South Yorkshire Times, November 7th, 1911
Miss Montagu Health Visitor
Mexboro’ Council’s Interesting Appointment
A Society Lady’s Life Work
The appointment of Miss A. E. Montagu, formerly of Melton Park and now of Leicester Square, Bayswater, sister of Mr. F. J. O. Montagu, Lord of the Manor, as Lady Health Visitor to the Mexborough Urban District Council with a salary of £75 per year plus £5 for uniform, is the general topic of conversation locally.
The appointment of a lady health visitor has been anticipated in Mexboro’ since the Notification of Births Act came to force on August 14th, 1911. For many years the Medical Officer of Health (Dr, J J. Huey) has tried to induce the Council to create such an official, but nothing was done until a few weeks ago when the council advertised for a Health Visitor in the ‘Sanitary Record’. Out of 12 applicants Miss Montagu, with her qualifications head and shoulders above the others, was unanimously chosen for the position. Not unexpected of course, for while the Council during the past few months have been urged on by the Medical Officer of Health, Dr J. J. Huey, to create such an official, in view of the excessive infantile mortality in the town. They have had an eye upon inducing Miss Montagu to take up the work.
No more popular appointment could possibly have been made, for Miss Montagu by many acts of open benevolence and by many furtive benefactors, has a firm hold of the esteem and regard of the township. A lady endowed, with birth, education, and means she has not the smallest hankering after the luxury and ease which accompanies these qualities, but is ever animated by the spirit of hustle. The present condition of the Montagu hospital at Mexborough is a wonderful testimonial to her splendid energy, perseverance, and enthusiasm. In its struggling stage she took the hospital under her wing, she secured her brothers interest in it, and the result is that the institution today, ranks with any of the neighbouring hospitals, and is not ashamed.
She was founder and original organiser of the Mammoth Hospital Tea, probably the biggest effort of its kind throughout South Yorkshire. Miss Montagu has always been keenly interested in social and religious work, but she turned her attention seriously to the question of infantile mortality some three years ago, and was chiefly induced to do so by the sights which came across her vision while engaged upon errands of mercy in this town of Mexboro’.