Celebrating A Pioneering Nurse:  Annie Brewster

By Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer 

#UnitedKingdom, February 20, 2023 – Born in Saint Vincent in 1858, Annie Brewster was one of the first Black nurses in the United Kingdom and was so skilled that she was nicknamed ‘Nurse Ophthalmic’.

Born to a wealthy father from Barbados, Phardour Chaderon, Annie spent her younger years in her island home before her family moved to England when she was 12.

The Royal London Hospital Museum says she worked at the London Hospital from 1881 until her death in 1902.

“She entered The London Hospital as a probationer nurse in 1881 and was appointed to the nursing staff in 1884.  She worked on female medical wards before being promoted to nurse in charge of the Ophthalmic Ward in 1888.”

The Saint Vincent Times reports that she was a staunch defender of the hospital and very well-loved among her patients.

“Quick, thorough and active she was a favourite with all the sisters under whom she worked…and equally well suited for medical and surgical work.  She was gentle and kind to her patients and showed a “head” for managing her ward,” according to reports by her superiors.

She earned her nickname because of her skill and care in treating those with eye conditions.

Eventually, Nurse Annie was put in charge of the entire ophthalmic ward.  It’s likely Annie would have continued her journey in healthcare had she not died following a routine operation to remove a tumour at the age of just, 43 years old.

Her grave was rediscovered just recently in 2019, more than 100 years after her death.

In April last year, the Company of Nurses and the Royal British Nurses Association collaborated to restore her grave and unveiled it in a ceremony attended by the High Commissioner of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.