Louisa Garrett Anderson

Louisa Garrett Anderson (1873–1943) was a prominent British physician, feminist, and suffragette. She was a key figure in the women's suffrage movement in the United Kingdom and made significant contributions to the field of medicine, particularly during World War I.

Early Life and Education

Louisa Garrett Anderson was born on July 28, 1873, in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, England. She was the daughter of Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the first woman to qualify in Britain as a physician and surgeon, and James George Skelton Anderson, co-founder of the Anderson Line, a shipping company. Growing up in a family with a strong emphasis on women's rights and education, Louisa was inspired from an early age to pursue a career in medicine.

She received her early education at home and later attended the St Leonards School in Scotland. Determined to follow in her mother's footsteps, Louisa Garrett Anderson enrolled at the London School of Medicine for Women, where she graduated with MBBS in 1897.

Career

After completing her medical degree, Anderson began her career at the New Hospital for Women in London, which was founded by her mother. She worked there as a surgical assistant and later as a surgeon. Her work at the hospital, which served women and children, allowed her to combine her medical profession with her commitment to women's rights.

In 1910, Anderson, along with fellow physician Flora Murray, founded the Women's Hospital for Children in Harley Street, London, to provide medical care for the children of suffragettes and the poor. This hospital was notable for being staffed entirely by women.

World War I

With the outbreak of World War I, Anderson and Murray offered their medical services to the British government. Initially rejected because they were women, they went to France and set up a military hospital in Paris under the auspices of the French Red Cross. The hospital, known as the Women's Hospital Corps (WHC), was staffed entirely by women and treated wounded soldiers from the front lines.

In 1915, the British War Office finally accepted their services, and the WHC was transferred to London, where they operated the Endell Street Military Hospital until the end of the war. The hospital was one of the most efficient military hospitals in Britain and was notable for its all-female staff. Anderson served as the chief surgeon and Murray as the medical officer in charge.

Suffrage Movement

Throughout her life, Anderson was actively involved in the women's suffrage movement. She was a member of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), a militant organization campaigning for women's voting rights. Anderson participated in protests and was arrested on multiple occasions for her activism. Her contributions to the suffrage movement and her work in medicine were driven by a deep-seated belief in equality and women's rights.

Later Life and Legacy

After the war, Anderson continued her medical practice and remained active in the women's movement. She retired in the late 1920s and spent her last years with Flora Murray until Murray's death in 1923. Louisa Garrett Anderson died on November 15, 1943.

Louisa Garrett Anderson's legacy is remembered for her pioneering work in medicine and her tireless fight for women's rights. She broke barriers for women in the medical profession and played a crucial role in the suffrage movement, advocating for the rights and health of women and children.