Ethel Vaughan-Sawyer

Ethel May Vaughan was born on 6 July 1868 in Derby, the oldest of eight children born to Cedric Vaughan and Jane Ellen Ridley.[1] Her father was a locomotive engineer, who from 1872 was manager of the Hodbarrow Mining Company in Cumberland, where the family moved.[1]

With her two younger sisters, Ethel was educated at a private school in Bottesford, Leicestershire, and later in Lausanne.[1] From 1889, she studied at University College London, and in 1891 entered the London School of Medicine for Women, where she excelled.[1] She graduated BS and MB in 1896, and MD in 1898.[1]

In 1907, Vaughan married George Henry Vaughan-Sawyer, a captain and author.[1] The marriage was happy and their daughter, Petronella Grace, was born on 31 August 1908.[1][3] George Henry Vaughan-Sawyer was killed in action in 1914.[1][4] Petronella Grace, a designer and illustrator, died in 1931 at the age of 22.[1][5]

In 1897, Vaughan became assistant medical officer to Camberwell Infirmary.[1] She subsequently became curator of the Royal Free Hospital's museum, and in 1899 clinical assistant to physician Raymond Crawfurd.[1] In 1901, she spent time in Paris with fellow physician Louisa Garrett Anderson, visiting French hospitals.[1]

By that year, Vaughan had established a private practice from her home in Brompton Square, South Kensington, alongside her friend Dr. Kate Marion Hunter.[1] When, a year later, Mary Scharlieb was appointed physician for the diseases of women at the Royal Free Hospital, Vaughan was made her assistant.[1] Scharlieb described Vaughan as both "a great pleasure to work with" and "one of the best and most skilful surgeons of the next generation".[1]

On Scharlieb's retirement in 1908, Vaughan took over, assisted by Florence Willey.[1] Vaughan also lectured at her alma mater, the London School of Medicine for Women.[1] Following the birth of her daughter in August 1908, Vaughan (now Vaughan-Sawyer) returned to the operating table in November proving, as Claire Brock has written, "that medical women were more than capable of combining the roles of surgeon, wife, and mother."[1] At the Royal Free Hospital, Vaughan's surgical skill was evident, as was her interest in new and developing surgeries, detailed in her case notes.[1][6] Vaughan-Sawyer also retained a private practice in Harley Street, and was actively involved in both the Royal Society of Medicine's obstetric and gynaecological division, and the Association of Registered Medical Women.[1] She lectured widely, and was a member of the Fabian Women's Group.[1]

In 1920, Vaughan-Sawyer was part of a committee seeking to establish scholarships for Serbian women to train in medicine at the Royal Free Hospital.[7]

Vaughan-Sawyer remained at the Royal Free Hospital until 1926, when her eyesight began to fail and she retired from her post.[1] Two years later, she became the Royal Free Hospital's consulting gynaecologist.[1]

Vaughan-Sawyer died on 9 March 1949 in hospital in Northwood, Middlesex, having lived for two years in St John's Guest House for the Blind in Worthing.[1] On her death, a correspondent to The Times described her as having spoken of all the "calamities" of her life - and everything else - "with robust humour and a philosophy that had its roots in her deep and living faith."[8] Her obituary in the same paper remembered her as "for many years a noted gynaecologist and obstetrician".[9] An obituary was also published the British Medical Journal.[3]

Ethel Vaughan-Sawyer's case notes are held by the London Metropolitan Archives.[10]