Constance Watney
Encyclopedia
Constance Watney, M.B.E., C.O.C., S.R.N., M.B.C.N., was a British born missionary nurse in Uganda
.
, Surrey. She was the fourth daughter of Norman Watney of Westerham
, Kent, son of James Watney
the brewer.
Early in life Constance dedicated herself to missionary work, and for this purpose trained as a nurse at St Bartholomew's Hospital
. In 1906 she went as a student of midwifery to Clapham Maternity Hospital and took her CMB Examination.
, Uganda
, where she worked in the Mengo Hospital
under Dr., later Sir, Albert Ruskin Cook
. Mengo Hospital is on Namirembe hill in Kampala.
In 1918 Mengo hospital, in addition to its missionary work, served as a base hospital for the fighting in East Africa
, and for her share of the very heavy work “ Sister Connie,” as she was called, received the MBE
.
For nursing an official of the Belgian Government, Sister Connie was awarded the very rare honour of Croix de l’Ordre de la Couranne (Seventh Class).
In May 1921 Constance Watney joined Dr Algie Stanley Smith (who had been brought up by Constance's maiden aunts, Alice and Emily Watney in South Croydon after the death of his mother when he was a young teenager) and Dr Len Sharp at Kabale
, in south west Uganda where they a new beginning was made for missionary work into Ruanda, in Belgian territory. She helped to start a hospital under very difficult conditions and they were able to receive the first patient in June 1922.
and was invalided home, never to return. She was told her life must henceforth be that of an invalid, but her heart was too much in nursing to give it up, and she went back to Clapham
, where she had received her maternity training, and worked in various capacities there under Dr. Annie McCall until the hospital was bombed in 1940.
Constance died on November 23, 1947.
ary Society). Her niece, Faith, was a missionary with CMS in Sudan
, and married Leonard Sharland
. Two of their sons, Roger and David, have also been missionaries in Sudan, as is their grandson, Emmanuel.
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
.
Early Years
Constance Watney was born in 1878 in BeddingtonBeddington
Beddington is a settlement between the London Boroughs of Sutton and Croydon. The BedZED low energy housing scheme is located here. In Beddington was a static inverter plant of HVDC Kingsnorth....
, Surrey. She was the fourth daughter of Norman Watney of Westerham
Westerham
Westerham is a town and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, in South East England with 5,000 people. The parish is south of the North Downs, ten miles west of Sevenoaks. It covers 5800 acres . It is recorded as early as the 9th century, and was mentioned in the Domesday Book in a...
, Kent, son of James Watney
James Watney
James Watney was a brewer and landowner who resided at Haling Park, Croydon, and Beddington, Surrey. He was born to Daniel Watney of Mitcham, Surrey and Mary Galpin , daughter of James Galpin of Mitcham, Surrey...
the brewer.
Early in life Constance dedicated herself to missionary work, and for this purpose trained as a nurse at St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital, also known as Barts, is a hospital in Smithfield in the City of London, England.-Early history:It was founded in 1123 by Raherus or Rahere , a favourite courtier of King Henry I...
. In 1906 she went as a student of midwifery to Clapham Maternity Hospital and took her CMB Examination.
Missionary Work in Uganda
In 1908 Constance was accepted by the Church Missionary Society (C.M.S.) and sent out to KampalaKampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, where she worked in the Mengo Hospital
Mengo Hospital
Mengo Hospital, also known as Namirembe Hospital, is a hospital in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda.-Location:The hospital is located on Namirembe Hill, in Lubaga Division, in the northwestern Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest metropolitan area. The travel distance, by road, from the city's...
under Dr., later Sir, Albert Ruskin Cook
Albert Ruskin Cook
Sir Albert Ruskin Cook, CMG, OBE, MD was a British born medical missionary in Uganda, and founder of Mulago Hospital and Mengo Hospital. Together with his wife, Katharine Cook , he established a maternity training school in Uganda....
. Mengo Hospital is on Namirembe hill in Kampala.
In 1918 Mengo hospital, in addition to its missionary work, served as a base hospital for the fighting in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
, and for her share of the very heavy work “ Sister Connie,” as she was called, received the MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
.
For nursing an official of the Belgian Government, Sister Connie was awarded the very rare honour of Croix de l’Ordre de la Couranne (Seventh Class).
In May 1921 Constance Watney joined Dr Algie Stanley Smith (who had been brought up by Constance's maiden aunts, Alice and Emily Watney in South Croydon after the death of his mother when he was a young teenager) and Dr Len Sharp at Kabale
Kabale
Kabale is a city in Western Uganda. It is the 'chief town' of Kabale District and the district headquarters are located there. The district is named after the town.-Location:...
, in south west Uganda where they a new beginning was made for missionary work into Ruanda, in Belgian territory. She helped to start a hospital under very difficult conditions and they were able to receive the first patient in June 1922.
Invalided Home
In 1923 Sister Connie contracted a very severe form of Bright's DiseaseBright's disease
Bright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that would be described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. The term is no longer used, as diseases are now classified according to their more fully understood causes....
and was invalided home, never to return. She was told her life must henceforth be that of an invalid, but her heart was too much in nursing to give it up, and she went back to Clapham
Clapham
Clapham is a district in south London, England, within the London Borough of Lambeth.Clapham covers the postcodes of SW4 and parts of SW9, SW8 and SW12. Clapham Common is shared with the London Borough of Wandsworth, although Lambeth has responsibility for running the common as a whole. According...
, where she had received her maternity training, and worked in various capacities there under Dr. Annie McCall until the hospital was bombed in 1940.
Constance died on November 23, 1947.
A Missionary Heritage in the Family
Constance’s sister Katherine (Kate) was a Missionary in China with CEZMS (Church of England Zenana MissionChurch of England Zenana Mission
Church of England Zenana Mission was a British Anglican Christian missionary society that was involved in sending workers to countries such as China during the late Qing Dynasty....
ary Society). Her niece, Faith, was a missionary with CMS in Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, and married Leonard Sharland
Leonard Sharland
Leonard William Chapple Sharland LTh MA was a pioneer missionary amongst the Dinka people with the Gordon Memorial Mission of the Church Missionary Society in southern Sudan in the middle of the 20th century.-Early Life:...
. Two of their sons, Roger and David, have also been missionaries in Sudan, as is their grandson, Emmanuel.