Edith Cavell

Yes I did too although I was born in Norfolk. I didn't see BBC breakfast this morning but there are lots of events taking place in Norfolk this month to celebrate Edith Cavell's life and a new headstone is replacing the original in Norwich Cathedral.

I was a Red Cross cadet in my teens and we learned a lot about Edith Cavell which was pronounced Cav-ell as were in the Home Counties!

I didn't really grasp the political implications of her execution until much later though.

Well I suppose the reporter should have included old people in that list of those who knew who she was. Sad, but to younger generations she is really rather irrelevant, just as Emmeline Pankhurst would be if it weren't for the recently released film.

Surely she would be in all the 'facts' books available for children these days. And who hasn't bought at least one of those for their grandkids?

I did learn about Edith Cavell at school, but so did my son who is only 23 and schooled in Devon. She has not been forgotten.

I didn't mean that either woman actually is irrelevant, I just meant that younger generations would think that anyone from so long ago held no relevance to their lives today, IYSWIM

I first read about her in my Girls' Book of Heroines. She was the embodiment of the word. We also learnt about her at school, and in the junior Red Cross. I'm not sure that my DC would know about her, though.

Wouldn't she at least be mentioned in lessons on WW1?

There are streets and a Hospital named after her here. DD learned about her at primary school, and also did a project at secondary.
She was betrayed by a Belgian and they are very keen on keeping her memory alive.

Yes, school children do learn about her as part of the WW1 curriculum. I do wish that people would do their research before making sweeping generalisations. There are schools named after her. Maybe she made more of an impact because she was a woman being executed, but I knew about her and so do my children who have just finished secondary education

Edith Cavell Street in Johannesburg, South Africa was very well known, a major city street. (I expect it has had a name change now, as have many streets in the main cities).

Cavell is well known in Peterborough, too, having a car park and a centre at the hospital named after her.

Our 'houses' at school were named after famous women. I was in Edith Cavell house.

I didn't learn about her at school, but must have read it somewhere. However I confess I never understood the well-known quote - because I never learned that she cared for soldiers on both sides, not just the British!
Now it makes sense.

My house in one of the schools I attended was also named after Edith Cavell.

I didn`t learn about Edith Cavell at school, but in a film about her, starring, I think, Anna Neagle? I saw it many years ago for the first time, seen it several times since, but not for a while. A very courageous lady.

petra and Eloethan - My sons attended a school that had a house named after Edith Cavell (and I worked there for a while). It would be interesting to know how common this was. Were your schools Church Schools?

I can't remember which school it was, but none of the schools I attended were Church of England. I went to school in Wembley, Romford and Sudbury in Suffolk.

I can't remember if I was taught about Edith Cavell at school or not to be honest.

I do remember the film with Anna Neagle and how I 'sobbed'.

Brave woman as were so many.

I've recently been given a little 'memorial card' that people sent to each other when she died...she was such a national hero at the time. If and when I learn how to do it I'll put a picture of it on here.

The magazine 'Girl' used to do serials about famous heroines on the back page. I'm sure Edith Cavell was one of them.

I think you're right, merlotgran. 'Girl' was very good for providing stories about outstanding women.

I learned about Edith Cavell at Sunday School. Brave lady.

Her staue is in a prominent place near Trafalgar Square, between St Martin in the Fields and the National Portrait Gallery.