Sybil Lonie Lewis

Title: 
Doctor
Dates: 
1874 - 10 March 1918.

Born in the third quarter of 1874, in Chester, Sybil Lewis was the seventh of nine children of the Rev George Lewis and Catherine Lewis.

Her eldest brother Charles became a doctor, and Sybil wished to do likewise. However it was extremely difficult for women to become doctors and she had to study at both Edinburgh and Dublin to qualify.

Her obituary in the BMA reads:

DR. SYBIL LONIE LEWIS, who died at Hull on March 10th after a slhort illness, was born in 1874. She studied medicine in Edinburgh and Dublin, having previously been trained in nursing and midwifery, and obtained the L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S., and L.R.F.P.S. diplomas in 1905. After serving as assistaint resident medical officer at the Larbert Asylum she began practice in Hull, and held the appointment of school medical officer and the honorary medical officerships of the Diocesan Maternity Home, the Hull Sheltering Home for Girls, and the West Hull creche. In the spring of 1915 Dr. Lewis volunteered for work in Serbia, and went out there in June under the Scottish Women's Hospitals. She was in Serbia when the country was overrun by the eniemy and the hospital staffs taken prisoners in 1915. Although a Red Cross party, they were detained in Hungary for four montlhs, under the roughest conditions, and were not released and sent home until February, 1916. Dr. Lewis went out again in August, 1916; and worked with the Serbian army in Macedonia and among the civilian refugees till December, 1917, when she was recalled by urgent need at home. She received the Serbian, decoration, of the Order of St. Sava. Fourth Class, in recognition: of her devoted work among the Serbs. Her illness lasted only three days, but, in the opinion of tbe surgeon attending her, the conditions causing it were contracted abroad, and her name must be added to the growing list of medical women who have given their lives for Serbia.

~

[In addition to the memorial opposite, she is commemorated on a plaque to Elsie Inglis in Edinburgh]

Sources
BMA