Professional in their Profession: The Global Nursing Mission of the Little Company of Mary, 1877-1940
This paper assesses the transnational nursing activities of the Little Company of Mary (L.C.M.) from its foundation in 1877 until the outbreak of the Second World War. The L.C.M., founded by the Venerable Mary Potter and a small band of sisters in a deprived area of Nottingham in 1877, quickly expanded their missionary activities to provide nursing care to the poor and those in need. While attention normally focuses on the founders of religious congregations, this paper will instead explore the first generation of women religious who helped to establish foundations of the Little Company of Mary across the world. From the 1880s, these women established nursing homes, hospitals, and convalescent homes in Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Malta, and Italy. The paper discusses how the L.C.M. sisters’ determination to become recognised globally for their diligent and qualified nursing care was realised across the early 20th century, from treating the sick and poor in deprived communities in Nottingham, the East End of London and Limerick, to working as professional English-speaking nurses in hospitals established in Italy, Malta, and South Africa. It will confirm that by the outbreak of the Second World War, the L.C.M. sisters had played a pivotal role in the provision of universal healthcare as they sought recognition as both women religious and as healthcare providers.
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This page was last updated on 29 June 2024
