Annie Crisp

Annie Alice Crisp (1854 – 11 June 1953) was an English-born nurse who established New Zealand's first school of nursing and served as superintendent of Auckland Hospital, in New Zealand. She also established Winnipeg Children's Hospital, in Canada. She joined the nursing section of the British Army and served as a nurse in the Anglo-Zulu and Anglo-Egyptian wars, and in the Sudan and South Africa. She was decorated in each of these campaigns, being awarded the Egypt Medal and the Khedive's Star.

While Crisp was serving overseas, her father became unwell in England and he and his wife emigrated to New Zealand in search of a better climate for him. Crisp travelled from South Africa to New Zealand to join her parents. She settled in Auckland, where she established New Zealand's first school of nursing and was appointed lady superintendent of Auckland Hospital. Trained in the Florence Nightingale tradition she is credited with turning around the conditions at the hospital which were overcrowded and unhygienic, and instituting proper nursing training. In August 1883, Crisp was awarded the Royal Red Cross for her military nursing service; the medal was presented by Governor William Jervois at a ceremony at Government House, Auckland, the following April.

Crisp died at Winnipeg Children's Hospital and was buried in the St John's Cathedral cemetery.