Caroline Keer
Encyclopedia
Caroline Keer, RRC & Bar
(born 1857 — died 29 December 1928) was a British
military nurse and nursing administrator, who served in Natal
during the Boer War
.
She served with the British Army
's Nursing Service from December 1887 where she nursed at the Royal Victoria Military Hospital, Netley
, before she was posted to Egypt from 1888-94. She served in Natal
during the Boer War
in 1899 for which she received the Royal Red Cross
and the Queen's and King's South African medals. In 1903 she was appointed Principal Matron at Pretoria, South Africa. At the time of her appointment there were 14 military hospitals serving soldiers and their families; a central duty of her position was to supervise and inspect each hospital.
Upon her appointment as Matron in Chief, the British Journal of Nursing reported:
Keer served as Matron-in-Chief of the QAIMNS from 5 April 1906 to 5 April 1910, retiring two months later.
from undisclosed causes. She never married.
, half-sister of Caroline Keer by their father, Major General Jonathan Keer (1825-1907), ex-HM Bengal Staff Corps.
Royal Red Cross
The Royal Red Cross is a military decoration awarded in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for exceptional services in military nursing.The award was established on 27 April 1883 by Queen Victoria, with a single class of Member...
(born 1857 — died 29 December 1928) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
military nurse and nursing administrator, who served in Natal
Natal, South Africa
Natal is a region in South Africa. It stretches between the Indian Ocean in the south and east, the Drakensberg in the west, and the Lebombo Mountains in the north. The main cities are Pietermaritzburg and Durban...
during the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
.
She served with the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
's Nursing Service from December 1887 where she nursed at the Royal Victoria Military Hospital, Netley
Netley
Netley, sometimes called Netley Abbey, is a village on the south coast of Hampshire, England, situated on the east side of the city of Southampton...
, before she was posted to Egypt from 1888-94. She served in Natal
Natal, South Africa
Natal is a region in South Africa. It stretches between the Indian Ocean in the south and east, the Drakensberg in the west, and the Lebombo Mountains in the north. The main cities are Pietermaritzburg and Durban...
during the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
in 1899 for which she received the Royal Red Cross
Royal Red Cross
The Royal Red Cross is a military decoration awarded in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for exceptional services in military nursing.The award was established on 27 April 1883 by Queen Victoria, with a single class of Member...
and the Queen's and King's South African medals. In 1903 she was appointed Principal Matron at Pretoria, South Africa. At the time of her appointment there were 14 military hospitals serving soldiers and their families; a central duty of her position was to supervise and inspect each hospital.
Upon her appointment as Matron in Chief, the British Journal of Nursing reported:
Miss Keer has many qualifications for the high office to which she has been appointed. Her quiet, modest confidence, confidence evidently born of knowledge, cannot fail to beget the conviction that the choice which placed the reins of government in this important position in her hands and that she will maintain the dignity and prestige which the Service has acquired during the tenure of office of the present Matron-in-Chief Miss Sidney BrowneSidney BrowneDame Sidney Jane Browne, GBE, RRC was the first appointed Matron-in-Chief of the newly formed Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service....
, R.R.C. During her time as the Matron in Chief Miss Keer was involved in improving the pay, allowances and conditions of the nurses of the QAIMNS and making changes to the Military Families Hospitals.
Keer served as Matron-in-Chief of the QAIMNS from 5 April 1906 to 5 April 1910, retiring two months later.
Death
Caroline Keer died on 29 December 1928, aged 71, at her home in West Worthing, SurreyWorthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
from undisclosed causes. She never married.
Family
Dr Honoria Somerville KeerHonoria Somerville Keer
Dr Honoria Somerville Keer, MBChB was a British surgeon during World War I, where she served as Assistant Medical Officer with the Girton and Newnham Unit of the Scottish Women's Hospital for Foreign Service....
, half-sister of Caroline Keer by their father, Major General Jonathan Keer (1825-1907), ex-HM Bengal Staff Corps.