Louisa Martindale
Encyclopedia
Dr. Louisa Martindale, CBE
, MB/BS (Lond.), FRCOG, JP (30 October 1872 — 5 February 1966) was an English
physician, surgeon
, and writer. She also served as magistrate on the Brighton bench, was a prison commissioner and a member of the National Council of Women. She served with the Scottish Women's Hospitals at Royaumont Abbey
in France
in World War I
, and as a surgeon in London in World War II
. Through her writings she promoted medicine as a career for women.
, Essex
, the first child of William Martindale (c. 1832–1874) and his second wife Louisa
, née Spicer
(1839–1914). The family had a Congregational Church
background. Her mother, "a champion of a larger life for women", was an active suffragist and a member of the Women's Liberal Federation
, and of the executive committee of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies
. In the 1880s, Mrs. Martindale held open house for Brighton shop girls on a regular basis, and thus young Louisa would have grown up in an environment supportive of her future career.
After the death of William Martindale the family moved to Cornwall
, and thence to Germany
and Switzerland
, finally returning to England to live in Lewes
, East Sussex
. In 1885 the family moved again, this time to Brighton
so that Louisa and her sister Hilda could attend Brighton High School for Girls. From an early age it had been decided that Louisa should become a doctor, and at 17 she was sent to Royal Holloway, University of London
in Egham
and obtained her London Matriculation in 1892. She then entered the London School of Medicine for Women
in 1893, gaining her MB in 1899, and her BS. In 1901 she went north to Hull
as an assistant to Dr. Mary Murdoch (1864–1916), the beginning of her professional life.
and returned to Brighton. She started her own general practice and very soon was asked to join the Lewes Road Dispensary for Women and Children (which in 1911 became the Lady Chichester Hospital, Brighton Branch) as a visiting medical officer. In 1920 she was instrumental in the setting up of the New Sussex Hospital for Women in Windlesham Road, Brighton, and held the post of senior Surgeon and Physician there until 1937. She left Brighton and Hove in 1922, moving to London to start a Surgical Consultant Practice but continued to operate part-time at the New Sussex Hospital.
Martindale's medical interests were sometimes controversial, especially her studies of venereal disease and prostitution
; her book Under the Surface (1909), in which she spoke quite openly about these very topics, apparently caused a stir in the House of Commons. Nonetheless she was awarded with the CBE
in 1931.
She secured a long and distinguished life and career in medicine, carrying out over 7000 operations. Her work brought her respect and acknowledgment from both her colleagues and her patients: she was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians in 1933, and was a member of the Royal Society of Medicine
. Eventually she became a specialist in the early treatment of cervical cancer
by X-ray
and she later lectured extensively throughout the UK, the United States, and Germany.
and a member of the National Council of Women. She served with the Scottish Women’s Hospitals at Royaumont Abbey
in France
in World War I
, and as a surgeon in London in World War II
. Martindale never married and lived for more than three decades with another woman, Ismay FitzGerald (c. 1875-1946), daughter of Baron FitzGerald
of Kilmarnock. Some scholars are wary of identifying Martindale as a lesbian
; Geoffrey Walford, for instance, does not state whether Martindale's "woman-centred lifestyle" specifically entailed a lesbian relationship. Others are more explicit and unhesitatingly propose Martindale's lesbianism, referring for instance to her 1951 autobiography A Woman Surgeon, in which she writes quite openly and tenderly (though without giving explicit detail) about her love for FitzGerald.
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...
, MB/BS (Lond.), FRCOG, JP (30 October 1872 — 5 February 1966) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
physician, surgeon
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
, and writer. She also served as magistrate on the Brighton bench, was a prison commissioner and a member of the National Council of Women. She served with the Scottish Women's Hospitals at Royaumont Abbey
Royaumont Abbey
Royaumont Abbey was a Cistercian abbey, located near Asnières-sur-Oise in Val-d'Oise, approximately 30 km north of Paris, France.-History:It was built between 1228 and 1235 with the support of Louis IX...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and as a surgeon in London in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Through her writings she promoted medicine as a career for women.
Early life
Louisa Martindale was born in LeytonstoneLeytonstone
Leytonstone is an area of east London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is a high density suburban area, located seven miles north east of Charing Cross in the ceremonial county of Greater London and the historic county of Essex...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, the first child of William Martindale (c. 1832–1874) and his second wife Louisa
Louisa Martindale (feminist)
Louisa Martindale, née Spicer was a British activist for women's rights and suffragist.She was born in Woodford Green, Essex. Her father, James Spicer, was a wholesale stationer with a successful family business. The family were prominent Congregationalists.She founded the Ray Lodge Mission...
, née Spicer
Sir Albert Spicer, 1st Baronet
Sir Albert Spicer, 1st Baronet PC was an English businessman and Liberal Party politician.He was born in Brixton, London, the son of James Spicer D.L...
(1839–1914). The family had a Congregational Church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
background. Her mother, "a champion of a larger life for women", was an active suffragist and a member of the Women's Liberal Federation
Women's Liberal Federation
The Women's Liberal Federation was an organisation which was part of the Liberal Party in the United Kingdom during the 1880s.During this period women became more active in politics. The Women's Liberal Federation attempted to make the Liberal Party introduce a measure which gave women the vote...
, and of the executive committee of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies
National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies
The National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies , also known as the Suffragists was an organisation of women's suffrage societies in the United Kingdom.-Formation and campaigning:...
. In the 1880s, Mrs. Martindale held open house for Brighton shop girls on a regular basis, and thus young Louisa would have grown up in an environment supportive of her future career.
After the death of William Martindale the family moved to Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, and thence to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, finally returning to England to live in Lewes
Lewes
Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and historically of all of Sussex. It is a civil parish and is the centre of the Lewes local government district. The settlement has a history as a bridging point and as a market town, and today as a communications hub and tourist-oriented town...
, East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
. In 1885 the family moved again, this time to Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
so that Louisa and her sister Hilda could attend Brighton High School for Girls. From an early age it had been decided that Louisa should become a doctor, and at 17 she was sent to Royal Holloway, University of London
Royal Holloway, University of London
Royal Holloway, University of London is a constituent college of the University of London. The college has three faculties, 18 academic departments, and about 8,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students from over 130 different countries...
in Egham
Egham
Egham is a wealthy suburb in the Runnymede borough of Surrey, in the south-east of England. It is part of the London commuter belt and Greater London Urban Area, and about south-west of central London on the River Thames and near junction 13 of the M25 motorway.-Demographics:Egham town has a...
and obtained her London Matriculation in 1892. She then entered the London School of Medicine for Women
London School of Medicine for Women
The London School of Medicine for Women was established in 1874 and was the first medical school in Britain to train women.The school was formed by an association of pioneering women physicians Sophia Jex-Blake, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, Emily Blackwell and Elizabeth Blackwell with Thomas Henry...
in 1893, gaining her MB in 1899, and her BS. In 1901 she went north to Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
as an assistant to Dr. Mary Murdoch (1864–1916), the beginning of her professional life.
Professional life
After five years in Hull, in 1906 Martindale gained her Doctor of MedicineDoctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
and returned to Brighton. She started her own general practice and very soon was asked to join the Lewes Road Dispensary for Women and Children (which in 1911 became the Lady Chichester Hospital, Brighton Branch) as a visiting medical officer. In 1920 she was instrumental in the setting up of the New Sussex Hospital for Women in Windlesham Road, Brighton, and held the post of senior Surgeon and Physician there until 1937. She left Brighton and Hove in 1922, moving to London to start a Surgical Consultant Practice but continued to operate part-time at the New Sussex Hospital.
Martindale's medical interests were sometimes controversial, especially her studies of venereal disease and prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
; her book Under the Surface (1909), in which she spoke quite openly about these very topics, apparently caused a stir in the House of Commons. Nonetheless she was awarded with the CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
in 1931.
She secured a long and distinguished life and career in medicine, carrying out over 7000 operations. Her work brought her respect and acknowledgment from both her colleagues and her patients: she was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians in 1933, and was a member of the Royal Society of Medicine
Royal Society of Medicine
The Royal Society of Medicine is a British charitable organisation whose main purpose is as a provider of medical education, running over 350 meetings and conferences each year.- History and overview :...
. Eventually she became a specialist in the early treatment of cervical cancer
Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is malignant neoplasm of the cervix uteri or cervical area. One of the most common symptoms is abnormal vaginal bleeding, but in some cases there may be no obvious symptoms until the cancer is in its advanced stages...
by X-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
and she later lectured extensively throughout the UK, the United States, and Germany.
Personal life
An active member of the Brighton Women's Franchise Society, she also served as Magistrate for many years on the Brighton bench, became President of the Medical Women’s Federation in 1931, was a Prison CommissionerPrison Commission (England and Wales)
The Prison Commission was a public body of the Government of the United Kingdom established in 1877 and responsible for overseeing the operation of HM Prison Service...
and a member of the National Council of Women. She served with the Scottish Women’s Hospitals at Royaumont Abbey
Royaumont Abbey
Royaumont Abbey was a Cistercian abbey, located near Asnières-sur-Oise in Val-d'Oise, approximately 30 km north of Paris, France.-History:It was built between 1228 and 1235 with the support of Louis IX...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and as a surgeon in London in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Martindale never married and lived for more than three decades with another woman, Ismay FitzGerald (c. 1875-1946), daughter of Baron FitzGerald
John FitzGerald, Baron FitzGerald
John David FitzGerald, Baron FitzGerald PC, PC was an Irish judge and Liberal politician.-Background:...
of Kilmarnock. Some scholars are wary of identifying Martindale as a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
; Geoffrey Walford, for instance, does not state whether Martindale's "woman-centred lifestyle" specifically entailed a lesbian relationship. Others are more explicit and unhesitatingly propose Martindale's lesbianism, referring for instance to her 1951 autobiography A Woman Surgeon, in which she writes quite openly and tenderly (though without giving explicit detail) about her love for FitzGerald.
Works by Louisa Martindale
- Under the Surface. Brighton: Southern Publishing Company, 1909.
- The Women Doctor and Her Future. London: Mills and Boon, 1922. Available online at Internet Archives.
- Treatment of Cancer of the Breast. 1945.
- The Artificial Menopause. 1945.
- The Prevention of Venereal Disease. London: Research Books, 1945.
- Venereal Disease, Its Influence on the Health of the Nation, Its Cure and Prevention. 1948.
- A Woman Surgeon. London: Gollancz, 1951.
Sources
- Brown, Val. Women's Hospitals in Brighton and Hove. Hastings: Hastings Press, 2006.
- Delamont, Sara. "Martindale, Louisa (1872–1966)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2004.
- LSMW Archive material at the Royal Free Hospital Archive.
- Martindale, Hilda. From One Generation to Another: A Book of Memoirs, 1839-1944. London: George Allen & Unwin, 1944.
- Wojtczak, Helena. Notable Sussex Women. Hastings: Hastings Press, 2008.