Louisa Aldrich-Blake
DBE | |
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Born | Louisa Brandreth Aldrich-Blake 15 August 1865 , Essex, England |
Died | 28 December 1925 | (aged 60)
Occupation | Surgeon |
Dame Louisa Brandreth Aldrich-Blake and one of the first British women to enter the world of modern medicine.
Born in
Early life and education
Louisa Aldrich-Blake was born in
Aldrich-Blake began her school education at Cheltenham Ladies' College. She graduated with first-class honours from the London School of Medicine for Women by 1894 as a Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Medicine and an MD. Upon graduating from the University of London, Aldrich-Blake followed with a masters in surgery a year later.[4] She went on to take the University of London's higher degrees in Medicine and Surgery, becoming the first British woman to obtain the degree of Master of Surgery.[6]
Career
The newly qualified Aldrich-Blake began work at the New Hospital for Women and Children in London. She worked her way up to become the lead surgeon while also working at the city's Royal Free Hospital.[4] At the Royal Free Hospital, she was the first woman to hold the post of surgical registrar in 1895 and also acted as an anaesthetist. Her position as consulting surgeon at the Royal Free started in 1919 and ended when she died in 1925. She also worked at the Canning Town Women's Settlement Hospital.[4]
During the First World War, many of the male surgical staff were deployed on foreign active service and Dr. Aldrich-Blake took on increased responsibility for the surgery, becoming consulting surgeon to the hospital. Aldrich-Blake spent multiple holidays aiding the military hospitals in 1914 to 1916, specifically in France with Dr. Frances Ivens from the Anglo-French Red Cross Hospital and helped out as a visiting surgeon at the
Aldrich-Blake was the first to perform operations for
Academia
Aldrich-Blake was devoted to training students at her alma mater, the London School of Medicine for Women (now the medical school of University College London).[6] She became Vice-Dean in 1906 and Dean of the School in 1914.[3] Aldrich-Blake's encouragement for women to join the medical field increased the school's population by almost double during the First World War.[3]
Death and legacy
Aldrich-Blake died on 28 December 1925 from cancer at home in Welsh Bicknor, having undergone several operations during previous weeks. St Pancras Church in London celebrated her life on 1 January 1926 and her ashes were transferred back to her home.[3]
The Dame Louisa Brandreth Aldrich-Blake Collection is located in the Royal Free Hospital's Archives Centre. A statue of her is in Tavistock Square, London.[4] Her career was highlighted in a 2015 exhibit specifically related to her actions in the First World War where she performed surgery on the front line and encouraged other women to join the field. She also influenced the War Office to allow women to enlist to be a part of the medical staff.[9]
In 2019, she was acknowledged with a Google Doodle for the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Bulgaria, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, and Iceland on the 154th anniversary of her birth.[10][11]
Awards and honours
A year before her death, Aldrich-Blake was appointed
References
- ^ a b Staff (30 December 1925). "Distinguished woman surgeon. Death of Dame Louisa Aldrich-Blake". Gloucester Citizen – via The British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Staff (8 March 1926). "Dame Louisa Aldrich-Blake's Will". Gloucester Citizen – via The British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/30367. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Women in medicine: Wendy Reid and Louisa Aldrich-Blake". RCP London. Royal College of Physicians. 3 October 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
- ^ "Baptism Register for Chingford". Baptism Register for Chingford 1860–1866, WF/C83/2 RBp 2, p. 96.
- ^ a b "Louisa Aldrich-Blake". University of London. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
- OCLC 978293838.
- PMID 20772293.
- ^ "Dame Louisa Aldrich-Blake: Britain's First Female Surgeon". Science Museum Blog. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
- ^ "Louisa Aldrich-Blake's 154th Birthday Google Doodle". 14 August 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
- ^ Doodles Archive: Louisa Aldrich-Blake's 154th Birthday, 15 August 2019, retrieved 15 August 2019
- ^ "Page 6 | Supplement 33007, 30 December 1924 | London Gazette | The Gazette".