Person    | Female  Born 11/8/1905  Died 22/11/1989

Sister Dorothy Louise Thomas, GC

Categories: Medicine

Nurse. Born East London, died Chelmsford.

From Stephen's Study Room: "At the time of her EGM award she was a Nursing Sister at the Middlesex Hospital {Foley Street}, London. On the 26 January 1934, Sister Thomas was working as a Theatre Sister in one of the Operating Theatres, when an explosion occurred in a large oxygen cylinder. Sparks and flames shot from the cylinder through the door of the anaesthetic room across the theatre for a distance of about 15 feet. Sister Thomas remained behind until everyone was removed from the theatre and, despite the risk of the cylinder exploding, she went back into the anaesthetic room and managed to turn off the oxygen cylinder."

In 1940 the EGM was discontinued and recipients were obliged to exchange it for the George Cross.

The picture comes from a Pathé film (issued 2 April 1934) of her receiving her medal in 1934 but annoyingly she never faces the camera. The king, who is holding a stick and wearing gloves, struggles to open the case containing the medal and takes a long time pinning it to Thomas's clothing, all without us getting more than a passing glimpse of it.

2024: Mike Coleman  pointed out that there is some confusion over which medal she was awarded. The announcement in the London Gazette, 2 March 1934, awards her the OBE and the Pathé film similarly awards her the "gold medal of the OBE". However Wikipedia, while referring to that edition of the Gazette, says she was awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal (which is silver). The EGM is the medal which was later replaced with the GC, which is what the plaque names. Normally we'd take the Gazette as the source of truth but official plaque erectors are duty-bound to do their research, so we are left uncertain. Which is why Thomas is in our Puzzle Corner.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Sister Dorothy Louise Thomas, GC

Commemorated ati

Sister Thomas

Sister Dorothy Louise Thomas GC, 1905 - 1989, nursing sister awarded the Geor...

Read More

Other Subjects

Joseph Merrick / John Merrick

Joseph Merrick / John Merrick

"The Elephant Man". Born Leicester. Began to develop severe abnormalities within a few years. By aged 17 his mother had died, his father and step-mother had rejected him, and failing to find a job,...

Person, Medicine

1 memorial
Dr Frederick N. Hicks

Dr Frederick N. Hicks

Long term resident of Stanmore. From HADAS "Dr Frederick Hicks is a retired GP and Vice-Chairman of the Stanmore & Harrow Historical Society." From MyLondon: "... Dr Hicks has attended St John...

Person, History, Medicine, Religion, Australia

1 memorial
Edith Louisa Cavell

Edith Louisa Cavell

Edith Cavell was born on 4 December 1865 in Swardeston in Norfolk. At the age of 20 she entered the nursing profession, training at the London Hospital 1896 - 1901. Assistant Matron at the Shoredit...

Person, Medicine, Seriously Famous, Belgium

War dead, WW1
4 memorials
Major A. C. Tunstall, MD, FRCS (ED)

Major A. C. Tunstall, MD, FRCS (ED)

Medical Board in the St John Ambulance Brigade, Metropolitan Corps, 1890-1915. Officer in the Order of St John.

Person, Armed Forces, Emergency Services, Medicine

1 memorial
St Bartholomew's Hospital

St Bartholomew's Hospital

Barts was founded in 1123 by Rahere.

Group, Medicine

2 memorials

Previously viewed

Charles Cruft

Charles Cruft

Dog show promoter. Worked as a travelling salesman for Spratt's. His first dog show was run in 1878 at the request of the French breeders at the Paris Exhibition. There followed some more on beh...

Person, Animals

1 memorial
Verlaine birth

Verlaine birth

57000, W, Rue Haute Pierre, 2

In Metz, France. Yes, you guessed it, we spotted this while on holiday, and knowing we already had plaques for Verlaine in London and on ...

1 subject commemorated
Spanish & Portuguese Jews' Congregation

Spanish & Portuguese Jews' Congregation

Initially called 'sha'arhashamayim', the Gate of Heaven, this was the first professing Jewish community in the British Isles to be established in modern times (following the expulsion) and formed t...

Group, Community / Clubs, Religion, Portugal, Spain

4 memorials
Society of West End Theatre/London Theatre

Society of West End Theatre/London Theatre

1908 Formed as West End Theatre Managers. 1976 By now it is called Society of West End Theatre. 1994 Renamed Society of London Theatre.

Group, Theatre

17 memorials
Celia Fiennes

Celia Fiennes

Traveller and diarist.  Born near Salisbury.  Moved to join a sister's family in London in 1691.  She explored England on horse-back at a time when travel was difficult and particularly so for a wo...

Person, Exploring

1 memorial