Monica Eileen Baly (24 May 1914 – 12 November 1998) was an English nurse, historian of nursing, and an advocate for social change.

Early life

Monica Baly studied at the St. Hilda's School for Girls in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

Education and career

Baly trained in the London County Council Fever Hospital followed by professional nursing training at the

Middlesex Hospital Middlesex Hospital was a teaching hospital located in the Fitzrovia area of London, England. First opened as the Middlesex Infirmary in 1745 on Windmill Street, it was moved in 1757 to Mortimer Street where it remained until it was finally clo ...

. She became a chief nursing officer in 1949 for the

Royal College of Nursing The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is a registered trade union in the United Kingdom for those in the profession of nursing. It was founded in 1916, receiving its royal charter in 1928. Queen Elizabeth II was the patron until her death in 2022. ...

. Baly was also an activist working toward fair living wages for nurses through the "Raise the Roof" campaign, which resulted in a 22% pay raise. Baly lectured on social policy and the history of nursing at the

National Council of Nurses National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

and authored ''Nursing and Social Change'' in 1973. She was made a Fellow of the

in 1986.

Legacy

Baly founded the History of Nursing Society at the

, and founded a journal for nursing history. She left money for a scholarship in the area.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baly, Monica Eileen 1914 births 1998 deaths Nurses from London English medical historians 20th-century English historians British women historians 20th-century British women writers Fellows of the Royal College of Nursing British nurses