The Saunders of Hadley Hurst (1918 – 1938)

This opening chapter sets out the family origins, the culture, and life into which Cicely Saunders was born, and her childhood and teenage years during the inter-war period. How did this privileged upbringing, based on her father’s growing business success, lead to her subsequent caring role and long-term religious commitment? The character and personality of her parents are examined, as are the nature of their marriage, Cicely’s relationships with her two younger brothers, the domestic arrangements – and tensions — of an increasingly prosperous household, and Cicely’s conflicted ideas about faith, service, and vocation. Her schooling is explored, particularly Cicely’s time at Roedean, along with the circumstances which eventually enabled her to gain entry to Oxford for undergraduate study.