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About Agnes Elizabeth Jones
Agnes Elizabeth Jones (1832 – 1868) of Fahan, County Donegal, Ireland became the first trained Nursing Superintendent of Liverpool Workhouse Infirmary. She gave all her time and energy to her patients and died at the age of 35 from typhus fever.
Her uncle was John Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence - link not yet established CJB
From Historical Dictionary of British Women by Cathy Hartley - "...born of Irish parents in Cambridge. Her father was a lieutenant-colonel in the army, and when he was five his regiment moved to Mauritius, where she spent six happy years and where her passionate altruism was first aroused by refugee Madagascar Christians."
She was born at Cambridge into a wealthy family with both military and evangelical religious connections.
Early in her life the family moved to Fahan in County Donegal, Ireland, though they followed her father's career with the army, notably to Mauritius. During a holiday in Europe with the family she met and was impressed by deaconesses who were from the Institution of Kaiserwerth, which had earlier overseen the early nursing experiences of Florence Nightingale. She visited the Institution in Bonn, returning home to Ireland to use the experience she had gained.
In 1859 she went to London, making contact with Florence Nightingale and Sarah E. Wardroper, senior nurse of St Thomas Hospital. Nightingale said of her that she was " a woman attractive and rich and young and witty; yet a veiled and silent woman, distinguished by no other genius than the divine genius"
In 1862 Agnes commenced nurse training in the Nightingale School at St Thomas Hospital in London. When her year's training was complete, Nightingale called her "one of our best pupils". However her greatest work was in Liverpool.
In 1865 she accepted an invitation from William Rathbone to lead in the introduction of trained nursing at the Liverpool Workhouse Infirmary, at Brownlow Hill, one of the largest workhouse infirmaries in the country. He undertook to pay for the first three years' experiment, so that local taxes did not have to be raised to pay the nurses. This was a radical departure from the normal practices of workhouse management, which by law were obliged to deter the very poor from entering the workhouse by making conditions inside worse than those available to the working poor outside.
Jones' contribution to the welfare of the sick paupers was enormous, and she worked tirelessly to make the experiment a success. However the work took its toll upon her, and at the age of just 35 years of age she died of typhus fever.This condition was endemic among the poor of Liverpool during this period. The collaboration between Jones, Nightingale and Rathbone is reported in detail in Florence Nightingale and Public Health Care.
Her sister published her Memorials of Agnes Elizabeth Jones in 1871. A Guardian review of Nightingale's introduction to it, as noted in a Times advertisement for a later "cheaper" edition, said it "should read like a trumpet call in the ears of any lady who is conscious of a similar vocation".
The memory of her contribution to nursing, to Liverpool and to the poor is commemorated in Liverpool. A window in the Anglican Cathedral is dedicated to her memory, and a statue to her exists in the Cathedral Oratory. Also, a local housing association has named a large student hall of residence after her.
Agnes Jones is now buried in Ireland. Her recently refurbished grave can be found in the quiet country graveyard of Fahan, 4 miles east from Buncranna in County Donegal.
Reference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_Jones
"...in 1868, aged thirty five, she died of typhus contracted in the workhouse" - Reference Historical Dictionary of British Women By Cathy Hartle
Agnes Jones
- ESTIMATED BIRTH YEAR: abt 1834
- REGISTRATION YEAR: 1868
- REGISTRATION QUARTER: Jan-Feb-Mar
- AGE AT DEATH: 34
- REGISTRATION DISTRICT: Liverpool
- INFERRED COUNTY: Lancashire
- VOLUME: 8b
- PAGE: 171
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=27456682
"Her grave is surrounded by a wrought iron cage, on which is mounted this memorial: "In memory of Agnes Elizabeth Jones, a great nurse Who had much to give and gave unto this last. Born 10th November 1832, Died 19th February 1868 "
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Agnes Elizabeth Jones's Timeline
| 1832 |
November 10, 1832
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Cambridge, England, Cambridgeshire, England UK
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| 1868 |
February 19, 1868
Age 35
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Liverpool, England
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February 24, 1868
Age 35
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Fahan, nr Buncranna, Donegal, Ireland
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