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412:. There was a private funeral and cremation in Edinburgh and a public funeral at Raith. Her ashes were later placed alongside those of her husband at a sandstone memorial, with the epitaph "In the service of others her life was spent". She has been seen as a prominent figure in a network of aristocratic women's imperial feminism and philanthropy that extended across the
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The
Australian Red Cross was run by women under Munro Ferguson's leadership and the organisation became popular with many Australian women as a way for them to help the war effort. Many women formed local branches to help provide food and other essentials for Australian and European soldiers. In
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After the war ended, Munro
Ferguson said Australian women should not disband their Red Cross branches. She went back to Scotland in 1920 and became the Viscountess Novar when her husband became a
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in
Australia of which she was president, while the national executive and its central depot were established and run by the Australian government, run out of
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451:(9 September 2021). "Ferguson , Helen Hermione Munro, Viscountess Novar (1865–1941), vicereine, nursing and community advocate, and Red Cross leader".
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and work with disabled soldiers and convalescent homes. She was also appointed to the international advisory committee of the League's nursing home at
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to watch her husband from the ladies' gallery. She also helped write and draft his parliamentary and later viceregal speeches.
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Born Helen
Hermione Munro Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood on 14 March 1865, she was the second child and eldest daughter of
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and a member of the party's local association, she considered running for parliament in 1924. In 1927, the
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in
December 1920. She agreed to represent the Australian Red Cross on the board of governors of the
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attitudes. However, the organisation managed to raise almost £5 million during the war.
249:, she was the president of her local nursing association for 50 years and supported the
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council and became the founding president of the Red Cross branch in
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Frederick
Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava
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Munro
Ferguson was a noted orator and speechwriter. Interested in
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Hariot
Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava
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261:
486:. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
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Munro
Ferguson was most well known for her involvement in the
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She was involved in a number of women's groups, including the
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President and founder of the
Australian Red Cross (1865-1941)
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her husband was the sixth Governor-General of Australia
351:(GBE) for her war work with the Australian Red Cross.
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in Scotland, Australia, and internationally with the
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Dames Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
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268:, he was involved with organisations such as the
401:Her husband, Lord Novar, died on 30 March 1934.
152:Helen Hermione Munro Ferguson, Viscountess Novar
66:Helen Hermione Munro Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood
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347:October 1918, Munro Ferguson was appointed
177:Frederick Temple Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood
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111:Ronald Munro Ferguson, 1st Viscount Novar
190:in the 17th century and belonged to the
476:"Blackwood, Helen Hermione (1865–1941)"
453:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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167:and healthcare and political activist.
349:Dame Grand Cross of the British Empire
274:British Women's Emigration Association
186:Her parents migrated from Scotland to
319:, Helen lived in Australia. When the
218:On 31 August 1889, Blackwood married
159:(14 March 1865 – 9 April 1941) was a
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461:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.60197
278:Scottish Women's Liberal Federation
163:leader, as well as an advocate for
534:British people of Scottish descent
480:Australian Dictionary of Biography
284:Nursing and the Red Cross movement
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310:Territorial Force Nursing Service
408:, Kirkcaldy, on 9 April 1941 of
323:broke out, she helped to form a
544:Australian women of World War I
539:People from Bangor, County Down
519:Daughters of British marquesses
258:National Union of Women Workers
194:in Ireland. She grew up on the
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360:League of Red Cross Societies
294:League of Red Cross Societies
97:League of Red Cross Societies
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315:Between 1914 and 1920, when
251:state registration of nurses
333:Government House, Melbourne
233:Lady Ferguson attended the
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329:British Red Cross Society
306:Voluntary Aid Detachments
298:British Red Cross Society
241:Charity work and activism
222:. They lived together in
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474:Poynter, J. R. (1986).
396:University of Edinburgh
388:University of Edinburgh
378:Novar was appointed a
524:British viscountesses
390:made her an honorary
220:Ronald Munro Ferguson
192:Protestant Ascendancy
30:The Viscountess Novar
449:Oppenheimer, Melanie
380:justice of the peace
337:Australian Red Cross
26:The Right Honourable
410:coronary thrombosis
266:Liberal Imperialist
290:Red Cross movement
368:Manchester Square
196:Clandeboye Estate
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101:British Red Cross
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514:Blackwood family
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382:in July 1920. A
364:Junior Red Cross
247:district nursing
235:House of Commons
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144:Blackwood family
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54: 1914–1918
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49:Helen Ferguson (
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200:country estate
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88:(aged 76)
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84:April 9, 1941
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86:(1941-04-09)
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509:1941 deaths
504:1865 births
406:Raith House
370:in London.
228:Novar House
208:County Down
498:Categories
420:References
374:Later life
276:, and the
198:, a large
171:Early life
72:1865-03-14
398:in 1927.
325:federated
224:Kirkcaldy
161:Red Cross
384:Unionist
308:and the
260:and the
214:Marriage
132:(mother)
126:(father)
165:nursing
117:Parents
341:sexist
272:, the
204:Bangor
188:Ulster
181:Hariot
140:Family
107:Spouse
356:peer
302:Fife
264:. A
262:YWCA
226:and
81:Died
62:Born
457:doi
202:in
156:GBE
35:GBE
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428:^
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51:c.
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70:(
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