Surgeon (and a skilled boxer and cricket-player). Born Essex. Studied medicine at the London School of Medicine for Women. Her gives much information about this lady.
Louisa Brandreth Aldrich-Blake was born on 15 August 1865 in Chingford, Essex (now Greater London), the second child of Frederic James Aldrich (1825-1904) and Louisa Blake Morison (1832-1918). Her parents had assumed their surname as Aldrich-Blake and her birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1865 in the Epping Registration District, Essex (now Greater London). On 3 September 1865 she was baptised at St Peter and St Paul's Church, Chingford.
She was shown in the 1871 census as Louisa B. Aldrich-Blake, aged 5 years and a scholar, living at The Rectory, Welsh Bicknor, Herefordshire, with her parents and three siblings: Frederic Hooper Aldrich-Blake (1863-1950) - a scholar; Agnes Burdon Aldrich-Blake (1866-1894) - a scholar and Annie Elizabeth Aldrich-Blake (1868-1898), together with a cook, a nurse, a housemaid, a nursery-maid, a footman, a groom, a coachman and his wife and three children. Her father was described as The Rector of Welsh Bicknor and a landowner.
When the 1881 census was undertaken she was shown as aged 15 years and a Rector's daughter, residing in The Rectory, Welsh Bicknor, with her parents and four siblings: Agnes Burdon Aldrich-Blake - a Rector's daughter; Annie Elizabeth Aldrich-Blake - a Rector's daughter; Margaret Bicknor Aldrich-Blake (1871-1949) - a Rector's daughter and Robert Morison Aldrich-Blake (1873-1931) - the Rector's son, together with a female teacher and five female servants. Her father continued to be shown as The Rector of Welsh Bicknor.
In the 1891 census she is shown as aged 25 years and a medical student, boarding in the Lady College, 1-3 Byng Place, St Pancras, London.
When she completed her 1911 census return form she described herself as aged 45 years, single and a consulting surgeon, living in a 20 roomed property at 17 Nottingham Place, Marylebone, London, with a cook, a parlour maid, a housemaid and an under housemaid.
She was made a Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 1925 New Year Honours List.
Her death, aged 60 years, on 28 December 1925 was registered in the 4th quarter of 1925 in the Marylebone Registration District. Probate records confirm that her address had been 17 Nottingham Place, Marylebone and that probate was granted on 26 February 1926 jointly to her sister Agnes Burden Jeakes (wife of the Reverend Malcolm Jeakes), Agnes Elizabeth Micklethwait (wife of John Gore Micklethwait) and Rosamond Edith Spencer Wigram, a spinster. Her effects originally totalled £38,356-10s-8d but were subsequently resworn as £37,829-3s-0d. Her remains were in St Margaret's Churchyard, Welsh Bicknor, Herefordshire.
She is shown as Louisa Brandreth Aldrich-Blake, D.B.E. M.D. M.S. on her memorial in Tavistock Square Gardens, London, WC1.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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