Eleanor Davies-Colley facts for kids

Eleanor Davies-Colley (born August 21, 1874, in Petworth, Sussex; died December 10, 1934, in London) was a pioneering British surgeon. She was one of the very first women in the UK to become a surgeon, a job that was almost entirely done by men back then. She also helped start the South London Hospital for Women and Children.

Early Life and Education

Eleanor was born in Petworth, Sussex. Her father, John Neville Colley Davies-Colley, was a surgeon at Guy's Hospital. Her grandfather, Thomas Turner, also worked at the same hospital. Her older sister, Frances Baker, became a painter. Her cousin, Harriet Shaw Weaver, was a writer and publisher who believed in equal rights for women.

Eleanor went to Baker Street High School for Girls and then Queen's College, London. After school, she first worked with poor children in London's East End.

Becoming a Doctor

Eleanor Davies-Colley studied medicine at the London School of Medicine for Women from 1902 to 1907. She earned her medical degree (MB BS) in 1907. In 1910, she received her MD degree from the University of London.

In 1911, she made history. She became the first woman to be a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. This was a huge achievement for women in medicine.

A Career Helping Others

Eleanor Davies-Colley worked as a surgeon for almost 30 years. After graduating in 1907, she worked at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and Obstetric Hospital. This hospital was founded by Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, another famous woman doctor. Eleanor worked there with Maud Chadburn, who was her colleague and friend for 25 years.

Later, Eleanor also taught anatomy at the London School of Medicine. She worked as a surgical registrar at the Royal Free Hospital. Besides her work at the South London Hospital, she was also a surgeon at the Marie Curie Cancer Hospital. She also worked as a senior doctor specializing in childbirth at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital.

In 1917, she helped create the Medical Women's Federation. This group supported women doctors.

Starting a Hospital for Women

In 1911, Eleanor Davies-Colley and Maud Chadburn started raising money. They wanted to build a new hospital called the South London Hospital for Women and Children. At that time, many hospitals would not hire women doctors. So, hospitals run by women helped both female patients and female doctors.

With help from her cousin, Harriet Shaw Weaver, and other women who believed in equal rights, they raised enough money. An outpatient department opened in Newington Causeway in 1912. A new, special hospital with 80 beds was built on Clapham Common. It was staffed entirely by women. Queen Mary officially opened it on July 4, 1916. Eleanor worked at this hospital from the very beginning until she passed away. She held many important roles, including senior surgeon.

The hospital stayed open until 1984. It was special because it kept its policy of only hiring women staff until it closed. This was a tribute to Eleanor and Maud's original vision.

Lasting Impact

Eleanor Davies-Colley passed away suddenly in London in 1934 due to a sudden illness.

Her legacy lives on. In 2004, one of the lecture halls at the Royal College of Surgeons was renovated and named in her honor. This was done to celebrate the role of women in surgery. It also aimed to encourage more women to become surgeons. A big fundraising effort, led by another pioneering woman surgeon named Averil Mansfield, raised a lot of money for this project. The lecture hall has pictures and information about Eleanor Davies-Colley and other women who were pioneers in surgery.