IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0387 PP/CAV; GB 0387 CI
Held at: Royal London Hospital
Title: CAVELL, Edith (1865-1915)
Date(s): 1896-2000
Level of description: Collection (fonds)
Extent: 2 linear metres
Name of creator(s): Cavell | Edith Louisa | 1865-1915 | nurse
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
Born Swardeston, Norfolk, 1865; educated at home, and boarding schools in Kensington, Clevedon, near Bristol, and Laurel Court, Peterborough, where she trained as a pupil teacher; took several posts in England as a governess; governess in Brussels, 1890-1895; returned to Swardeston to nurse her father, 1895; nurse, Fountain Fever Hospital, Tooting; nurse probationer, London Hospital under the matron Eva Lückes, 1896; private nurse, 1898; Night Superintendent, St Pancras Infirmary, 1899; Assistant Matron, Shoreditch Infirmary, 1903; Matron, Manchester and Salford Sick Poor and Private Nursing Institution, 1907; took charge of the pioneer training school for lay nurses, L'Ecole Belge d'Infirmieres Dimplomees', Brussels, Belgium, 1907; whilst under German occupation sheltered British, French and Belgian soldiers at the Institute and helped them escape to Holland, 1914-1915; arrested, tried by court-martial and executed, 1915. Her body was reburied at Norwich Cathedral, 1919.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Papers of and relating to Edith Cavell, 1896-2000, comprising her lecture notes as a probationer at the London Hospital, from lectures by Eva Lückes, 1896-1897; sketchbook of watercolour landscape paintings in Cornwall and Belgium by Cavell, 1892-1902; poetry quotations written as a probationer, [1896]; notes by Cavell appealing for women in Belgium to enrol in her nurse training school, [1907]; copy letters from Cavell and others to Sister Wilkins, Ecole Belge d'Infirmières, 1912-1916; photographs of Cavell as a governess, [1894], in uniform, and with nurses from the School of Nursing, Brussels, 1913; glass negative photograph at the time of her arrest, [?ID card], 1915; her last letter to her nurses from prison, 1915; pamphlet (in French), kept by her whilst in prison; Book of Common prayer kept by Cavell when in prison; proclamation of Cavell's death sentence, 1915; photographs of her grave in Belgium, and correspondence and photographs concerning the transfer of her remains to England, 1919; printed correspondence of the US Ambassador to Belgium relating to Cavell's arrest, 1915; correspondence concerning Cavell's statue, [1916-1919], including with the sculptor, George Frampton; wooden cross that marked Cavell's grave after exhumation of her body, [1919]; Union Jack flag reputed to have covered the exhumed coffin; articles, postcards, press cuttings, plays and propaganda material relating to Cavell, including photographs of the wreath laying ceremonies at her statue, [1915-2000].
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English, French
System of arrangement:
GB 0387 CI is arranged correspondence and contemporary manuscripts, printed volumes, portraits and photographs; artefacts and memorabilia
Conditions governing access:
Researchers wishing to consult the archives should first contact the Trust Archivist, the Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, London, E1 1BB, for an appointment.
Conditions governing reproduction:
A photocopying service is available at the discretion of the Archivist. Photocopies are supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Archivist.
Physical characteristics:
Finding aids:
A list is available at the Royal London Hospital Archives and Museum.
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:
Accruals:
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
Some of the papers were donated by the Government of Belgium in 2000 and 2003.
ALLIED MATERIALS
Existence and location of originals:
Existence and location of copies:
Related material:
Letters and papers from Edith Cavell to Eva Lückes, 1901-1913 (reference: LH/N/7), papers relating to Edith Cavell (reference: LH/Z/1), her staff nurse record (reference: LH/N/4/1), entry in nurse probationer's register (reference: LH/N/1/5), photographs (reference: LH/P/21) and press cuttings (reference: LH/P/26), held by the Royal London Hospital Archives and Museum. Cavell's trial proceedings are held by the Medical Library (Whitechapel), Queen Mary University of London. Copies of her diary, correspondence and papers relating to her work, arrest, trial and execution, 1914-1921, held by the Imperial War Museum Department of Documents (reference: P114 and Con Shelf/ EC).
Publication note:
Edith Cavell A E Clarke-Kennedy (Faber and Faber, 1965); Edith Cavell Rowland Ryder (Trinity Press, 1975).
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Note:
Archivist's note: Sources: Edith Cavell 1865-1915, a Norfolk Heroine, on line at http://www.edithcavell.org.uk; Historical Manuscripts Commission On-line National Register of Archives. Compiled by Julie Tancell as part of the RSLP AIM25 project.
Date(s) of descriptions: June 2001