King, Helen Margaret (1901-1994)

See Oral History files, Fonds 18, Series 3, Subseries 8

Born in Middlesex, England, where she received her early education, Helen  King came to Canada after World War I, providing escort for a group of orphaned children under the auspices of Dr. Bernardo.  She graduated from the VGH School of Nursing in 1927, and worked at the Williams Lake War Memorial Hospital for several years.

In 1935 she became head nurse in maternity at VGH, and then in 1942-1943 enrolled in the teaching and supervision course at the McGill School for Graduate Nurses.  She returned to VGH was appointed clinical instructor and then Assistant Director of Nursing in 1945 and  Director of Nursing in 1952, where she served until her retirement in 1964. Her interest in and concern for nurses, nursing practice and nursing education was a lifetime commitment. She was an active member of the VGH SON Alumnae Association and served on RNABC committees. A Helen Margaret King Memorial Bursary was established at the Registered Nurses Foundation of BC.

Contents of Biographical File

  1. From The School of Nursing Files and confidential.
  2. King, H.M. “A Vexatious Question,” The Canadian Nurse (1931), 27 (7), 363-364.
  3. “Interesting People”, The Canadian Nurse (1945), 41 (12), 980.
  4. King, Helen “The Practicability of the Subsidiary Worker on the Hospital Ward,” The Canadian Nurse (1946), 42 (8), 658.
  5. “Reader’s Guide”, The Canadian Nurse (1946), 42 (8), 624.
  6. Letter from Helen King to D. Logan, March 2, 1977.
  7. Dedication
  8. “Helen King Retires,” from The News in General.
  9. Nikki Moir, “Memories but no Regrets as Nursing Career Ends”.
  10. “Honor Mary King”, The Times, January 29, 1965.
  11. Keller, Maureen, “Nurse Retires to Her Flowers.”
  12. Obituary, 1994.
  13. In Memoriam: Helen Margaret King, 1901-1994.  Vancouver General Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association Newsletter, (Spring 1994).
  14. Photograph
  15. Biographical notes by Ethel Warbinek