Mrs. J. C. Deeble, Superintendent of Nurses.

Subject: Mrs. J. C. Deeble, Superintendent of Nurses. Sat Mar 17, 2012 2:52 pm

"Mrs. Deeble's R. R. C. was the tenth to be awarded following the inception of this award in 1883. Of the previous nine issues, eight had been bestowed on ladies of royal or similar connections and the other on Florence Nightingale. Therefore, Mrs. Deeble's R. R. C must be considered the second to be awarded to a lady for nursing services. Approximately 15 medals to nurses for the Zulu war. Jane Cecilia Deeble, widow of Surgeon-Major William Deeble, who had met his death in the Abyssinian Campaign of 1867, entered the Military Establishment on 1 November 1869, having previously been a Probationer in Florence Nightingale's training school at St. Thomas' Hospital. On taking up this appointment, she became Superintendent of the Staff of Nursing Sisters at the Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley and in 1870 Lady Superintendent of the Army Nursing Service, a post she continued to occupy until 1889, a record span of office. Apart from gaining immense popularity as a 'homely' type of woman, Mrs. Deeble has been credited with saving the Army Nursing Service from early extinction, more so following the damage done by her rather bossy and aristocratic predecessor, Jane Shaw Stewart. Her initial appointment had sprung from an interview with Florence Nightingale in November 1869 but from the tone oft he latter's report to one Dr. Sutherland, it seems surprising her military nursing career ever got off the ground:

'She is brave, sincere, courageous-but she has no observation-she is quite incapable of understanding far less of making a Regulation or an organisation... Any officer may turn her round his finger. She will be engaged in planning a nice tea for the Nurses, while she lets the Nursing go to ruin... I have not approached the subject of the Regulations yet with Mrs. Deeble. I doubt whether she has seen them. I doubt whether she is able to understand them. I doubt whether she has a glimmer of the fact that she is to have a personal relation with and report to the War Office.'

Despite the inglorious nature of her first interview, Mrs. Deeble was duly accepted. This change of definition or direction within the Service - namely a more humane and less stuffy approach to nursing - d id much to preserve the future of the profession, particularly within military circles. Nonetheless, Mrs. Deeble held strong views on the type of woman suitable for such employment. As late as 1887 she was busy observing that many nurses were not ladies but rather offspring from 'the shop girl class.' She was also anxious that her girls should prove themselves tough enough for military campaigning. To that end she fought rigourously for their employment in South Africa during the Zulu War and at length won approval to depart with a small team of six Netley nurses, albeit in the wake of seven women from the Stafford House Committee. Her enthusiasm to prove that the 'Netleys' were made of sterner stuff became rapidly evident. On their first night in South Africa, Mrs. Deeble declined the use of canvas, insisting her team would sleep rough. It was unfortunate that a rather heavy rainstorm ensued, thus compelling them to retreat to the cover of the opposition's lodging! Far from being downhearted, the redoubtable Mrs. Deeble set about her duties admirably, and was duly commended for 'conspicuously good service. ' Highly praised for her 'administrative capacity, ' her activities were specially acknowledged by command of Queen Victoria. Some while later Her Majesty had the opportuniry to personally decorate her at Windsor Castle. Mrs. Deeble finally retired in 1890. Much of the above detail has been taken from Anne Summers' 1988 publication, 'Angels and Citizens, British Women as Military Nurses, 1854-1914', a copy of which accompanies the lot. Note: This South Africa Medal originally appeared on the market as a single item but was 'paired' with this Victorian R.R.C. by Captain K. J. Douglas-Morris, R.N., when purchased for his own collection of nursing awards."

Subject: Mrs.J.C.Deeble Sat Mar 17, 2012 7:21 pm

Hi Littlehand .
I'm fairly certain yourself or Graves have dealt with the Nurses before on another thread ? . Salute

cheers 90th. Salute

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It has been mentioned. But not this information on an individual nurse. Could do we some more.. Good post Littlehand.

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old historian2 wrote:: It has been mentioned. But not this information on an individual nurse. Could do we some more.. Good post Littlehand.

Bit of an old post but I do have a little more information on Jane Deeble.

Jane Cecilia Deeble (nee Egan) is the daughter of Stephen Egan and Elenor Leffler and was born in 1827 in St.Georges, Bermuda, West Indies.

She had two sisters, Sophie Catherine Amelia and Eliza Catherine Emily and three brothers, Stephen, John and James Stephen

She married William Deeble (born 1 August 1823 in Cork,Ireland) in St.Georges' Bermuda on the 23 February 1854. William Deeble was a Surgeon in the Army Medical Services.

Jane and William had four children, William Benjamin born 24 Dcember1858 in Gujarat, India. Henry Percival born 27 January 1860 in Poona, India, Stephen Lawson born in India in 1861 and Ellen Sophia born 12 November 1864 in Gujarat, India

Surgeon Major William Deeble saw service in the Crimean War where he developed a view that there was a place for female nurses in the military medical setting.

He also served on the Staff of the Medical Department in the Abyssinian campaign where in 1867 he died at Camp Dalanta in Abyssinia (now known as Ethiopia) in April 1868.

After being widowed Jane became a probationer at Florence Nightingale's training school at St. Thomas' Hospital, London and entered the military on 1st Nov 1869 when she replaced Mrs Jane Shaw Stewart as Lady Superintendant of Nurses at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley in November 1869.

Six additional nurses were employed at the same time and these were Ann Clark, Lucy Emm, Jane Kennedy, Jessie Lenox, Rebecca Strong and Lucy Wheldon On taking up this appointment, she became Superintendent of the Staff of Nursing Sisters at the Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley and in 1870 Lady Superintendent of the Army Nursing Service, positions she held until 1899.

In 1871, Jane was working as the Superintendent of Female Nurses and living in quarters at the Royal Victoria Military Hospital, Netley. Also in quarters with Jane was her daughter Ellen Sophia. Her sons were away at school with Stephen Lawson Deeble being at Christ Hospital and Educational Institution in Hertford, Hertfordshire, while William Benjamin and Henry Percival were at school in Sandhurst, Berkshire

Jane was anxious that her girls should prove themselves tough enough for military campaigning. To that end she fought rigorously for their employment in South Africa during the Zulu War and won approval to depart with a small team of six Netley nurses.

They went aboard the ship the Dublin Castle from London to Cape Town along with reinforcements to the Anglo Zulu War. The Dublin Castle would then return to Britain with wounded and sick who would then be taken to Netley Hospital

In 1881, Jane was working as the Superintendent of Female Nurses and living in quarters at the Royal Victoria Military Hospital, Netley. She was living with her two sons Henry Percival Deeble, Stephen Lawson Deeble and daughter Ellen Sophia Deeble Highly praised for her 'administrative capacity', her activities were specially acknowledged by command of Queen Victoria who personally decorated Jane with the Royal Red Cross on 24 May 1883 at Windsor Castle. This was recorded in the London Gazette on the 25 May, 1883. Mrs. Deeble's Royal Red Cross was the tenth award following its inception in 1883. Of the previous nine awards, eight had been to ladies of royal or similar connections and the other on Florence Nightingale

1883 Jane Deeble and an expanded team of twenty four sisters was sent to the Egyptian Campaign''. One of those nurses would be Helen Campbell Norman who would much later replace Jane as the Superintendent of Female Nurses on her retirement

On 20th Oct 1890 at Netley Lodge, her son Stephen Lawson Deeble died, aged 28 of epilepsy. The British Medical Journal of 15th Nov 1890 states that he had been appointed to the rank of surgeon with the Army Medical Services on 30th May 1885 and placed on half pay from 19th Jan 1888 on account of his ill health. He is buried in the Military Cemetery in the grounds of the Royal Victoria Military Hospital Jane retired as the Lady Superintendent of Netley Hospital in 1889 and was replaced by Miss Norman on 2nd Nov 1889 In the census of 1891, Jane was living on her own means at Netley Lodge in the grounds of the Victoria Military Hospital. She was living with her son William Chatterdon Deeble who was a surgeon at the Royal Victoria Military Hospital .

Jane died on 8th Sep 1913 at Westward, Argyle Street, Ryde, Isle of Wight. She willed her entire estate to her daughter Ellen Sophia St John Hughes, wife of John William St John Hughes

Subject: Mrs J.C.Deeble , Superintendent Of Nurses Thu Jul 17, 2014 10:12 am

Great post and welcome aboard Scrambledsignals
Cheers 90th Salute

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LH & Scrambledsignals some posts there. And welcome aboard Scrambledsignals!!!

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Ryde Cemetery, Plot 4041 K-New

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Gloucester Journal 26 April 1913

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Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser 13 December 1889

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Jane Deeble was my great great aunt. Her sister. Sophie was my great grandmother who married WCJ Hyland the Mayor of St George's in Bermuda. I found photo of her Red Cross award when it was being auctioned and have it somewhere. I will try to find it and scan it. I know that she was shabbily treated when she retired. She had had an army pension as a serviceman's widow and was slso entitled to one in her own right. Howver the powers that be decided that she could only receive one and it took a lot of intervention to have the payment restored. Jane Leslie Waterford Ireland. PS Her husband came from Cork in Ireland.

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Ryde Cemetery, Plot 4041 K-New

1879graves. How do we know that's the actual plot. ?

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Hi 24th

Hope this helps.

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Hi Janeybird

Welcome to the forum.

Great first post.

Salute

The full page, part of which posted by Les above is available on EBay at present:
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JY

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From: Florence Nightingale - Hospitals, Infirmaries and Associations~

In 1889 Mrs Deeble retired. The War Office had proposed to reduce her army pension by £90 a year. Letters were written on her behalf by Mr Bonham Carter to no avail. So Sir Harry Verney went direct to Lord Northbrook and the decision was reversed. Mrs. Deeble was generally regarded as having laid the foundations for the Queen Alexandra Royal Nursing Service.
Jane Egan (Deeble) was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1827 where her father worked in the Commissariat. Around 1830 the family returned to Bermuda and lived in St. George's. Her place of birth is listed on her death certificate in Ryde, Isle of Wight and on an earlier census return though it is wrongly given as Bermuda in the 1881 census.

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