Ada Elizabeth Kearvell was born on 24 October 1871 at Warfield, Berkshire, daughter of Francis Kearvell and Charlotte (née Sparkes).
She trained as a nurse at the Royal Devonport Hospital. In 1901 she was appointed staff nurse at the Yeatman Hospital in Sherborne and in 1908 she succeeded Miss Clarke as matron, a position she held until her retirement in 1934.
During the First World War, the Yeatman Hospital served as a military hospital where between 31 October 1914 and April 1919 the hospital provided up to seventy beds for military personnel and treated 900 patients, with only seven deaths. Sister Kearvell often worked for 20 hours at a stretch nursing the wounded soldiers.
In recognition of her services during the First World War Sister Kearvell was awarded the Royal Red Cross medal (ARRC) second class, which she received from King George V at Buckingham Palace on 20 April 1918.
The Yeatman Hospital Report for 1917-1918 stated that ‘The Committee cannot find words to express in adequate measure their thanks to… the Sister-in-Charge, whom they congratulate on the well-merited honour conferred by the King (never was honour more deserved, her work and administration have been splendid).’
In 1924, Sister Kearvell celebrated her 25 years at the Yeatman Hospital. She was presented with £300 and an illuminated album, and took three months’ leave to visit South Africa.
At Sherborne Abbey on New Year’s Day 1927, Sister Kearvell gave away Miss Jenny Biddiscombe when she married Jack Lewis of Bognor. Jack had arrived badly wounded at the Yeatman Hospital in 1916 where Jenny was a long-serving member of the domestic staff. Among the gifts given to the couple was an oak tray carved by Sister Kearvell.
In March 1934, Sister Kearvell retired after nearly 34 years’ service. She was 62 years old. At a presentation ceremony she was given a cheque for £550 and received many glowing tributes. The following account of the presentation ceremony is taken from the Western Gazette, 6 April 1934:
‘A gathering of personal friends, old patients, and members of the staff of the hospital filled the Methodist School room at Sherborne on Wednesday and gave warm expression to their feelings towards Miss A.E. Kearvell, who on Saturday resigned the position of matron of the Yeatman Hospital after nearly 34 years’ service. Miss Kearvell was too overcome with emotion to do more than say a few words of thanks to all who had subscribed, but in a written acknowledgment read for her by Mr Dingley, she said how deeply she appreciated the gifts, and how much she would value the book of names. “I do feel,” she continued, “that I am indeed a lucky woman to receive two public presentations during my matronship in the Yeatman Hospital. Last Saturday was a very sad day for me, when I left the Hospital where I have spent the happiest years of my life, and where I have always received such wonderful help and consideration from everyone connected with it. I should like to thank the Chairman, members of the Committee, doctors, Secretary, and the nursing and domestic staffs, who have always worked together with me for the good of our patients. For me it has been a marvellously happy time, and I can honestly say that when I’ve been away for my holidays I’ve always looked forward with pleasure to my return to duty. Now it is over! And I’m going to have a little house in Sherborne so that I can still live amongst my many friends and patients and I shall always take the warmest interest in everything connected with the Yeatman Hospital. From my heart, I thank you all.” Colonel Digby gave a few facts to indicate the progress of the Yeatman Hospital during the time Miss Kearvell held the guiding reins. He said that in 1900 [sic], when Miss Kearvell took over the command, the staff consisted of three visiting doctors, one staff nurse, one assistant nurse, two probationers, and a domestic staff of four. There were 20 beds of a very antiquated design; in fact, the floors, tables, and feeding utensils were all of a primitive kind. The operating room was, to put it mildly, very antiquated, and the operating table was a wooden table. In the course of time considerable improvements were made. In 1906 new teak floors were laid and up-to-date beds obtained. In 1914 the nurses’ wing was built, and an x-ray apparatus fitted. In 1927 five private wards were built, and constant improvements were carried out as year succeeded year. In 1900 there were 145 in-patients and 44 operations. In 1933 (last year) there were 606 in-patients and 165 operations. The staff now numbered 17 nurses, 7 domestics, 2 laundresses, and 2 men.’
Sister Kearvell spent her retirement at the aptly named ‘Resthaven’ in Lenthay Road, Sherborne, where she died on 1 November 1947, aged 76.
Her funeral service was held in Sherborne Abbey on 3 November 1947, when the Vicar, the Rev. Basil Wingfield Digby, paid tribute to her work at the Yeatman Hospital and said she was a wonderful example to others. The service was attended by a large congregation which included her brother and sister-in-law Mr and Mrs George Kearvell, and her brother-in-law Mr H.J. Todd. Representing the Committee of the Yeatman Hospital were Sir Hubert M. Medlycott, Bart. (chairman), Mr H.R. Dyke, Mr E.H.F. Dammers, Mr C.B. Brett and Mr John Dingley, Mr Geoffrey O’Hanlon and Mr W.A.T. Jarrett represented the Private Wards League, also present were Dr R. McIntosh, Dr J. Whittingdale, Mr F. Vosper, the Matron (Miss Elliott), Sister Gollege and Sister Lemon, the medical, dental and nursing staffs of the hospital, and Miss Hyde, the Dorset 2 VAD. Floral tributes included one from the Yeatman Hospital Committee and one from the past and present members of the staff of the Hospital. Her body was laid to rest in Sherborne Cemetery. The Royal Red Cross medal (ARRC) is carved on her headstone.
Following Sister Kearvell’s death, the following tribute appeared in the Western Gazette, 7 November 1947:
‘Miss Kearvell played an outstanding part in the building up of the Hospital’s high reputation and during the long period when she was Matron, many extensions and improvements were carried out under the presidency of the late Col. J.R.P. Goodden. In every respect she was an ideal Matron, possessing an abundance of energy which she never spared in the exercise of her duties, a warm sympathy which earned her the affection and gratitude of patients and staff, and a cheerfulness which never failed. Trained at the Royal Devonport Hospital, she first came to the Yeatman in 1889 [1901] and in 1910 [1908] was appointed Matron, a position which she held until her retirement in 1934. During the first world war, part of the hospital was made over for the use of wounded and it was then that the Matron did what was perhaps the finest of all her work, which earned for her the award of Associate of the Royal Red Cross. Often she worked for 20 hours at a stretch and to the soldiers in her care she was as much mother as nurse. Many of them corresponded with her for years after the war and often recalled her kindliness to them. Sister Kearvell, during the years when she was head of the nursing staff, did her own housekeeping, dispensing the medicines, ordered drugs, dressings, and instruments, helped with the x-ray exposures and developed the plates, and assisted at all operations. In all she was surgical assistant at well over 2,000 major operations and twice as many minor ones. For many years she made a custom of staying with each patient for several hours after a major operation. Often she was not in bed until four or five in the morning but was up and carrying on with her daily work at her usual hour. The esteem in which Sister Kearvell was held by all connected with the hospital and with all classes of the community throughout the hospital area was abundantly shown when presentations were made to her on the completion of 25 years’ service and again on retirement. Substantial sums were donated by very long lists of subscribers from all walks of life.’
Today, Sister Kearvell’s Royal Red Cross medal (ARRC) is displayed in the Out-Patient reception at the Yeatman Hospital in Sherborne, where the Ada Kearvell Suite is named in her memory.
Kearvell Place at DT9 4FQ in Sherborne is named after Sister Kearvell.
Rachel Hassall
20 September 2025
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