Georgina Pope facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Georgina Pope
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Georgina Pope
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| Born |
Cecily Jane Georgina Fane Pope
January 1, 1862 Charlottetown, PEI
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| Died | 6 June 1938 (aged 76) Charlottetown, PEI
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| Nationality | Canadian |
Georgina Pope (1862–1938) was a brave Canadian nurse. She was honored with the Royal Red Cross (RRC) for her amazing service. Georgina helped soldiers during the Second Boer War and the First World War.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Georgina Fane Pope was born on January 1, 1862. Her hometown was Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Her father, William Pope, was one of the important "Fathers of Confederation". This means he helped create Canada.
Even though she came from a well-known family, Georgina chose a different path. Instead of getting married and becoming a socialite, she wanted to be a nurse. She traveled to New York to train at Bellevue Hospital.
A Career of Service
After finishing her nursing studies, Georgina became a leader. She was the superintendent at the Columbia Hospital for Women in Washington D.C. There, she even started a school for nurses.
Helping in the Boer War
In October 1899, Georgina volunteered to help in the Second Boer War. This war was fought in South Africa. She led the very first group of Canadian nurses to go overseas. She served for over a year in South Africa.
For the first five months, she and four other nurses worked in British hospitals. These hospitals were north of Cape Town. Later, Georgina and another nurse went to Kroonstad. They took charge of a military hospital there. They had very little food and medicine. Still, they successfully cared for 230 soldiers who had enteric fever.
Royal Recognition
On September 21, 1901, Georgina received a special medal. The Duke of York (who later became King George V) gave it to her. Two other nurses, Deborah Hurcomb and Sarah Forbes, also received medals. This was for their brave service during the war.
Georgina returned to South Africa in 1902. She was the senior nurse for a second group of 8 Canadian nurses. She worked at a hospital in Natal until the war ended in May.
On October 31, 1902, Georgina made history. She became the first Canadian to receive the Royal Red Cross. This award is given for excellent and distinguished service in the field.
Leading the Army Nurses
In 1908, Georgina was given another important role. She was appointed the first Matron of the Canadian Army Medical Corps. This meant she was the head nurse for the entire army.
World War I Service
In 1917, Georgina was 55 years old. Even though she wasn't in perfect health, she went to work near Ypres. She continued to serve for the rest of World War I, until 1918. She helped soldiers in England and France.
Later Life and Legacy
Georgina Pope passed away on June 6, 1938. She was given a full military funeral. This showed how much her country respected her.
Georgina is one of fourteen important people from Canada's military history. They are honored at the Valiants Memorial in Ottawa.
In 2012, a Canadian artist named Laurie McGaw designed a special five-dollar coin. This coin honored four nurses. Georgina Pope is shown in the front of the coin, leading the way. The coin is made of pure silver. Only 10,000 of these special coins were made.
Sources
- Collections Canada: Georgina Pope Government of Canada Archives
- War Museum of Canada: Georgina Pope War Museum of Canada
