Emily Blair

Dame Emily Mathieson Blair, DBE, RRC (12 January 1890 – 25 December 1963) was a British military nurse and nursing administrator who served as Matron-in-Chief of the Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service (1938–43), Joint War Committee (1943–47) and the British Red Cross Society (1947–53).[1]

Dame Emily Blair
Born(1890-01-12)12 January 1890
Boghead, Lenzie, Scotland
Died25 December 1963(1963-12-25) (aged 73)
London, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army (1916–18)
Royal Air Force (1918–43)
Years of service1916–1943
RankMatron-in-Chief
Commands heldPrincess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service (1938–43)
Battles/warsFirst World War
Second World War
AwardsDame Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Royal Red Cross
Mentioned in Despatches
Florence Nightingale Medal
Other workMatron-in-Chief British Red Cross Society (1947–53)

Early life

Emily Mathieson Blair was born on 12 January 1890 at Boghead, Lenzie, Kirkintilloch, the daughter of Mary Ann (née Croll) and Hugh Blair, a businessman and muslin manufacturer.[2][3] From 1912 to 1916 she trained as a nurse at Western Infirmary, Glasgow.[3]

Nursing career

During the First World War Blair served with the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service.[1] When the Royal Air Force was formed in 1918 she moved to the Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service, becoming Matron-in-Chief in 1938. During the Second World War she was mentioned in despatches.[1]

In 1943, Blair was appointed Matron-in-Chief of the Joint War Committee. When the committee was disbanded in 1947, Blair served as Matron-in-Chief of the British Red Cross Society until 1953, and was responsible for supplying trained nurses for service in hospitals and convalescent homes.[1] She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 2 June 1943, and was awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal by the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1947.[3]

Later life

Blair retired in 1953 and remained a member of the Council of the British Red Cross until her death. She died of lung cancer on 25 December 1963 in a London nursing home.[1]

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gollark: "The libraries involved", then.
gollark: And how interaction with Lua works.

References
  1. "Dame Emily Blair – Nursing the Forces". Obituaries. The Times (55893). London. 27 December 1963. col E, p. 10.
  2. "1890 BLAIR, EMILY MATHIESON (Statutory registers Births 498/ 25)". Scotland's People. National Records of Scotland and the Court of the Lord Lyon.
  3. "Blair, Dame Emily Mathieson (1890–1963), nurse and nursing administrator – Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001 (inactive 22 January 2020). Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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