Beulah Bewley: My Life as a Woman and Doctor
Beulah Bewley
hardback
An inspiring account of the life and work of Dame Beulah Bewley.
- ISBN 9781781324196
- Published Mar 2016
- hardback
203 x 133mm (236 pages)
Beulah Knox wanted to be a doctor from the age of five and was inspired by her local GP’s interest in her and her illnesses, going so far as to allow her to accompany him on home visits in his pony and trap during World War II. Her planned career as a hospital paediatrician was thwarted by emigration, marriage to a psychiatrist, and five children who kept her busy whilst she worked part time in women and children’s health for a decade.
She retrained as an academic particularly focusing on children’s smoking and rose in her second career in Public Health to the top of her profession. She ended up as Honorary Treasurer of the General Medical Council, the highest rank any woman has achieved there, and was made a Dame of the British Empire for her work for women in medicine.
Susan Bewley is a Professor at King’s College London, having worked in the NHS as an obstetrician for twenty-nine years and as a consultant at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals in London. Her particular research interests are severe maternal morbidity and domestic violence. She now works as a self-employed obstetric academic and expert, and provides forensic medical examinations at the Haven sexual assault referral centre.
'This book will be of particular interest to historians of medicine, as well as to members of the medical profession who will be interested in the discussion of Bewley’s student days and career and to learn how things have changed for women doctors (or not?), while the fascinating and eminently readable life story of this remarkable woman means that the book will be an enjoyable and engaging read for the wider public.' (Read the full review on
Women's History Association of Ireland.)
– Laura Kelly, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
'This book is a reflection of a life well lived. It is a beautiful and fascinating read.' (Read the full review here.)
– M. Higgins, Irish Journal of Medical Science
Read about Beulah and
My Life as a Woman and Doctor in the Dublin Voice and Wicklow Voice
here.
Listen to Susan Bewley on The Mark Patterson Show, BBC Radio Foyle,
here.
Editor Susan Bewley talks to journalist Una Brankin about her mother's memoirs. Read the full
Belfast Telegraph article
here.
Find a tribute with information about the funeral and obituary
here.
Take a look at Beulah Bewley's obituary in
The BMJ here.
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