Mary Baird

Mary Baird, MBE (22 May 1907 - 25 June 2009) was a Northern Irish nurse and health service administrator, working as Northern Ireland's first health visitor.

Early life Mary Frances Josephine Baird was born in Belfast on 22 May 1907.

Career From 1927-1929 Baird trained as a nurse in Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast (BVH), registering with the General Nursing Council in 1929. She went on to train as a midwife in Dublin's Rotunda Hospital in 1930, registering as a midwife in 1931. Her first paid position was as a private nurse in Sir William Whitla's Belfast home, as he had been disabled by a stroke in 1929. She provided child and maternity care in the community, organising clubs for young mothers and their children supported by the Belfast Corporation where attendees needed food. Baird was also the RCN representative on the NI Local Government Superannuation Committee. On Ministry of Labour tribunals, Baird served inter alia. She was also active with the British Legion. In North Belfast, she was involved in the foundation and administration of a home for retired nurses. She retired from her post in March 1969 , but remained active in voluntary groups and in public life.

In 1964, she was awarded an MBE.

Later life Baird was a lifelong member of the RVH League of Nurses. In 2000 her portrait was featured as part of series of photographs representing the stages of human life by artist Avril Wilson. She died on 25 June 2009 in a nursing home in Belfast, aged 102.