Mary Wilson obituary: lady almoner during Second World War
At no time in recent history has the role of a social worker been more exacting than during the Second World War; not only did the National Health Service not exist but there was the challenge of staying healthy, well and cheerful during a time of war and rationing.
However, this was the work that Mary Wilson undertook between 1942 and 1945 as the medical outpatients' lady almoner at Great Ormond Street Hospital, which involved assessing families' financial situations and needs after children had been medically examined. Sometimes she would see 60 or more families in a single day and she recalled finding it rewarding but exhausting. Blessed with a lively sense of humour, Wilson told an interviewer about her friendship during her work in
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