The east London grave of a pioneering black nurse from Camberwell has been restored.
Southwark historian Stephen Bourne discovered the ‘forgotten’ grave of Annie Brewster, who died 120 years ago, in the City of London cemetery in Newham in 2019. At that time, it was overgrown and the large stone cross had fallen over.
Annie died in 1902 aged just 43. She was born on the Caribbean island of St Vincent in 1858 and settled in London with her family in the 1860s.
Her father was a wealthy merchant who was originally from Barbados and the Brewsters lived in Grove Vale, East Dulwich before moving to Camberwell.
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In 1881 Annie joined the nursing staff at the well-known London Hospital in Whitechapel in the east end of London. Mr Bourne, author of several books on black British history, learned more about her in the hospital archives.
He said: “The first record, dated December 16, 1881, described her as a thoroughly satisfactory probationer. She was a favourite with all the sisters under whom she worked. She was gentle and kind to her patients.”
In 1902 Annie died after an emergency operation. Matron Eva Luckes and the nursing staff were heartbroken.
Ms Luckes reported that Annie was known to all her hospital friends as ‘Nurse Ophthalmic’ because of her painstaking work with elderly patients who were going blind.
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She said at the time: “She had spent the best and happiest years of her life at the London Hospital. She was with us for just over 20 years, nearly 14 of which had been spent as nurse in charge of the Ophthalmic Wards. With her quick intelligence she became very skilful in the treatment of ‘eyes’ and her kindness to the poor old people who passed through her hands during this period was unwearied. Hospital friends mourn her loss and keep her in affectionate remembrance.”
The restoration of Annie’s grave was paid for by the Company of Nurses. Other people at the restoration ceremony on Tuesday (March 29) alongside Mr Bourne included members of the Royal British Nurses’ Association and Cenio E. Lewis, High Commissioner for St Vincent and The Grenadines.