Theodora Turner
Encyclopedia
Theodora Turner, OBE
(born 5 August 1907, Congleton
, Cheshire
– died 24 August 1999, Wantage
, Oxfordshire
) was a British nurse and hospital matron.
She attended the Godolphin School
, Salisbury
, and, determined to be a nurse, entered St Thomas' Hospital
and the Nightingale School of Nursing in the summer of 1929. She completed her training as a nurse with the silver medal, but declined to join the League of St Barnabas, an Anglican society for nurses. She took her midwifery
training at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, then returned to St Thomas' Hospital as a ward nursing sister. When war broke out in 1939 she joined the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QARANC), was mobilised at Congleton, was present during the evacuation from Dunkirk, and served in, among other places, Iran and Italy. On her return to civilian life she was named administrative sister at St Thomas' as preparation for her appointment as matron of Liverpool
's Royal Infirmary.
Turner left in 1953 to care for her elderly parents. When she was free from family commitments she was appointed matron and lady superintendent of nurses of St Thomas' when the hospital was being rebuilt after being hit 13 times by German bombs. Turner deputised as a RCN
representative on the Whitley
council which negotiated nurses' salaries. After retiring, she became president of the RCN. She later relocated to Scotland, where she served on the Argyll and Clyde Health Board.
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 5 August 1907, Congleton
Congleton
Congleton is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, on the banks of the River Dane, to the west of the Macclesfield Canal and 21 miles south of Manchester. It has a population of 25,750.-History:The first settlements in...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
– died 24 August 1999, Wantage
Wantage
Wantage is a market town and civil parish in the Vale of the White Horse, Oxfordshire, England. The town is on Letcombe Brook, about south-west of Abingdon and a similar distance west of Didcot....
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
) was a British nurse and hospital matron.
She attended the Godolphin School
Godolphin School
The Godolphin School is an independent boarding school for girls at Salisbury in Wiltshire, England, founded in 1726. The school educates some 430 girls between the ages of eleven and eighteen.-History:...
, Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, and, determined to be a nurse, entered St Thomas' Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital is a large NHS hospital in London, England. It is administratively a part of Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. It has provided health care freely or under charitable auspices since the 12th century and was originally located in Southwark.St Thomas' Hospital is accessible...
and the Nightingale School of Nursing in the summer of 1929. She completed her training as a nurse with the silver medal, but declined to join the League of St Barnabas, an Anglican society for nurses. She took her midwifery
Midwifery
Midwifery is a health care profession in which providers offer care to childbearing women during pregnancy, labour and birth, and during the postpartum period. They also help care for the newborn and assist the mother with breastfeeding....
training at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, then returned to St Thomas' Hospital as a ward nursing sister. When war broke out in 1939 she joined the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QARANC), was mobilised at Congleton, was present during the evacuation from Dunkirk, and served in, among other places, Iran and Italy. On her return to civilian life she was named administrative sister at St Thomas' as preparation for her appointment as matron of Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
's Royal Infirmary.
Turner left in 1953 to care for her elderly parents. When she was free from family commitments she was appointed matron and lady superintendent of nurses of St Thomas' when the hospital was being rebuilt after being hit 13 times by German bombs. Turner deputised as a RCN
Royal College of Nursing
The Royal College of Nursing is a union membership organisation with over 395,000 members in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1916, receiving its Royal Charter in 1928, Queen Elizabeth II is the patron...
representative on the Whitley
Whitley
-Places:United Kingdom*Whitley Bay, town in Tyne and Wear *Whitley, Berkshire, suburb of Reading*Whitley, Cheshire, village near Warrington*Whitley, Coventry, suburb of Coventry...
council which negotiated nurses' salaries. After retiring, she became president of the RCN. She later relocated to Scotland, where she served on the Argyll and Clyde Health Board.
Curriculum Vitae
- ARRCARRCThe acronym ARRC may refer to:* Atmospheric Radar Research Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma, USA* Headquarters Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps, Bielefeld, Germany*Associate Royal Red Cross UK military nursing decoration...
, 1944 - Education Officer, Education Centre, Royal College of NursingRoyal College of NursingThe Royal College of Nursing is a union membership organisation with over 395,000 members in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1916, receiving its Royal Charter in 1928, Queen Elizabeth II is the patron...
, Birmingham, 1953-55 - Matron, St Thomas' Hospital and Superintendent, Nightingale Training School, 1955-65
- President, Royal College of NursingRoyal College of NursingThe Royal College of Nursing is a union membership organisation with over 395,000 members in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1916, receiving its Royal Charter in 1928, Queen Elizabeth II is the patron...
, 1966-68 - President, International Council of Nurses, 1971-74