Doris Beale
Encyclopedia
Dame Doris Winifred Beale, DBE, RRC and Bar
(9 August 1889 – 14 January 1971) was a British nurse, and Matron-in-Chief of Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service
(QARNNS) for three years during the Second World War. In the King's birthday honours list 1944 she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE), a first in the Royal Naval Nursing Service
.
, Lewisham
to George Beale (13 February 1855 — 9 June 1923) and Annie Maria Beale, née King (11 September 1858 — 12 August 1949). She was educated at Lewisham Prendergast School and later received as a probationer at London Hospital Training School for Nurses in 1912, where she completed her two years probation, achieving a "very satisfactory" examination result in October 1914. After 2 years further training, she joined QARNNS in 1917. She served at Royal Naval Hospitals in Plymouth and Portsmouth, before spending three years at the Royal Naval Hospital in Gibraltar
. During this time she was admitted as a member of the College of Nursing, becoming a registered nurse in 1923.
in Malta
. Between December 1930 and August 1933 she was in charge of the Cadet Sick Quarters at Dartmouth
, before becoming Superintending Sister at RNH Chatham.
(2nd class) at Buckingham Palace
. The following month she was promoted to the position of Matron at RNH Haslar, Portsmouth, and a year later she moved to RNH Stonehouse, Plymouth, where she stayed during the Blitz
.
In July 1941 she was again promoted, to Matron-in-chief of QARNNS. On 23 September 1941 she was upgraded to the RRC
(first class). In 1943 she became an Officer (Sister) of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, before receiving a bar to her RRC
in January the following year. She was made a Dame on 8 June 1944, and then retired. After retirement she became Deputy Matron-in-Chief of the Joint War Organisation of the Red Cross and St. John.
She received her British Red Cross Society (BRCS) Distinguished War Service Certificate from HM The Queen
in 1946. In 1951, she was awarded the Florence Nightingale
Medal and Certificate by the International Red Cross Committee, presented to her by HRH The Duke of Gloucester
. In 1969 she became a Vice-President of the Hostel for Disabled Women Workers. She was then made the first President of the QARNNS Association in 1970.
, to see the relief work being carried out by British nurses in the area. During this time, she also visited Israel
, Syria
and the Lebanon
. After the visit, she produced a report for the BRCS, giving her findings and outlining her recommendations for future action.In conclusion, she stated:
Royal Red Cross
The Royal Red Cross is a military decoration awarded in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for exceptional services in military nursing.The award was established on 27 April 1883 by Queen Victoria, with a single class of Member...
(9 August 1889 – 14 January 1971) was a British nurse, and Matron-in-Chief of Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service
Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service
Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service is the nursing branch of the British Royal Navy. The Service unit works alongside the Royal Navy Medical Branch....
(QARNNS) for three years during the Second World War. In the King's birthday honours list 1944 she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE), a first in the Royal Naval Nursing Service
Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service
Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service is the nursing branch of the British Royal Navy. The Service unit works alongside the Royal Navy Medical Branch....
.
Early Life (to 1923)
She was born in Forest HillForest Hill, London
Forest Hill is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It situated between Dulwich and Sydenham. The area has enjoyed extensive investment since plans to extend the East London Line to Forest Hill were unveiled in 2004....
, Lewisham
London Borough of Lewisham
The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England and forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham...
to George Beale (13 February 1855 — 9 June 1923) and Annie Maria Beale, née King (11 September 1858 — 12 August 1949). She was educated at Lewisham Prendergast School and later received as a probationer at London Hospital Training School for Nurses in 1912, where she completed her two years probation, achieving a "very satisfactory" examination result in October 1914. After 2 years further training, she joined QARNNS in 1917. She served at Royal Naval Hospitals in Plymouth and Portsmouth, before spending three years at the Royal Naval Hospital in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
. During this time she was admitted as a member of the College of Nursing, becoming a registered nurse in 1923.
Later life
She then had two spells nursing at RNH Chatham (1923–25 and 1927–30), either side of two years at RNH BighiRNH Bighi
RNH Bighi, also known as Bighi Hospital, was a major naval hospital located in the small town of Kalkara on the island of Malta. It served the eastern Mediterranean in the 19th and 20th centuries and, in conjunction with the RN Memorial Hospital at Imtarfa, contributed to the nursing and medical...
in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. Between December 1930 and August 1933 she was in charge of the Cadet Sick Quarters at Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Devon
Dartmouth is a town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes...
, before becoming Superintending Sister at RNH Chatham.
Honours
On 24 February 1937 she was presented with the Royal Red CrossRoyal Red Cross
The Royal Red Cross is a military decoration awarded in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for exceptional services in military nursing.The award was established on 27 April 1883 by Queen Victoria, with a single class of Member...
(2nd class) at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
. The following month she was promoted to the position of Matron at RNH Haslar, Portsmouth, and a year later she moved to RNH Stonehouse, Plymouth, where she stayed during the Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
.
In July 1941 she was again promoted, to Matron-in-chief of QARNNS. On 23 September 1941 she was upgraded to the RRC
RRC
RRC may stand for the following:* Radio Resource Control, a concept and a protocol name for a set of control messages exchanged between user equipment and the Radio Network Controller in the UMTS standard* Railroad Commission of Texas...
(first class). In 1943 she became an Officer (Sister) of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, before receiving a bar to her RRC
RRC
RRC may stand for the following:* Radio Resource Control, a concept and a protocol name for a set of control messages exchanged between user equipment and the Radio Network Controller in the UMTS standard* Railroad Commission of Texas...
in January the following year. She was made a Dame on 8 June 1944, and then retired. After retirement she became Deputy Matron-in-Chief of the Joint War Organisation of the Red Cross and St. John.
She received her British Red Cross Society (BRCS) Distinguished War Service Certificate from HM The Queen
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
in 1946. In 1951, she was awarded the Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale OM, RRC was a celebrated English nurse, writer and statistician. She came to prominence for her pioneering work in nursing during the Crimean War, where she tended to wounded soldiers. She was dubbed "The Lady with the Lamp" after her habit of making rounds at night...
Medal and Certificate by the International Red Cross Committee, presented to her by HRH The Duke of Gloucester
Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester was a soldier and member of the British Royal Family, the third son of George V of the United Kingdom and Queen Mary....
. In 1969 she became a Vice-President of the Hostel for Disabled Women Workers. She was then made the first President of the QARNNS Association in 1970.
Travel to the Middle East
Between October and November 1949, she travelled to the BRCS Commission, JordanJordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, to see the relief work being carried out by British nurses in the area. During this time, she also visited Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and the Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. After the visit, she produced a report for the BRCS, giving her findings and outlining her recommendations for future action.In conclusion, she stated:
I should like to place on record my deep appreciation of the kindness shown to me by all members of the Commission and to express my opinion that the splendid work which is being done for refugees by the BRCS Commission cannot fail to raise the standard of British prestige in the Hashemite Kingdom of the Jordan.