Greaves was born in 1880 in Worcester to her father, Walter, a farmer, and his wife Elizabeth. Edith was the oldest of at least five daughters. By the time Greaves was 21 her father had died, and she was working as a hospital clerk.[9] Greaves worked as Assistant Secretary at Birmingham Children's Hospital for over three years before she started nurse training.[10]
Career
City of London Maternity Hospital
Greaves trained as a nurse at The London Hospital under MatronEva Luckes between 1902-1906.[11] Following completion of her training she trained as a midwife at The London, and worked as a staff nurse, midwifery sister and nurses home sister. Greaves applied for the matronship of Birmingham Infirmary but Lückes ‘had already recommended a candidate who had far more experience in general management than Edith Greaves’.[12] In 1912 Greaves was appointed as matron of the City of London Maternity Hospital and held the post for at least 32 years.[2] The hospital was hit during air raids during World War Two, and Greaves helped supervisd it's relocation to Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire.[13] She was a member of the Council for the College of Midwives, and the Central Midwives Board.[1][3]
Greaves was appointed an OBE in 1944 for her services to midwifery.[1]
Retirement and death
Greaves retired after 1946, and moved to Kent. She was on Margate Hospital Management Committee for nine years.[15] A local maternity department at Margate Hospital (now the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospita l) was named the Edith Greaves Maternity Unit in 1965 after Greaves's in recognition of her 'lifelong association with midwifery'.[16][15] Greaves died on 2 October 1967.[17]
References
1 2 3 "New Year Honours". Nursing Notes. 57 (674): 12. February 1944 – via Archive: Female Forerunners Worldwide Collection: Historical Nursing.
1 2 "Miss Edith E. Greaves". The Nursing Times. 8 (367): 522. 11 May 1912 – via Women's Studies Archive.
1 2 "Among the New Years Honours". The Nursing Times. 40 (2): 20. 8 January 1944 – via Women's Studies Archive.
↑ Evidence taken from 1891, 1901 and ONS Birth registers.
↑ Edith Elizabeth Greaves, Register of Probationers; RLHLH/N/1/9, 124; Barts Health NHS Trust Archives and Museums, London
↑ Rogers, Sarah (2022). "A Maker of Matrons"? A study of Eva Lückes's influence on a generation of nurse leaders: 1880–1919 (unpublished PhD thesis, University of Huddersfield, April 2022).
↑ Edith Elizabeth Greaves, Register of Sisters and Nurses; RLHLH/N/4/2, 147; Barts Health NHS Trust Archives and Museums, London
↑ "A Day at Brocket Hall". The Nursing Times. 38 (1945): 518–519. 8 August 1942 – via Women's Studies Archive.
↑ "Members of the Civil Division". The London Gazette: 3809. 2 June 1933 – via The Lonodn Gazette.
1 2 "Now- a maternity wing has been named after her". Thanet Times: n.p. 14 June 1966.
↑ "Thanet's Seven Hospitals". Thanet Times: 7. 26 October 1965 – via www.findmypast.co,uk.
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