Thora Silverthorne | |
---|---|
Born | 25 November 1910 Abertillery, Monmouthshire, Wales |
Died | 17 January 1999 London, England | (aged 88)
Occupation(s) | Life long activist for Communist Party of Great Britain. Nanny for Somerville Hastings. Nurse in Spanish Civil War. Unionist working for nurses rights |
Political party | Communist Party of Great Britain |
Spouses |
|
Children | 1 son, 2 daughters |
Family | George Silverthorne (father), Sarah Boyt (mother), 6 or 7 siblings (number disputed) |
Thora Silverthorne (25 November 1910 – 17 January 1999), also known as "Red Silverthorne",[1] was a British Communist, nurse and healthcare activist. She worked as a nanny for MP Somerville Hastings in her youth.[2] She is most known for her service to the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War, and for her roles in helping to found both Britain's National Health Service (NHS), and co-founding Britain's first union for rank and file nurses.[3]
Silverthorne was a life-long member of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB).