What did Rosalind Paget Zepherina Veitch do at 24 Endell Street?

The Story

# 24 Endell Street At 24 Endell Street in Covent Garden, The British Lying-In Hospital operated from 1849 to 1913, serving as the training ground where pioneering midwives Zepherina Veitch and Rosalind Paget transformed maternal healthcare during the Victorian era and beyond. Within these walls, Veitch—a formidable figure who trained generations of midwives from 1862 onwards—and the younger Paget worked to professionalize midwifery at a time when childbirth was frequently attended by untrained practitioners, establishing standards that would reshape obstetric care across Britain. Standing here on this modest Covent Garden street, you're at the very location where two remarkable women bridged the gap between traditional birthing practices and modern medical training, with Paget going on to become the first female doctor to join the Royal Army Medical Corps and eventually receiving a damehood for her service. This address represents far more than a historical hospital site; it marks the birthplace of a professional revolution in midwifery, where rigorous training and female expertise challenged centuries of medical tradition and laid the groundwork for maternal care standards we recognize today.