Nina Isabel Baird (d.1919)
Nina Isabel Baird was the daughter of Sir Alexander Baird 1st Bt. (1849-1920) and his wife Annette Palk (d. 1884). Sir Alexander was sent to Upper Egypt to help with famine relief in the provinces of Girgeh, Kenneh and Esneh. Nina Baird studied art at the Royal Academy and worked with the Red Cross in Egypt. Nina Baird joined her father in Egypt in Sept 1915 where she organised the Red Cross Empire Nurses' Club in Cairo. Nina Baird then carried out war work in testing of bombs manufactured in Cairo. After the Frontier District Administrator had gathered starving Bedouin women from the Senussi Campaign at Amira these women were provided with wool to spin and make carpets. Nina Baird took over the organising of this industry amongst Bedouin women; developing a shop and a school. In Apr 1919 Nina Baird worked as a Political Officer for two months investigating the causes of unrest in Egypt. She died of typhoid fever on 10 Aug 1919.
From the guide to the Nina Baird Collection, c1915-1919, (Middle East Centre Archive, St Antony's College, Oxford)
