Who was Edith Cavell?
Edith Cavell was a British nurse during the First World War. She is celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from both sides and in helping over 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium.
A Small Village in Swardeston
Edith Louisa Cavell was born on December 4th 1865 in Swardeston, a small village not far from Norwich in Norfolk where her father was the Reverend. She was the eldest of four siblings, Florence, Mary and John. Her childhood was in some ways idyllic, drawing and painting flowers in the summer months and ice skating in the winter months.
Nursing Career
After living and working in Belgium as a Governess, Edith returned to Swardeston when her father became very unwell and assisted with nursing him back to health. It is believed that this is when Edith was inspired to become a nurse.
In 1896, Edith began her training at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, under Matron Eva Lückes, a friend of Florence Nightingale. After completing her nurse training in 1898, Edith held a number of roles in British hospitals before being invited back to Brussels to nurse a sick child. Edith was invited to be Matron of the first Nursing School in Belgium, L’École Belge d’Infirmières Diplômées’.
