Louisa Wilkinson

Dame Louisa Jane Wilkinson, ( Lumsden; 11 December 1889 – 4 December 1968) was a British military nurse and nursing administrator who served as Matron-in-Chief of the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service from 1944 to 1948. She founded Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps, and was also president of the Royal College of Nursing.

Personal life Wilkinson was born Louisa Jane Lumsden in Sunderland, the daughter of merchant seaman James and Louisa ( Benskin) Lumsden. She was educated at Bede Collegiate School in Sunderland and Thornbeck Collegiate School in Darlington. On 20 December 1917, she married Captain Robert John Wilkinson of the Royal Irish Fusiliers at the Fulham register office, but he was killed in action in France on 2 July 1918.

She died in 1968, at age 78, in Crowborough of a coronary thrombosis.

DWilkinson was involved in bringing the QAIMNS and the Territorial Army Nursing Service together in 1948 as the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps. She was the first Controller Commandant until 1954. She also founded the QARANC Association. She was President of the Royal College of Nursing in 1948. for her work in India. 1948: Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) military division