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operated the
Tottenham ‘school for mothers’, working to tackle the high rates of infant mortality reported throughout London during the first decade of the 20th century. In 1900, 158 babies out of every 1000 babies born in London died before reaching a year old, and these damning statistics prompted authorities to address the problem. This in turn enabled an increasing number of roles for women in public health, particularly as health visitors and sanitary inspectors. These efforts, including the Tottenham initiative, were impactful, and by 1921 the infant mortality rate was down to 67.9 per 1000.
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Once qualified, she worked towards the development of a state medical service, pioneering projects with
Tottenham Council, acting as School Medical Officer and Assistant Medical Officer of Health. As School Medical Officer, Seekings was responsible for carrying out inspections of girls and infants,
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In the same year, Seekings put forward the idea of a 'school for mothers', and in 1912 she and Jessy Kent-Parsons (1882?- 1966) 'rented a house in an area with the highest infant mortality rate and opened the school'. From this point, while still an
Assistant Minister of Health (MOH), the two
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Whipple, Guy M. Provision for the education of gifted children in the United States; American Child Health
Association; American Child Hygiene Association; National Child Health Council (U. S.). Child health in Erie County, New York (1921).
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Sophia
Seekings was born in Gloucester on 3 December 1873, to Joseph John, an engineer, and Mary Seekings. She was educated at girls' schools in Gloucester, and then at the
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Seekings was one of the first
Maternity and Child Welfare Inspectors, Honorary Secretary of the National Baby Welfare Council, member of the
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128:(3 December 1873 – 17 July 1954) was an English doctor, and maternity & child welfare campaigner, who with
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216:(1922), she as listed as working as a clinical assistant in the throat, nose, and ear department of the
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Quakers' Suffrage
Society; Federation of Medical Women; Women Sanitary and Health Visitors' Association
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486:. Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine. Baltimore, Md. : American Child Hygiene Association.
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In 1918, Seekings married Alfred
Richard Friel, also a doctor. In the same year, she published
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Society, which sought to tackle women's suffrage 'from the more
Quakerly point of view'.
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in 1912, and was one of the first
Maternity and Child Welfare Inspectors.
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while the Medical Officer of Health examined older boys, under the
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Seekings' husband, Alfred Richard Friel (1870-1958), pictured in
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321:"Wellcome Library Western Manuscripts and Archives catalogue"
503:. Gerstein - University of Toronto. London Mills & Boon.
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Tottenham (London, England) Local Board of Health (1910).
296:"Tackling infant mortality: the women behind the numbers"
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In 1921, she contributed an article on breast feeding to
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Report of the health of Tottenham UDC for the year 1909
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In 1911, Seekings became secretary of the newly formed
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579:Alumni of the London School of Medicine for Women
132:pioneered a mother and baby treatment centre in
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85:Doctor, Maternity and Child Welfare Inspector
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500:The woman doctor and her future
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574:English women medical doctors
413:"England and Wales Marriages"
206:Maternity and Child Welfare.
519:The British Medical Journal
497:Martindale, Louisa (1922).
16:English doctor and activist
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584:Women of the Victorian era
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388:"The Vote March 18 1911"
188:Royal Sanitary Institute
525:(4881): 256–257. 1954.
346:"Medical Register 1913"
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74:M.B., Bac. Surg., M.D.
569:People from Gloucester
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126:Sophia Seekings Friel
25:Sophia Seekings Friel
442:www.findmypast.co.uk
417:www.findmypast.co.uk
350:www.findmypast.co.uk
257:Law, Cheryl (2000).
103:Alfred Richard Friel
594:English suffragists
218:Royal Free Hospital
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130:Jessy Kent-Parsons
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176:The Graphic
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195:The Baby
165:Suffrage
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