Beryl Oliver

Dame Beryl Carnegy Oliver, Lady Oliver, (née Joseph; 20 August 1882 – 13 July 1972) was a British charity administrator as well as the British Red Cross Society's Director of Education.

Early life Oliver was born in Australia to British parents, Francis Edward Joseph and Isabella Eliza Butter ( Carnegy) Joseph. She had a younger brother, Ughtred Elliot Joseph (later Ughtred Elliot Carnegy, of Lour).

Isabella came from a titled Scottish family; her father, Patrick Carnegy of Lour, was a descendant of David Carnegie, 2nd Earl of Northesk. The family later adopted the Carnegy surname after Isabella succeeded to her father's estates in 1915. Oliver was educated privately in England and France. On 10 June 1914, she married Rear-Admiral (later Admiral of the Fleet) Sir Henry Oliver of the Royal Navy. During the Second World War she was a member of the Society's War Organisation Executive Committee and several other committees. After the war she became the Society's Director of Education, retiring in 1956. She then became the BRCS's archivist and published its definitive history, The British Red Cross in Action, in 1966. She published a second book, The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, in 1969. and appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1919 New Year Honours and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 1920 civilian war honours.

In recognition of her work in the Second World War, she was appointed Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in the 1948 New Year Honours. After the King invested her as a Dame Grand Cross, the Queen, as President of the British Red Cross Society, presented her with a diamond brooch at a party at Buckingham Palace.

Death Her husband died in 1965, aged 100. She died in London in 1972, aged 89. Per her wishes, her ashes were interred on the Hill of Lour, Angus.