Person    | Female  Born 22/9/1870  Died 1/3/1951

Maria Dickin

Categories: Animals, Philanthropy

Social reformer and animal welfare pioneer. Born at 1 Farrington Terrace (Now 41 Cassland Road), Hackney. She saw the plight of sick animals and owners who could not afford veterinary fees, whilst visiting the east end of London. This compelled her to open the first People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) in a cellar in Whitechapel. She did not charge for the services given and for the rest of her life she was threatened with hostility by fee-charging vets.

Instituted the PDSA Dickin Medal in 1943 to honour, initially, the work of animals in WW2. Wikipedia gives the list of 72 recipients to date. Died at her home, 4 Lansdowne House, Lansdowne Road, Kensington (which has a blue plaque for the artists who lived in the studios there.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Maria Dickin

Commemorated ati

Maria Dickin

Maria Dickin, 1870 - 1951, promoter of animal welfare and founder of the PDSA...

Read More

Other Subjects

Dogs killed in medical experiments in 1902

Dogs killed in medical experiments in 1902

232 dogs died in 1902 as a result of medical experiments. Wikipedia gives: "In 1875 there were around 300 experiments on animals in the UK, a figure that had risen to 19,084 in 1903 when the brown...

Animal, Animals, Medicine

2 memorials
British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection / Cruelty Free International

British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection / Cruelty Free International

Founded in Bristol by Frances Power Cobbe, who had earlier founded the NAVS. 2012 it joined another organisation and rebranded as Cruelty Free International. For completeness we should mention the...

Group, Animals

1 memorial
Giro

Giro

The dog of the German Ambassador, von Hoesch. Died from accidental contact with an exposed wire.  Some say Giro was an Alsatian, other a terrier.

Animal, Animals, Germany

1 memorial
Band of Mercy

Band of Mercy

Locally led organisations aimed at teaching young people about kindness to animals. They also worked to prevent cruelty to animals. Founded by Catherine Smithies as a furtherance of the temperance ...

Group, Community / Clubs, Animals

1 memorial
Patty Astley

Patty Astley

Wife of Philip; see there for more info. We cannot be certain that the image represents Patty.

Person, Animals, Theatre

1 memorial