplishment made headlines.
The idea of a young woman working as
a plumber was so unusual that she became
a media sensation almost overnight.
Her accomplishment made headlines.

(02:31):
The idea of a young woman working as
a plumber was so unusual that she became
a media sensation almost overnight.
And after earning her master's plumber's license, Lillian's
story caught the attention of the press.
Newspapers and magazines across the country ran articles
about the quote, Lady Master Plumber, as they

(02:53):
called her.
Her fame took an unexpected turn when U
.S. soldiers fighting in the Korean War began
writing her letters.
They were fascinated by the idea of a
woman excelling in such an unexpected field.
And soon, she became something of a pinup
girl.
Not for modeling, but for her skills as
a plumber.
Lillian received hundreds of letters from servicemen, many

(03:16):
asking for photographs.
She obliged, and she sent signed pictures, though
she was always in her professional attire rather
than a traditional pinup outfit.
Some soldiers even proposed marriage, charmed by her
intelligence, confidence, and groundbreaking achievements.
This level of attention might have overwhelmed some

(03:37):
people, but Lillian handled it with grace.
She didn't let the media frenzy distract her
from her work.
Instead, she continued to focus on her plumbing
career, proving time and again that she was
more than just a novelty.
She was a skilled professional.
Of course, breaking into a male-dominated industry
came with its challenges.

(03:59):
While Lillian's skills were undeniable, she undoubtedly faced
skepticism and bias from some of her peers
and customers.
Many people at the time still believed that
women couldn't handle physically demanding jobs like plumbing.
Some may have assumed she was only in
the business because of her father, but Lillian

(04:19):
proved them wrong by demonstrating her expertise on
every single job.
And one of the most significant aspects of
her success was her ability to lead.
Eventually, she took over Bomboc Plumbers, running the
company and managing projects just like any other
master plumber.
Under her leadership, the business thrived, and she

(04:39):
gained respect in the industry.
Lillian continued working in the plumbing business for
decades.
She remained an advocate for women in the
trades, paving the way for future generations, even
though she never actively sought to be a
role model.
Her story inspired many women to consider careers
in fields they had previously been discouraged from

(05:01):
entering.
Eventually, she retired in 1989 after nearly four
decades in the business.
By then, the world had changed significantly from
the time she first picked up a wrench.
More women were entering trade professions, though they
were still in the minority.
Lillian's success showed that with determination and skill,
barriers could be broken.

(05:22):
Lillian Bomboc Jacobs passed away in 2000 at
the age of 70, but her legacy lives
on.
She remains an important figure in the history
of women in skilled trades.
Today, there are more initiatives than ever to
encourage women to join plumbing, electrical work, construction,
and other trade professions.

(05:44):
Lillian wasn't just the first female master plumber.
She was a woman who followed her passion,
she ignored the stereotypes, and she created opportunities
by simply being excellent at what she did.
And that's something we can all learn from.
So ladies, and trans ladies, what can we
learn from Lillian?
Well, we can break barriers in any industry.

(06:07):
If you've ever been told that a certain
career or role isn't meant for you, just
ignore it.
Whether it's STEM, the trades, entrepreneurship, or leadership,
there is no field off limits.
You can take action.
Look for training programs, certifications, or apprenticeships in
your area.
Find mentors who can guide you through your

(06:28):
journey, or connect with organizations that support women
in non-traditional careers, like Women in Plumbing
and Piping, also known as WIP, or the
National Association of Women in Construction, that's NAWIC.
I will post these resources on my website
at mathsciencehistory.com, as well as some other
resources.

(06:48):
Remember, breaking barriers starts with one step, just
like Lillian took that first step into her
father's plumbing business.
Two, follow passion over stereotypes.
Lillian became a plumber, not to make a
statement, but because she genuinely loved the work.
The lesson?
Passion and skill matter more than what society
says you should do.

(07:11):
So ask yourself, what are you passionate about,
and are you pursuing it?
Have you been avoiding a dream because it
doesn't fit traditional expectations?
And what's stopping you from going after what
excites you?
Develop your skills and confidence.
Take a course, practice, learn, and get hands
-on experience.
The more you refine your skills, the less

(07:31):
outside opinions will matter.
And three, create opportunities by challenging the norms.
Lillian never expected to become famous.
She was just doing what she loved, and
opportunities came as a result.
The same can happen for you when you
push past your comfort zone.
And here's how you can challenge norms and

(07:52):
create new opportunities for yourself.
Say yes to challenges that scare you.
Growth happens outside of your comfort zone.
It really does.
Step into leadership roles, even when they feel
intimidating.
Be a role model, share your journey, mentor
others, and uplift women and trans women in

(08:12):
your field.
Lillian Baumbach Jacobs didn't wait for permission to
follow her path.
She didn't let outdated ideas hold her back.
She pursued her passion, became a pioneer, and
inspired countless women along the way.
And now, ladies and trans ladies, it's your
turn.
Whatever your path, science, history, plumbing, engineering, business,

(08:34):
don't let anybody tell you it's not for
you.
Follow your curiosity, build your expertise, and most
importantly, never let outdated ideas dictate what you
can or cannot do.
Because the next Lillian Baumbach Jacobs just might
be listening to this podcast right now.
So go out there, ladies, break barriers and

(08:56):
make history.
And until next time, carpe diem.
Did you know the word plum comes from
the Latin plumbum, meaning lead?
The Romans used lead to make water pipes,
and that's why we call those who fix
leaks plumbers, a nod to their original work
with the metal.

(09:16):
And what about the B in the word
plumber?
Sometime during the Middle English period of the
12th to 15th century, pronunciation changes saw words
like lamb, climb, and plum lose the B
sound but not the spelling.
The word drain is thought to trace back
to an old Germanic term that also gave

(09:37):
us the words dry and drought.
At first glance, they may not seem linguistically
related, but when you think about it, it
makes perfect sense.
Hello, Math Science History listeners.
I'm Leon, host of Etymolion Word History, where
I explore the origins of words and names,

(09:58):
along with historical events tied to them.
You can listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Just search Etymolion.
That's E-T-Y-M-O-L-E
-O-N.