Emily 'Margaret' Cummins, R.R.C. (1866-1934) was a nursing leader and was

matron Matron is the job title of a very senior or the chief nurse in a hospital in several countries, including the United Kingdom, and other Commonwealth countries and former colonies. Etymology The chief nurse, in other words the person in charge ...

of the

Liverpool Royal Infirmary The Liverpool Royal Infirmary was a hospital in Pembroke Place in Liverpool, England. The building is now used by the University of Liverpool. History The infirmary has its origins in a small building on Shaw's Brow which was opened by the 11th ...

, from 1911 until 1924. In 1924 Cummins arranged what is thought to be the first annual nurses service in England to coincide with the anniversary of the birth of

Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale (; 12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910) was an English Reform movement, social reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing. Nightingale came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during th ...

. Cummins was involved in the formation and development of professional nursing and the

College of Nursing A college of nursing is an educational institution that provides nursing education, often part of a university. College of Nursing may also refer to: *Australian College of Nursing, a professional body for nurses in Australia, created by merging t ...

(Now RCN).

Early life

Cummins was born in

Lewisham Lewisham ( ) is an area of southeast London, England, south of Charing Cross. It is the principal area of the London Borough of Lewisham, and was within the Historic counties of England, historic county of Kent until 1889. It is identified in ...

in 1866. She was the eldest child of two born to William John Lawrence Cummins, a Major in the

army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

and

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...

Woolwich Woolwich () is a town in South London, southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The district's location on the River Thames led to its status as an important naval, military and industrial area; a role that was mainta ...

, and his wife Emily. Her mother was an

innkeeper Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway. Before the advent of motorized transportation, they also provided accomm ...

in 1891, and ran the Royal Oak public house in Milbourn St Andrew, near

Blandford Blandford Forum ( ) is a market town in Dorset, England, on the River Stour, Dorset, River Stour, north-west of Poole. It had a population of 10,355 at the United Kingdom 2021 census, 2021 census. The town is notable for its Georgian archit ...

Dorset Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...

. Cummins lived at home until she commenced training aged 28 years old.

Career

Cummins trained as a

nurse Nursing is a health care profession that "integrates the art and science of caring and focuses on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and human functioning; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; and alle ...

The London Hospital The Royal London Hospital is a large teaching hospital in Whitechapel in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is part of Barts Health NHS Trust. It provides district general hospital services for the City of London and Tower Hamlets and spe ...

under

Eva Luckes Eva Charlotte Ellis Luckes (8 July 1854 – 16 February 1919) was matron of the London Hospital from 1880 to 1919. Early life Eva Charlotte Ellis Luckes (she spelled her name Lückes with the umlaut until World War I)Rogers, Sarah (2022). ...

between 1895-1897.Emily Margaret Cummins, Register of Probationers; RLHLH/N/1/5, 15; Barts Health NHS Trust Archives and Museums, London After Cummins completed her training she worked there as a staff nurse for 15 months. In 1898 she was recommended as a sister to

Anna Baillie Anna Beatrix Ballie R.R.C. (18641958), was an inspiring manager who established the first provincial Preliminary Training School for Nurses, and served as a Principal military Matron of Bristol during the First World War. She was one of the firs ...

, a former Londoner, and the matron of the Royal Infirmary, Bristol. Shortly after moving to Bristol she was appointed Assistant Matron. Whilst in

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

she undertook a session as a Lecturer on Nursing for the Merchants Venturers Technical College, Bristol. In 1903 she was appointed as matron of Cumberland Infirmary in

Carlisle Carlisle ( , ; from ) is a city in the Cumberland district of Cumbria, England. Carlisle's early history is marked by the establishment of a settlement called Luguvalium to serve forts along Hadrian's Wall in Roman Britain. Due to its pro ...

. She stayed there until 1911 when she was appointed as matron of Liverpool Royal Infirmary. Cummins was regarded as being a 'very progressive' matron. Whilst there she oversaw development of a four year training programme for nurses, new accommodation for nurses, and better recreational facilities for nurses including a tennis court. She was first president of the Liverpool College of Nursing Centre, one of the earliest regional centres of the College of Nursing. She was on the Council of the College of Nursing from 1919-1924. Cummins was also on the committee of the

Association of Hospital Matrons The Association of Hospital Matrons was a professional organization of hospital matrons in the United Kingdom, founded in 1919. At its meeting on 23 December 1971 it changed its name in to the Association of Nurse Administrators from January 1972 ...

. She was Chairman of the Liverpool and Cheshire groups of the Matrons Association.

Retirement

Cummins enjoyed the countryside, and when she retired she planned to move to a country cottage. Cummins died at Teignmouth Hospital on 14 April 1934 from

Atrial Fibrillation Atrial fibrillation (AF, AFib or A-fib) is an Heart arrhythmia, abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) characterized by fibrillation, rapid and irregular beating of the Atrium (heart), atrial chambers of the heart. It often begins as short periods ...

and a

Cerebral Embolism An embolism is the lodging of an embolus, a blockage-causing piece of material, inside a blood vessel. The embolus may be a blood clot (thrombus), a fat globule (fat embolism), a bubble of air or other gas (gas embolism), amniotic fluid (amniot ...

.Margaret Cummins, Death Certificate, 14 April 1934. She is recorded as Margaret, the name used during her training. Her occupation and her father's names correspond. Miss Jones, Cummins former assistant matron, and her successor at the Liverpool Royal Infirmary, attended Cummins's funeral service which was held at

Ringmore Ringmore is a village and civil parish in the South Hams district, on the coast of Devon, England. The population taken at the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census was 208. History The earliest surviving record of Ringmore is in the Domesd ...

Church near

Kingsbridge Kingsbridge is a market town in the South Hams district of Devon, England, with a population of 6,116 at the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census. Two electoral wards bear the name of ''Kingsbridge'' (East & North). Their combined population ...

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

Archdeacon An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in the Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, St Thomas Christians, Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox churches and some other Christian denomina ...

Howson gave the address at her memorial service which was held in the chapel of Liverpool Royal Infirmary the day after her death.

Honours

Cummins was awarded the Royal Red Cross in 1919.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cummins, Emily Margaret 1866 births 1934 deaths British nursing administrators Members of the Royal Red Cross Nurses from London People from Lewisham Royal College of Nursing