Tenacity of a trailblazer for women vets
THE INVINCIBLE MISS CUST Penny Haw
Source Books
Review: Beryl Eichenberger
LEARNING about forgotten heroines, women who were trailblazers, is one of the benefits of reading historical fiction.
The author’s skill in embellishing the facts while not losing any authenticity is one of the delights and possibly one of the hardest things to do, since historical fiction relies on methodical research.
A gift indeed as we meet fascinating people who were change-makers, in particular women, who have faced insurmountable odds to pursue careers that were unseemly in the patriarchal societies of the recent past.
Penny Haw brings us The Invincible Miss Cust, the story of the remarkable Aleen Cust, who was the first female veterinary surgeon in Britain and Ireland.
It is an enthralling and totally immersive book that is so beautifully written you will want to reread it to not miss out on anything.
Born in 1868 in Tipperary, Ireland, to an aristocratic English family, Aleen is a feisty tomboy, playing with and daring her brothers, educated along with them and enjoying a privileged life. Her affinity for animals, particularly horses, is an inheritance from her grandmother and one that Aleen is intent on pursuing.
She loves all animals and while her initial career selection is to be a jockey, a career hardly condoned in those times, she quickly realises that it is the field of veterinary science that she is meant for.
But as a woman in the late 1800s it is not a female pursuit and she is severely curtailed by her upright mother who believes it will ruin the family reputation.
Aleen is defiant. When her father dies suddenly and the family must return to England it is the appointed guardian who is sympathetic to Aleen’s cause and assists her.
For the independent Aleen, determined to follow her path despite leading to estrangement from her family, it is a hard decision.
There is sadness, tragedy and pathos in this eloquently told story that conjures up the magic of Ireland, the Home Counties and Scotland as Aleen pursues her career.
Negotiating the antipathy of her fellow male students at the New Veterinary College in Edinburgh to finally winning their respect, to finding support and encouragement in unexpected places, friendship and love and finally to be recognised and receive her diploma, is a colourful and courageous journey and Haw never wavers in her elegant portrayal.
I simply delighted in Aleen’s tenacity and her circle of friends who supported and encouraged her.
Haw has a skilful pen that brings to life a section of fascinating history that will remain in one’s memory.
The year 2022 marked the centenary of Aleen finally receiving her diploma from the unbending Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).
Ironically, for an organisation that had denied her diploma for more than 22 years, in 2020 they were rated by Great Place to Work as one of the top five medium-size organisations for women to work for in the UK. How the wheel turns!