Margaret Myles

Born in Aberdeen, Margaret Myles became a midwife after losing her young son to pneumonia. Becoming a tutor in midwifery, she travelled the world promoting the formal training of midwives. In an era when many women and babies died in childbirth, her work was instrumental in reducing the deaths of mothers and infants. Maggie, as she was known, travelled and worked in Canada and America, returning to Scotland in 1939 to take on the role of midwifery tutor at the Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion, Edinburgh.

Her best-selling Textbook for Midwives was published in 1953. Still used today, it has been translated into five languages, including Japanese, and sells in 75 countries worldwide. An inspiration for lifelong learning, Maggie continued to work tirelessly throughout her retirement to train and educate midwives.