Mabel Cave
Mabel Helen Cave RRC | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1863 Lidgate, Suffolk |
| Died | 1953 Bury St Edmunds |
| Alma mater | The London Hospital |
| Occupation(s) | Matron and Nursing Leader |
Mabel Helen Cave (1863-1953), RRC, was a matron of The Westminster Hospital and West Suffolk General Hospital, and war time nursing leader.[1] [2] She was a member of the Army Nursing Board.[3] Cave was also on the committee to establish the King Edward VII Memorial Homes for nurses who were unable to work.[4][5]
Early life
[edit]Mabel was fifth child of nine born to her parents, Robert Haynes Cave, who was a clergyman, and his wife, Elizabeth Vernon George.[6] Mabel was born in 1863 in Lidgate, Suffolk. She stayed at home until she started training at The London Hospital under Matron Eva Luckes in September 1888.[7]
Career
[edit]
After her training Cave remained at The London for seven years working in senior roles including Linen Room Assistant and Matron's Office Assistant.[8] In May 1897 Cave was recommended by Luckes and Sydney Holland to become acting matron of the Metropolitan Free Hospital in Kingsland Road, Hackney.[9][5] She remained there for a year and was succeeded by Isabel Bennett, another Londoner.
In 1898 Cave was appointed as matron at The Westminster Hospital in central London.[10][11] Cave remained there as matron for 14 years, her matronship cut short because of illhealth.[10] Whilst matron she was appointed to the Army Nursing Board, the management board for the newly founded Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service in 1902.[3] She succeeded Lousia Gordon, matron of St Thomas's Hospital to the board, and along with Katherine Monk, matron of Kings College Hospital was one of two civilian matrons on the committee.[12][5] Cave would have known two other board members Frederick Treves and Sydney Holland from her time at The London Hospital. Cave remained on the board until she resigned because of ill health in 1913/1914.[5]
Whilst at the Westminster Hospital, she hosted the inaugural committee of the King Edward the Seventh Homes for Nurses, of which she was also a committee member, which was formed to discuss the establishment of homes for nurses who were no longer able to work.[4] In 1912 she was appointed as a committee member for the newly formed Nurses Insurance Society which was created to provide sick pay for nurses, as part of the new National Insurance Act.[13][14]
Cave was appointed matron of Red House Auxiliary Hospital, Leatherhead, Surrey in October 1914, and she held the post until January 1915.[15] She was also living at Suffolk County Hospital in 1914.[15] From about 1915 Cave was matron of West Suffolk General Hospital, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.[16][17]
Retirement
[edit]Cave retired in 1921 after six years as matron of Bury Hospital.[17] She died in Bury St Edmunds on 8 April 1953 aged 90 years old.[18]
Honours
[edit]Cave was awarded the Royal Red Cross, 1st Class in 1917.[2] After Cave received the award at Buckingham Palace she attended a reception at Marlborough House held by Queen Alexandra.[19] On her return home to the Bury and West Suffolk General Hospital later that day she was given a 'hearty welcome'.[19]
References
[edit]- ^ "Appointments". The Nursing Record. 21: 148. 20 August 1898.
- ^ a b "Royal Red Cross, 1st Class". The London Gazette: 1947. 23 February 1917.
- ^ a b "Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service". The Times: 4. 26 September 1902 – via Gale.
- ^ a b "The Nurses' Memorial to King Edward the Seventh". The Nursing Record. 45 (1178): 353. 29 October 1910 – via Women's Studies Archive.
- ^ a b c d Rogers, Sarah (2022). 'A Maker of Matrons'? A study of Eva Lückes's influence on a generation of nurse leaders:1880–1919' (Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Huddersfield, April 2022)
- ^ See various decennial Censuses, 1861, 1871 and 1871.
- ^ Mabel Helen Cave, Register of Probationers; RLHLH/N/1/3, 5; Barts Health NHS Trust Archives and Museums, London
- ^ Mabel Helen Cave, Register of Sisters and Nurses; RLHLH/N/4/1, 103; Barts Health NHS Trust Archives and Museums, London
- ^ "Appointments". The Nursing Record. 21: 148. 20 August 1898.
- ^ a b "Appointments". The British Journal of Nursing. 51: 517. 20 December 1913 – via www.rcn.org.
- ^ Miss Cave, Matron's Annual Letter to Nurses, No.21, Matron's Annual Letter to Nurses, 1894–1916; RLHLH/N/7/2, No.21, April 1914, 25; Barts Health NHS Trust Archives and Museums, London
- ^ "Editorial, The Army Nursing Service". The Nursing Record . 27: 289. 12 October 1901.
- ^ "Nurses Insurance Society". The Times: 4. 27 May 1912 – via KCC Gale newspapers.
- ^ "Hansard". Hansard. 23 April 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "Mabel Helen Cave, First World War Volunteers". British Red Cross Society. 14 April 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Appointments". The Nursing Times. 13: 547. 5 May 1917.
- ^ a b "Bury Hospital Matron Resigns". Bury Free Press: 5. 6 August 1921 – via www.findmypast.co.uk.
- ^ "Deaths". The Times: 1. 9 April 1953 – via The Times Digital Archive.
- ^ a b "Royal Red Cross Medal for Bury Hospital Matron". Bury Free Press: 5. 5 May 1917 – via www.findmypast.co.uk.