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Marion Greeves
Marion Greeves, MBE (née Cadbury; 18 July 1894 – 4 July 1979) was a British politician who was the first of only two female members of the Senate of Northern Ireland, having been elected to serve as an independent member on 20 June 1950, retiring on 10 June 1969. Greeves was awarded an MBE in 1947, mostly for her work with the Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS). She was also Chief Commissioner of Girl Guides in Ulster. In 1957 she received the Silver Fish Award, Girl Guiding’s highest adult honour.
Born Marion “Molly” Janet Cadbury in England, Greeves was the daughter of George Cadbury, a Quaker philanthropist, and his second wife, Elizabeth Mary Taylor. She had three brothers and two sisters together with five step-siblings from George's first marriage. She was born at Woodbrooke, Selly Oak, Birmingham. She attended St James’ School, Malvern, from 1909 where she joined the Girl Guides. In 1912 she travelled to Dresden to study German and music.
Greeves married William “Bill” Edward Greeves (1890–1960), Deputy Lieutenant and High Sheriff of County Armagh, on 14 February 1918 at Bourneville Meeting House, They moved to Portadown in 1919. They had five children: Elizabeth, John, Rosemary, George and Thomas. They lived at Ardeevin House, Portadown, County Down. Greeves is buried at Friends Burial Ground, Moyallon, County Down.
After leaving school, Molly trained in Birmingham as a Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) nurse at the Queen’s Hospital. The training comprised three intensive months, after which she was posted to St. Pierre Hospital, Dunkirk in Spring 1915. As the British authorities did not allow VADs in France, she travelled under the auspices of the Belgian Red Cross. In 1916 she worked in Abbeville, Rouen, Paris-Plages and then returned to Dunkirk.
In 1917 she met her future husband, William “Bill” Edward Greeves (1890–1960) of the Portadown Weaving Company. He was serving in Dunkirk with a Friends’ Ambulance Unit while she was treating “the first French casualties of the German gas attacks at Ypres”.
Molly returned to England in October 1916, where she attended Evandine, one of the Baird Schools for Domestic Economy, to prepare for housekeeping duties including learning about cooking and washing.
Greeves and Winefred Haddon, the daughter of the doctor who delivered Greeves’ children, started the Portadown Infant Welfare Centre, to “reduce the high infant mortality rate due to ignorance and lack of hygiene.” The George Cadbury Trust provided the funds, local doctors gave their time for free, and patients paid what they could or in kind.
Greeves was organiser for the Women’s Volunteer Service (WVS) for Armagh. By 1942 she was overseeing 1,600 volunteers involved in 43 projects, including providing first aid, firefighting, anti-gas and emergency cooking training for housewives. 26 dispersal centres distributed 4,000 garments. Six nurseries were established, close to 2,000 blood donors were enrolled and 71 savings groups were set up. WVS volunteers also manned canteens for H.M. Forces.
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Marion Greeves
Marion Greeves, MBE (née Cadbury; 18 July 1894 – 4 July 1979) was a British politician who was the first of only two female members of the Senate of Northern Ireland, having been elected to serve as an independent member on 20 June 1950, retiring on 10 June 1969. Greeves was awarded an MBE in 1947, mostly for her work with the Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS). She was also Chief Commissioner of Girl Guides in Ulster. In 1957 she received the Silver Fish Award, Girl Guiding’s highest adult honour.
Born Marion “Molly” Janet Cadbury in England, Greeves was the daughter of George Cadbury, a Quaker philanthropist, and his second wife, Elizabeth Mary Taylor. She had three brothers and two sisters together with five step-siblings from George's first marriage. She was born at Woodbrooke, Selly Oak, Birmingham. She attended St James’ School, Malvern, from 1909 where she joined the Girl Guides. In 1912 she travelled to Dresden to study German and music.
Greeves married William “Bill” Edward Greeves (1890–1960), Deputy Lieutenant and High Sheriff of County Armagh, on 14 February 1918 at Bourneville Meeting House, They moved to Portadown in 1919. They had five children: Elizabeth, John, Rosemary, George and Thomas. They lived at Ardeevin House, Portadown, County Down. Greeves is buried at Friends Burial Ground, Moyallon, County Down.
After leaving school, Molly trained in Birmingham as a Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) nurse at the Queen’s Hospital. The training comprised three intensive months, after which she was posted to St. Pierre Hospital, Dunkirk in Spring 1915. As the British authorities did not allow VADs in France, she travelled under the auspices of the Belgian Red Cross. In 1916 she worked in Abbeville, Rouen, Paris-Plages and then returned to Dunkirk.
In 1917 she met her future husband, William “Bill” Edward Greeves (1890–1960) of the Portadown Weaving Company. He was serving in Dunkirk with a Friends’ Ambulance Unit while she was treating “the first French casualties of the German gas attacks at Ypres”.
Molly returned to England in October 1916, where she attended Evandine, one of the Baird Schools for Domestic Economy, to prepare for housekeeping duties including learning about cooking and washing.
Greeves and Winefred Haddon, the daughter of the doctor who delivered Greeves’ children, started the Portadown Infant Welfare Centre, to “reduce the high infant mortality rate due to ignorance and lack of hygiene.” The George Cadbury Trust provided the funds, local doctors gave their time for free, and patients paid what they could or in kind.
Greeves was organiser for the Women’s Volunteer Service (WVS) for Armagh. By 1942 she was overseeing 1,600 volunteers involved in 43 projects, including providing first aid, firefighting, anti-gas and emergency cooking training for housewives. 26 dispersal centres distributed 4,000 garments. Six nurseries were established, close to 2,000 blood donors were enrolled and 71 savings groups were set up. WVS volunteers also manned canteens for H.M. Forces.