Janet Lim facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Janet Lim Chiu Mei
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|---|---|
| 林秋美 | |
Janet Lim Chiu Mei
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| Born |
Kwek Chiu Mei
July 14, 1923 |
| Died | August 5, 2014 (aged 91) |
| Other names | Lim-Strang Chiu Mei |
| Alma mater | Church of England Zenana Missionary School |
| Occupation | writer, former nurse |
| Years active | 1940–1959 |
| Employer | St Andrew’s Mission Hospital |
| Known for | First Singapore nurse |
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Notable work
|
Sold for Silver (1958) |
| Spouse(s) |
Errol Strang
(m. 1959; died 2002) |
| Children | 3 children |
Janet Lim Chiu Mei (born Kwek Chiu Mei) was a special writer from Singapore. She was born around July 14, 1923, and passed away on August 5, 2014. Janet made history by becoming the first Asian hospital matron in Singapore.
Her Early Life
Janet Lim Chiu Mei was born in Hong Kong. She grew up in Guangdong province, China. Her father died when she was young. Later, her family faced money problems. Because of this, she was sent to work as a domestic helper. This was called a mui tsai.
In the 1930s, she was sent to Singapore. There, she was placed with a new family. In 1933, Singapore made it illegal to bring in new mui tsais. They also started checking on the ones already there. Janet was able to show she was not being treated well. She was then moved to a girls' orphanage run by Po Leung Kuk. In 1934, she started going to the Church of England Zenana Missionary School.
Becoming a Nurse
In 1940, Janet began training to be a nurse. She trained at the St Andrew’s Mission Hospital. She became a qualified nurse the very next year. Around this time, a Christian family adopted her.
She started working as a nurse. But in 1942, the Japanese army took over Singapore. Janet had to escape. The ship she was on sank. Fishermen rescued her, but the Japanese captured her again in Sumatra. She was held captive for some time.
After the war ended, in 1948, she went back to St Andrew’s Mission Hospital. In 1951, she became the first nurse from Singapore to study in Britain. She returned to Singapore a year later. She was now a state registered nurse. By 1954, she became a matron at St Andrew's Mission Hospital. This was a very important role.
A Writer and Her Later Years
In 1958, Janet wrote a book about her life. It was called Sold for Silver. This book was very important. It was the first English book written by a woman from Singapore.
In 1959, she left the hospital. She married Errol J. Strang. He was a doctor and a missionary from Australia. The couple first moved to Kuala Lumpur. Then they went to Hong Kong. In the 1960s, they settled in Australia. They raised three children together.
Her husband, Errol Strang, passed away in 2002. In March 2014, Janet was honored. She was added to the Singapore Women's Hall of Fame. She died five months later in Brisbane on August 5, 2014.
