Exhibition on the history of women doctors in London

We were looking online to find out how to get copies of birth certificates because our son is getting married. I mentioned that I was born in the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson hospital, on the Euston Road, Euston Square, London, the hospital being named after a pioneering woman doctor. I thought the hopsital had closed and been demolished. It's more complicated than that, and three places are named after her and you can see an exhibition.

The original hospital amalgamated with another and moved, then moved again into a wing named after the same illustrious female doctor as a wing of the redevceloped University College Hospital.
I studied at University College, one of London's prestigious colleges, known for its statue of founder Jeremy Bentham, which came and went as it was stolen by students, reinstated, taken away, and restored.

Next door is the hospital so as students at the college we often met students from the hospital, and I went into the hospital for free dental treatment when it had an open to the public dental department. this did mean having your teeth inspected or pulled out by a junior, under supervision, but saved on the anxiety of worrying about an appointment.

But what of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital. Elizabeth, fine British name, easy to remember if you take the trouble to think about it. Elizaabeth comes from the Hebrew, El for God, Beth for house, as in Bethlehem which means house (of) bread. Elizabeth, recalling Elizabeth I whose father Henry VIII separated the Church of England from the Catholic church, a name unermarkable in the UK mainland, but which spells Church of England in Northern ireland where Catholics prefer to  e called Mary and the names of saints such as Theresa. On to her middle name, Garrett, she was not living in a garet, which was part of many Victorian houses in her era. Finally, her surname Anderson, son of Ander or Andrew.

However, in the building on the site of the original hospital where I was born, you can see an exhibition about Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and the hospital.

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson. Picture from Wikipedia.

I have chosen this photo from several in the Wikipedia article because it shows her in her heyday, mature and determined, still a handsome woman.

My late mother claimed that she had one of the first Caesarian operations, post-war (world war two). Which is rather odd, since the first Caesarian operation was named after the baby who became Julius Caesar - or his ancestor. So that would have meant an awfully long gap. When I checked on Caesarians I found that the early ones were done to save a baby from a dead or dying mother. Only after the introduction of antibiotics did it become likely that the mother, too, would survive.

I suspect that Caesarian operations were rare in WWII because of the risk of losing the lights and electricity in the middle of the op or an air raid warning sending everybody scuttling meaning that nbody could sew up the mum.

The place where you were born is not necessarily the place where your birth was registered, though it is likely to be nearby.

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, (born June 9, 1836, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, Eng.—died Dec. 17, 1917, Aldeburgh), English physician who advocated the admission of women to professional education, especially in medicine.

In London there are at least three sites connected with Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the wing at University College hospital, the exhibition in the building on the site of the hospital named after her where I was born, and a school visited by Michelle Obama, wife of a previous US president. 

Useful websites
https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate#other-ways-to-apply
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/may/29/michelle-obama-elizabeth-garrett-anderson-school
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Garrett_Anderson

About The Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.