Mabel Dearmer was the wife of Old Westminster hymn writer Percy Dearmer and mother of Geoffrey Dearmer, who attended Grant’s from 1907-1910. Mabel worked as a dramatist, writer and artist. As a Christian she was both opposed to the war but drawn to do all she could to assist those who suffered from its consequences. She worked for the Women’s Emergency Corps and by fundraising for Belgian refugees.

In March 1915 her husband, Percy was sent as a chaplain for the Red Cross to Serbia. Mabel decided to follow him and joined theThird Serbian Relief Unit, arriving in April. The letters she wrote there were published in a volume entitledLetters from a field hospital. Mabel was only able to assist for a short period of time as by June 1915 she had contracted typhoid. She died on 11th July 1915.

See more at: http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/untoldlives/2014/08/mabel-dearmer-in-serbia.html#sthash.3STKsrrq.dpuf

We will publish more information about Geoffrey Dearmer on this site in due course.