Enid Russell-Smith
Encyclopedia
Dame Enid Mary Russell Russell-Smith, DBE
(born 3 March 1903 – died 12 July 1989) was a British
civil servant.
, Surrey
to Arthur Russell-Smith and Constance Mary (née Dilke), she attended Saint Felix School
, Southwold
, and Newnham College, Cambridge
, graduating in 1925.
She was one of the first women to enter the British civil service via competitive examination. She joined the MoH (Ministry of Health) as an Assistant Principal, where she was later promoted to:
During WWII she helped evacuate children from Britain's major cities to the countryside to escape the Blitz
.
, holding the titles of Principal Assistant Secretary, Under-Secretary and Deputy Secretary.
She retired from the Civil Service in 1963, entering academia, being appointed as Principal of St Aidan's College at Durham University
from 1963 to 1970. She was a part-time lecturer at Durham until 1986. She died at home on 12 July 1989, unmarried, aged 86.
and was named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire
in 1953.
Russell-Smith was also among the first British women to be awarded a black belt in judo
. She began judo at age 34, and achieved her shodan
(first black belt) grading in 1945. She ultimately achieved a 3-dan ranking through the London Budokwai
. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, she also edited Britain's first regular judo publication, the Budokwai Quarterly Bulletin.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 3 March 1903 – died 12 July 1989) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
civil servant.
Career
Born in EsherEsher
Esher is a town in the Surrey borough of Elmbridge in South East England near the River Mole. It is a very prosperous part of the Greater London Urban Area, largely suburban in character, and is situated 14.1 miles south west of Charing Cross....
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
to Arthur Russell-Smith and Constance Mary (née Dilke), she attended Saint Felix School
Saint Felix School
Saint Felix School is an independent school in Southwold, Suffolk.-Notable former pupils:* Jane Benham MBE - played a significant role in preserving Thames sailing barges* Natalie Caine - woodwind player...
, Southwold
Southwold
Southwold is a town on the North Sea coast, in the Waveney district of the English county of Suffolk. It is located on the North Sea coast at the mouth of the River Blyth within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is around south of Lowestoft and north-east...
, and Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1871 by Henry Sidgwick, and was the second Cambridge college to admit women after Girton College...
, graduating in 1925.
She was one of the first women to enter the British civil service via competitive examination. She joined the MoH (Ministry of Health) as an Assistant Principal, where she was later promoted to:
- Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretary (1930-34)
- Principal (1934-39) and Assistant Secretary (from 1939)
During WWII she helped evacuate children from Britain's major cities to the countryside to escape 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...
.
After WWII
Russell-Smith later participated in the establishment of the UK's NHSNational Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
, holding the titles of Principal Assistant Secretary, Under-Secretary and Deputy Secretary.
She retired from the Civil Service in 1963, entering academia, being appointed as Principal of St Aidan's College at Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
from 1963 to 1970. She was a part-time lecturer at Durham until 1986. She died at home on 12 July 1989, unmarried, aged 86.
Awards/honours
She was an honorary fellow of Newnham College, CambridgeNewnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1871 by Henry Sidgwick, and was the second Cambridge college to admit women after Girton College...
and was named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1953.
Russell-Smith was also among the first British women to be awarded a black belt in judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
. She began judo at age 34, and achieved her shodan
Shodan
, literally meaning "beginning degree," is the lowest black belt rank in Japanese martial arts and the game of Go. The 2nd dan is higher than Shodan, but the 1st dan is called Shodan traditionally and the 1st dan is not called "Ichidan"...
(first black belt) grading in 1945. She ultimately achieved a 3-dan ranking through the London Budokwai
Budokwai
is the oldest Japanese martial arts club in Europe. It was founded in 1918 by Gunji Koizumi and initially offered tuition in jujutsu, kendo, and other Japanese arts. It was the first Judo club in Europe with membership open to the general public.-History:...
. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, she also edited Britain's first regular judo publication, the Budokwai Quarterly Bulletin.
Publications
- "Modern Bureaucracy: the Home Civil Service" (1974). Gazette Issue 39863 published on 26 May 1953, p. 15