Isabella Kate Jobson, (1878 – 6 July 1943) was a decorated Australian nurse who served in the First World War.

Early life and career

Jobson was born in Clunes, Victoria, in 1878 to Christopher Jobson, a merchant from Northumberland, England, and his second wife Elizabeth Cameron (née McColl), from Scotland. She was the younger sister of

Alexander Jobson Brigadier General Alexander Jobson, (2 April 1875 – 7 November 1933) was a senior Australian Army officer during the First World War. Early life and career Alexander Jobson was born on 2 April 1875 in Clunes, Victoria. He was educated in the ...

. She was educated at South Melbourne College and, in 1893, passed the University of Melbourne's matriculation examinations in algebra, geometry, arithmetic and geography, and gained honours in French. She trained as a nurse at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, where she met and became friends with Leah Rosenthal; in late 1910 the two women took over the running of Windarra Private Hospital in

Toorak Toorak may refer to: * Toorak, Victoria, an inner south-eastern suburb of Melbourne *Toorak College, Mount Eliza, approximately 40 km south of Melbourne * Toorak Gardens, South Australia, an inner eastern suburb of Adelaide initially named Toorak * ...

. They left the hospital, and Australia, together in December 1915 and travelled to England to serve in the First World War.

Nursing career

In England, Jobson and Rosenthal joined Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) and in February 1916 they were assigned to Baythorpe Military Hospital in Nottingham. In April of that year they embarked for duty in France. Jobson was assigned to stationary hospitals and casualty clearing stations and served until January 1919, when she resigned her appointment. She returned to Melbourne in May 1919 and she and Rosenthal again bought a private hospital to run together. The hospital had previously been named St Luke’s Private Hospital, however Jobson and Rosenthal re-named it Vimy House, perhaps after the site of the

Battle of Vimy Ridge The Battle of Vimy Ridge was part of the Battle of Arras, in the Pas-de-Calais department of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the four divisions of the Canadian Corps in the First Army, against three divisions o ...

, one of the battlegrounds where the pair had nursed in France during the war. Following Rosenthal's death in 1930, Jobson ran the hospital alone. Jobson was awarded the

Associate Royal Red Cross The Royal Red Cross (RRC) is a military decoration awarded in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for exceptional services in military nursing. Foundation The award was established on 27 April 1883 by Queen Victoria, with a single class of Me ...

for her service in France. She died at Vimy House on 6 July 1943 after a long illness. A private funeral was held and Jobson was buried at Melbourne Cemetery, Carlton.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jobson, Isabella 1878 births 1943 deaths Australian military nurses Australian women nurses Australian women of World War I Associate Members of the Royal Red Cross People from Clunes, Victoria Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps officers