International Women’s Day: Ernestine Donovan (de Hamel)

The 8th March is International Women’s Day and the theme for 2026 is “Give to Gain”. This campaign theme aims to improve gender equality through generosity, collaboration and reciprocity via the sharing of resources, knowledge or time. In the spirit of this, a woman from Middleton Hall’s history stands out: Ernestine de Hamel (née Donovan).

Ernestine was born on 20th July 1857 in Brighton, Sussex. She was the daughter of Alexander Donovan, Deputy Lieutenant, and Ellen Poulett Thomson. On 21st September 1882, Ernestine married Egbert de Hamel at Framfield Parish Church. Ernestine had, unusually for her time, trained and worked as a nurse before she was married. This training came in useful during the First World War when Middleton Hall was used as a hospital and both Ernestine and her eldest daughter Kathleen were nurses.

Before the 1860s, nursing had been considered a lowly, disreputable occupation. However, Florence Nightingale’s subsequent reforms changed it to a respectable one. In order to improve the profession’s standards, it was believed necessary to bring in well-educated women, who would consequently be of middle or upper class. Additionally, there were Lady Probationers. These were women of high social standing and were intended to fill supervisory or leadership roles, such as a sister or a matron, rather than perform the menial nursing tasks. By 1880, it was becoming increasingly common for a young woman of good status to become a nurse, especially for those who were seeking independence and the ability to rise quickly to a supervisory position. However, it was still considered an unconventional and pioneering activity and many families of young women of good standing disapproved, considering the occupation as too arduous and unseemly.

After their marriage, Ernestine and Egbert initially lived near the river at Bolehall, Tamworth. However, following the death of their son in 1886, they decided to move out of the town for “better air”. This was the reason they went to live at Middleton Hall and Ernestine lived there for the remainder of her life.

Ernestine de Hamel. Courtesy of Mrs Ernestine Isabel March.

Ernestine also embraced the Arts and Crafts Movement. She enjoyed painting, garden design and wood carving. Her garden design style was said to have been influenced by Gertrude Jekyll, whom she knew. Around the time that Ernestine had been born, changes in attitudes towards the involvement of women in gardening activities had meant that women of high social standing rarely gardened. Gertrude Jekyll was unusual due to her high level of expertise in the field, and she inspired women, especially those of the middle and upper class, to actively participate in the designing, planting, and maintaining of hardy flower borders, which is what Ernestine did.

Ernestine was involved with many local and regional organisations. In particular, in 1907, she established the Tamworth division of the Warwickshire branch of the Red Cross and, during the First World War, she held an official position in connection with the Land Girls Movement and was a representative of The Soldiers and Sailors Family Association.

Amongst the acquaintances of the de Hamel family were the Baden-Powells. Ernestine was reported to have been good friends with Agnes Baden-Powell, the sister of Sir Robert Baden-Powell who founded the Scouts. Together, Ernestine and Agnes were said to have produced a book called “How Girls Can Help”. This book was published in 1912 and was the equivalent of Agnes’ brother’s book “Scouting for Boys” (1908). The adaptations in How Girls Can Help included an emphasis upon home skills and nursing and it went on to be the foundational book for the early Girl Guide movement. Ernestine subsequently became president of the Tamworth District Girl Guides Association.

Ernestine died at Middleton Hall on 21st May 1922 and was buried at Middleton Parish Church.

Author - Debbie Jordan, Middleton Hall Volunteer.

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