Born: 1886 (Sixmilebridge, County Clare, Ireland)
Biography:
Sarah Mary Josephine Winstedt (née O’Flynn) was an Irish-born physician, surgeon, and suffragist who made significant contributions to colonial healthcare in British Malaya. Born on April 4, 1886, in Sixmilebridge, County Clare, Sarah Winstedt became known for her outstanding medical work both during the two World Wars and in Malaya. For her remarkable accomplishments, she was posthumously inducted into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame.
Sarah Winstedt’s academic journey started at convent schools in Ireland and France before she pursued her medical degree at the University of Edinburgh, where she graduated MB ChB in 1912. Following her studies, she was appointed as an assistant in obstetrics at the Royal Free Hospital in London. During this time, she actively participated in the campaign for women’s suffrage and even embarked on a hunger strike at HM Prison Holloway as a protest.
In 1913, Sarah attended a course on tropical diseases at the London School of Tropical Medicine, which led her to join the Colonial Medical Service and consequently be sent to British Malaya. There, she played a crucial role in healthcare, running the women’s and children’s ward at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital and establishing a new hospital in the Kuala Pilah District. Sarah’s determination to provide care for the rural population led her to travel across the countryside, utilizing unconventional methods such as elephant and bicycle, which helped foster trust in Western medicine.
Following her service in Malaya, Sarah returned to Britain in 1916 to join the Royal Army Medical Corps during World War I. She served in various locations, including Malta, Thessaloniki, and Fort Pitt in Kent. In 1919, together with Lady Muriel Paget, she embarked on a humanitarian mission to Russia. Sarah then resumed her medical work in Malaya and married Richard Olaf Winstedt, a colonial administrator, in 1921.
Sarah Winstedt joined the surgical unit at Singapore General Hospital and later became the head of the hospital’s newly established pediatric ward in 1932. Although she resigned from her position in 1933 due to her husband’s appointment as advisor to Johor, she continued to volunteer at the Johor Bahru General Hospital. In 1935, both Sarah and Richard were honored with the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.
Upon returning to Britain in 1935, Sarah took on the role of assistant director at the Marie Curie Hospital for women with cancer in Hampstead from 1937 to 1938. During World War II, she actively contributed to the war effort by accompanying children who were evacuated to Canada, examining new recruits for the Auxiliary Territorial Service, and serving as an industrial medical officer.
Sarah Winstedt’s exceptional career as a physician, surgeon, and suffragist embodies her dedication to advancing healthcare and advocating for women’s rights. She left a lasting impact on British Malaya and her contributions were recognized through her induction into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame and the receipt of the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.
Awards:
– Hunger Strike Medal ‘for Valour’ by WSPU (Women’s Social and Political Union)
– King George V Silver Jubilee Medal (1935)