Mary Esslemont

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 ...

BSC A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...

MB ChB

FRCGP The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) is the professional body for general practitioners, general (medical) practitioners (GPs/Family Physicians/Primary care physician, Primary Care Physicians) in the United Kingdom. The RCGP represe ...

LLD Legum Doctor (Latin: “teacher of the laws”) (LL.D.) or, in English, Doctor of Laws, is a doctorate-level academic degree in law or an honorary degree, depending on the jurisdiction. The double “L” in the abbreviation#Plural forms, abbrev ...

DPH (3 July 1891 - 25 August 1984) was a general practitioner in

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

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 ...

, Vice President of the

British Medical Association The British Medical Association (BMA) is a registered trade union for doctors in the United Kingdom. The association does not regulate or certify doctors, a responsibility which lies with the General Medical Council. The association's headquar ...

(BMA) and president of the Soroptimist Federation.

Early life and education

Mary Esslemont was born in Aberdeen in 1891. Her mother, Clementine Macdonald, was President of the Aberdeen Women's Liberal Association, and her father

George Esslemont George Birnie Esslemont (1860 – 2 October 1917) was a Scottish Liberal politician. He was elected as Member of Parliament for Aberdeen South in 1907, and held the seat until he resigned in 1917. He married Clementine Macdonald who became Pre ...

, was the

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

MP for South Aberdeen. She was educated at

Aberdeen High School for Girls Harlaw Academy is a six-year comprehensive secondary school situated 200 yards from the junction of Union Street and Holburn Street in the centre of Aberdeen, Scotland. It is directly adjacent to St Margaret's School for Girls. The academy draws ...

and the

University of Aberdeen The University of Aberdeen ( sco, University o' 'Aiberdeen; abbreviated as ''Aberd.'' in List of post-nominal letters (United Kingdom), post-nominals; gd, Oilthigh Obar Dheathain) is a public university, public research university in Aberdeen, Sc ...

, graduating with a BSc (1914) and an MA (1915). After completing her degrees, she lectured in science at Stockwell Training College, London (1917-1919) before returned to Aberdeen to complete her medical degree, MBChB (1923). At university, she was the first woman President of the Students' Representative Association.

Career

After university, she became an assistant medical officer in

Keighley Keighley ( ) is a market town and a civil parish in the City of Bradford Borough of West Yorkshire, England. It is the second largest settlement in the borough, after Bradford. Keighley is north-west of Bradford city centre, north-west of Bi ...

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

(1924-1929). When she returned to Aberdeen in 1929 she became a general practitioner, practising for 30 years, and was appointed

gynaecologist Gynaecology or gynecology (see American and British English spelling differences, spelling differences) is the area of medicine that involves the treatment of women's diseases, especially those of the reproductive organs. It is often paired with ...

at the city's Free Dispensary. She was noted for her work with the city's poor and underprivileged and for her activism for women's rights. Esslemont was the only Scot and only woman to sit on the committee that negotiated on behalf of the BMA with

Aneurin Bevan Aneurin "Nye" Bevan PC (; 15 November 1897 – 6 July 1960) was a Welsh Labour Party politician, noted for tenure as Minister of Health in Clement Attlee's government in which he spearheaded the creation of the British National Health ...

on the development of the

National Health Service The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...

. In 1953-4 She was President of the

Medical Women's Federation The Medical Women's Federation is the largest UK body of women doctors. The organisation is dedicated to the advancement of the personal and professional development of women in medicine and to improving the health of women and their families i ...

She was made a CBE in 1955, and a

Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

in 1969. The following year the BMA made her a vice-president in recognition of her service. Apart from her medical work, Esslemont was involved in University life. Esslemont served on the

General Council, sitting on the University Court from 1947 to 1974. In 1954 she became the first woman President of the Aberdeen Liberal Association Esslemont remained active throughout her life. She was a keen Soroptimist and in 1961 she became President of the Federation of Soroptimist Clubs of Great Britain and Ireland. In that capacity she travelled to Africa to found the first Soroptimist Clubs on the continent.

Awards and honours

Esslemont was awarded an honorary LLD in 1954, by the University of Aberdeen and a student residence, Esslemont House, was named after her in 1976. In 1981 she was awarded the Freedom of the City of Aberdeen. There is a commemorative plaque at 30 Beechgrove Terrace, Aberdeen where Esslemont previously lived. Mary Esslemont

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Esslemont, Mary 1891 births 1984 deaths Scottish women medical doctors Presidents of the Medical Women's Federation Alumni of the University of Aberdeen 20th-century Scottish medical doctors Health professionals from Aberdeen Scottish general practitioners Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Fellows of the Royal College of General Practitioners 20th-century British women medical doctors 20th-century Scottish women