Endell Street Hospital

Endell Street Military Hospital

In May 1915, on the site of an old workhouse, Endell Street Hospital opened its doors to the flood of soldiers who had been injured on the Western Front. What makes Endell Street noteworthy is that it was the first hospital to be staffed solely by women, led by Louisa Garrett Anderson (daughter of Elizabeth, niece to Millicent Fawcett) and her colleague and life partner, Flora Murray. The motto of the hospital was borrowed from the suffragettes: Deeds not words. 

With its central location and proximity to London’s main railway stations, Endell Street received a constant stream of patients. Convoys would arrive day and night with some of the 80 or so injured needing immediate surgery. Those treated were mainly British but also included a significant number of Dominion and Colonial troops. By the time the Endell Street finally closed its doors in December 1919, 26,000 patients had received treatment at the hospital. This establishment made a significant contribution not only to the lives of its patients but also helped foster a lasting change of perception of the contribution women can make in the medical field.

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