Eleanor Davies-Colley

Eleanor Davies-Colley

Born: August 21, 1874
Died: December 10, 1934

Famous For: Eleanor was one of the earliest women in the UK to become a surgeon. She was also the first female fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. Eleanor co-founded the South London Hospital for Women and Children and was a founding member of the Medical Women’s Federation. She worked at many places as a surgeon or a teacher including the New Hospital for Women, the London School of Medicine, the South London Hospital, and the Marie Curie Cancer Hospital.

Challenges Faced: Eleanor was a feminist and was trying to work at an (at that time) almost all man profession. She was trying to make women’s lives easier and prove that they can do anything men can do, and sometimes better. Also, she was trying to raise funds to open an all-women staffed Women and Children Hospital, which would have been difficult because men didn’t support women working at an all man profession back then.

Interesting Facts: - family had over 200 years of medical tradition
- father was a surgeon, like her
- cousin was a feminist, like her
- before becoming a surgeon she worked for children’s charities
- was a surgeon for almost 30 years: from 1907 up until when she diedRoyal College of Surgeons’ lecture theatre was refurbished and dedicated in memory of Eleanor in 2004