Marie Hilda Stevenson-Delhomme

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(née Stevenson; March 8, 1912 January 4, 2002) was a

Seychellois This article is about the demographic features of the population of Seychelles, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. About ...

politician and medical doctor. She was the

Seychelles Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (french: link=no, République des Seychelles; Creole: ''La Repiblik Sesel''), is an archipelagic state consisting of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, V ...

' first female politician.

Early life and education

Born as Marie Hilda Stevenson on March 8, 1912, she was the only daughter of Ti Jean Stevenson Amelia Stevenson. She started her early education at the Convents in Victoria, Seychelles and

Ayrshire Ayrshire ( gd, Siorrachd Inbhir Àir, ) is a historic county and registration county in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine and it borders the counties of Re ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. She obtained her first degree at Skerry's College before proceeding to study medicine. She is a licentiate of the

Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) is a professional organisation of surgeons. The College has seven active faculties, covering a broad spectrum of surgical, dental, and other medical practices. Its main campus is located on ...

, the Royal College of Physicians and the

Royal College of Surgeons The Royal College of Surgeons is an ancient college (a form of corporation) established in England to regulate the activity of surgeons. Derivative organisations survive in many present and former members of the Commonwealth. These organisations a ...

Career

In 1939, Stevenson-Delhomme returned to the Seychelles where she practiced medicine until in 1944 when she returned to Scotland in order to further her education. During the

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, she was active in emergency services in several hospitals in Scotland. A return to the Seychelles following the ill-health of her mother saw her practice medicine privately. In

1951 Events January * January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950). * January 9 – The Government of the United ...

she was elected as one of the members of the Legislative Council. In 1952, Stevenson-Delhomme was instrumental in the fight against

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...

by founding the Tuberculosis Funds Programme to assist sufferers discharged from hospital. In 1954, she became medical officer of the Red Cross Society in the Seychelles. She became the Seychelles first female parliamentarian following her appointment as member of the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repre ...

in 1967 after forming her own now-defunct political party "Parti Seselwa" in 1964.

Death

She died on January 4, 2001, in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, aged 88.

Recognitions

* Commander of the Most Excellent

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

* Serving Sister of the Order of St John of Jerusalem

Legacy

In recognition for her contributions to politics and health in Seychelles, the Stevenson-Delhomme Road in Saint Louis, Seychelles is named after her.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevenson-Delhomme, Hilda 1912 births 2002 deaths Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Members of the National Assembly (Seychelles) People from Mahé, Seychelles Seychellois women physicians Seychellois women in politics 20th-century women politicians 20th-century physicians 20th-century women physicians