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Resource Name:
Resource Type:
External Resource
Metadata
Asset Name:
E006332 - Bloomfield, Alice (1895 - 1977)
Title:
Bloomfield, Alice (1895 - 1977)
Author:
Royal College of Surgeons of England
Identifier:
RCS: E006332
Publisher:
London : Royal College of Surgeons of England
Publication Date:
2014-11-14
Description:
Obituary for Bloomfield, Alice (1895 - 1977), Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Language:
English
Source:
Plarr's Lives of the Fellows
Full Name:
Bloomfield, Alice
Date of Birth:
13 October 1895
Place of Birth:
India
Date of Death:
5 January 1977
Titles/Qualifications:
MRCS and FRCS 1922

MB ChB Edinburgh 1919

MD 1921

ChM 1925

FRCOG 1935

Barrister-at-Law 1964
Details:
Alice Bloomfield was born in India on 13 October 1895 where her father was a merchant. She and her sister were brought back to Scotland as children by their mother after their father was murdered by terrorists. Alice decided to study medicine and qualified at Edinburgh University in 1919 with first class honours after a brilliant studentship. In 1915 she won the silver medal for systematic chemistry and at qualification was given the Annandale Gold Medal for clinical surgery. After being awarded the Leckie Mactier postgraduate scholarship and the William Gibson research fellowship at the Royal Society of Medicine, she obtained the degree of MD in 1921, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1922, and ChM in 1925. Following resident appointments at Queen Charlotte's Hospital and the Hospital for Women in Soho Square, Alice Bloomfield was made gynaecological surgeon at the South London Hospital for Women at the age of 28, and later was appointed to the staff of the Marie Curie Hospital. She took an active interest in the College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and was a foundation member, being elected Fellow in 1935. She served on the Council for several terms, and was on many committees there, being a member of the Examination Committee for 23 years and its Chairman for four years. She was a founder member of the Women's Gynaecological Visiting Club, a select group of 22 members, and was for many years an active member of the Medical Women's Federation. An able diagnostician and a deft and speedy surgeon, she was kind to her patients and junior staff, but could be impatient and irascible with colleagues. She remained in good health, physically and mentally, until the time of her retirement from hospital, leading an active life including cross-country walking and playing golf, and bridge, and she then decided to read for the bar. She was very successful in all her examinations, always being near the head of the list, and was finally called to the bar by Gray's Inn at the age of 70. She worked in South Western circuit dealing mainly with criminal cases. A great traveller, particularly in the winter to escape the cold, she was helped by her linguistic ability, speaking several languages, and in the last days of her life, was attending Spanish classes. She died from a stroke after only a few days illness on 5 January 1977 at the age of 82.
Sources:
*The Times* 7 and 8 January 1977

*Lancet*, 1977, 1, 205
Rights:
Copyright (c) The Royal College of Surgeons of England
Collection:
Plarr's Lives of the Fellows
Format:
Obituary
Format:
Asset
Asset Path:
Root/Lives of the Fellows/E006000-E006999/E006300-E006399
Media Type:
Unknown