One of the few women who studied medicine during WWII, Dr. Marjory Foyle sailed to Lucknow, India in 1949 as a medical missionary. She was then sent to Tansen Hospital in Nepal in 1956 and served as the first resident woman doctor in western Nepal for six years before returning to Lucknow.
After a spell of depression, Dr. Foyle recognized both the value and scarcity of psychiatry in India. She returned to the UK to retrain as a psychiatrist, becoming a student again in her 40s. Once qualified, she returned to Lucknow to work in Nur Manzil Psychiatric Centre, becoming its Director in 1970, until her retirement from there in 1981. Both Tansen Hospital and Nur Manzil continue to serve their respective regions to this day.
Dr. Foyle became a mission partner of All Souls in 1984, and we were honoured to journey with her. Despite her lifelong stammer, she lectured all over the world on mental health, and pioneered psychiatric care for overseas workers, shaping the field into what it is today. She wrote two books, and — at the age of 78 — a thesis which was awarded a London University MD.
She passed away in the early morning on 9 April 2025 at the age of 103, and those who knew Marjory personally said she was ‘an amazing lady, quick to testify to her deep certainty of God’s loving purpose for her.’