Sevenoaks Talk: Endell Street: The Women who Ran Britain's Trail-Blazing Military Hospital in World War 1 with Wendy Moore

 Doors open 10.45am, meeting starts 11am.

 When the First World War broke out, the suffragettes suspended their campaigning and joined the war effort.

For pioneering suffragette doctors (and life partners) Flora Murray and Louisa Garrett Anderson that meant moving to France, where they set up two small military hospitals amidst fierce opposition. Yet their medical and organisational skills were so impressive that in 1915 Flora and Louisa were asked by the War Ministry to return to London and establish a new military hospital in a vast and derelict old workhouse in Covent Garden's Endell Street. That they did, creating a 573-bed hospital staffed from top to bottom by female surgeons, doctors and nurses, and developing entirely new techniques to deal with the horrific mortar and gas injuries suffered by British soldiers.

Receiving 26,000 wounded men over the next four years, Flora and Louisa created such a caring atmosphere that soldiers begged to be sent to Endell Street. And then, following the end of the war and the Spanish Flu outbreak, the hospital was closed and Flora, Louisa and their staff were once again sidelined in the medical profession.

The story of Endell Street provides both a keyhole view into the horrors and thrills of wartime London and a long-overdue tribute to the brilliance and bravery of an extraordinary group of women.

About the speaker:

Wendy lives in Eltham. She is a journalist and author of a number of books, including one about the talk she is giving. She also supports her local ‘Elthamread’ including the Junior section.

 There is an adjacent large public car park (50p for 2 hours, £1 for 3 hours) but it can be busy at times.

No booking, just turn up.

The Society is a registered charity and membership fees and donations are an important part of our income. The Talk is free to members but guests and visitors are asked to make a donation towards hall hire and speaker's fee. There will be a donations box at the venue.