ForeignGong Posted 13 December , 2009 Share Posted 13 December , 2009 Hi all I am researching the above lady who was awarded the following 1914 Star Trio, Russian Medal of St George 4th Class (Numbered), an Estonian Red Cross Medal & a Voluntary Medical Services Medal with 4 Bars all to Dorothy Gertrude Nicholls, British Red Cross. I have confirmed the Russian medal for service under fire with the Anglo-Russian Field Hospital in Petrograd, but can find nothing on the Estonian medal. The BRC archive mentions Estonia in 1927 but only in brief notes, nothing about what was happening at that time, or what the red cross were doing. Can any one help as I am at a deadend. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 13 December , 2009 Share Posted 13 December , 2009 Peter My friend Mr Google shows that the Estonian war of independence followed on immediately following the Great War, and if Dorothy Nicholls was in St. Petersburg around that time, then it doesn't seem too far a leap that her unit (whatever that might have been) could have moved on westwards and worked in Estonia. But all guesswork and I have no real knowledge of the happenings or of the awards. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 13 December , 2009 Author Share Posted 13 December , 2009 Peter My friend Mr Google shows that the Estonian war of independence followed on immediately following the Great War, and if Dorothy Nicholls was in St. Petersburg around that time, then it doesn't seem too far a leap that her unit (whatever that might have been) could have moved on westwards and worked in Estonia. But all guesswork and I have no real knowledge of the happenings or of the awards. Sue Hi Sue I Googled Estonia & 1927 but nothing really came up. I will try again with the "War of Independence" bit & see how I go. Many thanks Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chandoble77 Posted 26 January , 2010 Share Posted 26 January , 2010 Hi all Hello Peter The Dorothy Gertude Nicholls below is I believe the grand-aunt of my husband Stephen. Their common ancestors are Dr Frederick Lucius NICHOLLS. I would appreciate to learn more how you came to purchase medals that were Dorothy's given she was a nurse and was in Russia. Thank you Beverley I am researching the above lady who was awarded the following 1914 Star Trio, Russian Medal of St George 4th Class (Numbered), an Estonian Red Cross Medal & a Voluntary Medical Services Medal with 4 Bars all to Dorothy Gertrude Nicholls, British Red Cross. I have confirmed the Russian medal for service under fire with the Anglo-Russian Field Hospital in Petrograd, but can find nothing on the Estonian medal. The BRC archive mentions Estonia in 1927 but only in brief notes, nothing about what was happening at that time, or what the red cross were doing. Can any one help as I am at a deadend. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholls line Posted 31 August , 2010 Share Posted 31 August , 2010 Dorothy Gertrude Nicholls was my Great Aunt, we knew her as Dodo and loved her dearly, she really was a character. I'd love to hear anything that anyone has discovered about her. Pictures of Dodo Nicholls Ashley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 1 September , 2010 Author Share Posted 1 September , 2010 Hi Ashley This is what I know so far about Dorothy Born; 17th June 1886 Trained at Charing Cross Hospital Elected as a Member of the Royal British Nurses Association; 5th Oct 1894 (BRCJ 13 Oct 1894). Served as a Nurse at Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, 1906-1908. St George’s Hospital, 1909-1913. Women’s Hospital, Brighton 1914. British Red Cross sent a unit (XII) to Boulogne which embarked 28th Oct 1914. Dorothy was attached to No 13 Stationary Hospital B.E.F.; 1st Nov 1914. Transferred to Malassises Enteric Hospital, St Omer; 31st Jan 1915. Returned to UK, 28th Apr 1915. Helped form the Anglo-Russian Hospital, which embarked from London aboard “SS Calypso”, 30th Oct 1915. Disembarked Archangel, 6th Nov 1915. Left Archangel by train via Yaroslavl, 9th Nov 1915. Arrived Petrograd, 14th Nov 1915. Awarded Russian Medal of St George, 4th Class for service under fire, confirmed as per Page 38 British Red Cross Journal, 21st Jul 1917. Awarded the Medal of the Order of the Estonian Red Cross, unconfirmed so far. Died 2nd Aug 1980, retired Matron Cambridge Hospital. Was living at St Osyth, 18 High St Fulbourn. The photos are really great & I love the nickname you had for her Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholls line Posted 1 September , 2010 Share Posted 1 September , 2010 Peter If you look through my Flickr link, you'll find more of Dodo including one of her at a Padgett Hospital in Estonia and another in Latvia. The story was (unsubstantiated) that she and a Polish Nurse had some part in hiding Prince Eusopov in the hospital after he'd shot Rasputin and as a result had some trouble getting out of Russia. Apparently Dorothy Padgett was able to help the two of them and she was a patron of some charity that sent nurses to hospitals in that area. There are photos of her Father, of Steven Doble mentioned above's parent's wedding at St Osyth and also Military discharge papers for Dodo's two brothers Lucius and Guy Sidney (my grandfather) and there's even her Obituary written for the Fulborne Parish Newsletter. I also have reams of correspondence including a diary of the cold and terrifying journey she made through the German fleet at Scapa Flow with ice all over the superstructure of the ship! There are letters from Princess Alexander and much more. She got around. Please have a look through all the family photos on Flickr and help yourself to anything that helps:Nicholls and James family Ashley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 2 September , 2010 Author Share Posted 2 September , 2010 Hi Ashley As you can see from my user name I am interested in British Commonwealth service people that were awarded Foreign medals 1914 - 1948. I have a data base I have been working on for approx 9 years,that has over 37.000 names that are gazetted for foreign awards for the WW1 period. I do not claim that it is 100% but must be very close. I also add awards that are verified from other sources such as the British red Cross. When I saw that Dorothy had been awarded both a Russian & Estonian medal I started researching her. So far I have confirmed the Russian but not the Estonian medal. Most of my research has come from the British Red Cross but they have no info on her after she left Russia & then they are not sure when she actually did. I would like to get as much info as possible re her time after Russia, so if you can help in any way I would be very grateful. Thank you very much for the access to your photos they are really great. I have looked at the Latvian & the other early ones but can not find the one for Estonia, am I looking in the wrong place?? If there is anything in the correspondence that mentions her time in Estonia, I would love to see a copy of it if possible. Many thanks Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholls line Posted 2 September , 2010 Share Posted 2 September , 2010 Peter I think that Dorothy Padgett helped her escape from Russia while the revolution was on and as the result Dodo became a Padgett nurse and went to Estonia. I will have to get everything out of the attic and search through it for explanation and a photo that I'm sure exists. Here is an obituary that discusses Estonia. It might be a few days before I can get to it all. Ashley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 3 September , 2010 Author Share Posted 3 September , 2010 Hi Ashley I would appreciate it very much. Thanks Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 29 March , 2013 Author Share Posted 29 March , 2013 I have been in touch with the Estonian Red Cross & they have given me the following, the Estonian Red Cross took over the Lady Pagett's Mission Hospitals in Petseri, Irboska & Panikovitsch on 23 Feb 1922. But the Mission continued its activity in Tallinn. Lady Pagett & Two Doctors were awarded Estonian Orders of the Red Cross on 30 Mar 1922 & Lady Pagett was given 6 medals to distribute as she felt deserving. My question is how do I now find out who the "deserving" were. As I have seen Dorothy's medal group I can almost say I know 1 of them but who were the remaining 5?????? If anyone can help in any way I would be very appreciative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 26 July , 2017 Author Share Posted 26 July , 2017 (edited) Hi I'm opening this up again in the hope someone may have a lead that I can follow. Still trying to confirm the Estonian Red cross medal, see post above, I did get a reply from the Estonian Red Cross stating "Lady Pagett & Two Doctors were awarded Estonian Orders of the Red Cross on 30 Mar 1922 & Lady Pagett was given 6 medals to distribute as she felt deserving." My question still is how do I now find out who the "deserving" were. As I have seen Dorothy's medal group I can almost say I know 1 of them but who were the remaining 5?????? Also does anyone know what has happened to the "British Journal of Nursing" search site, I've just been on and no longer there, have they changed the URL??? Hoping someone can help. Cheers Peter Edited 26 July , 2017 by ForeignGong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 26 July , 2017 Share Posted 26 July , 2017 Awards coming in from foreign governments for British subjects were common during the war years- a batch from an ally for the British aithorities to distribute. Foreign awards usually have some sort of correspondence tucked away in the far recesses of the Foreign Office records- although Estonia is not showing on "Discovery" at The National Archives. It is possible that the annual printed volumes of Foreign Office correspondence-available on the open shelves at Kew-may contain her name (I will check when next there) but these helpful annual volumes are not usually available elsewhere. It looks like this is an award from one non-governmental organisation to another-and, thus, more than probable that there is no official record at all. What Discovery does throw up is the records of the Save the Children Fund, which may hold some details- perhaps only background of what was going on in Estonia- in the following files series: Esthonia: Red Cross. L'Activité de la Croix-Rouge Esthonienne 1919-1925 THE EGLANTYNE JEBB PAPERS. COUNTRY FILES. ESTONIA. Esthonia: Red Cross. L'Activité de la Croix-Rouge Esthonienne 1919-1925 Held by: Save the Children UK Date: 1925 Reference: EJ.95 Russia: Russian Red Cross Fund in Great Britain: British Committee of the Russian Red Cross in Great Britain THE EGLANTYNE JEBB PAPERS. COUNTRY FILES. RUSSIAN REFUGEES. Correspondence with the Russian Red Cross Fund, concerning aid to Russian refugees in Estonia, Finland, Serbia, Egypt, Poland, Cyprus and Constantinople, and the activities of other aid organisations Held by: Save the Children UK Date: 27 January 1920 - 12 July 1921 Reference: EJ.216 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenE Posted 26 July , 2017 Share Posted 26 July , 2017 (edited) The new link for Historical nursing journals is http://rcnarchive.rcn.org.uk/cgi-bin/browse_archive.pl?_ga=2.161211320.422764041.1501057981-1800685731.1501057981 or Royal College of Nursing Library, then select Collections/Search Collections/Historical Nursing Journals Cheers Maureen Was Lady Pagett, Lady Muriel Evelyn Vernon Paget https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muriel_Paget If so, the Wikipedia spelling is Paget, which may give different Search results for an internet Search Cheers Maureen Edited 26 July , 2017 by Maureene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miggs Posted 19 January , 2019 Share Posted 19 January , 2019 I thought I’d replied to this topic but it seems to have disappeared ! I am new to this site. i wish to contact those that are descended from Nurse Dorothy Nicholls. My late father bought a large selection of ephemera in the early ‘80s. There are postcards,letters and photographs from her time nursing in the years around 1916 to 1922 during the Russian uprising. There are photos of the nurses on the staircase of a place with two of the daughters of the Tzar. There are also wonderful photos of patients in the New Zealand Unit out there and photos of those she must have worked with when she returned to the UK. I know my father paid a lot of money for “the package” which also includes scrap books from Dorothy Nicholl’s father who was a village doctor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 19 January , 2019 Admin Share Posted 19 January , 2019 Hi Miggs and welcome! Nicholls Line hasn't been on the forum since 2010, but you can send them a personal message. Click on their name and select message. IF they are still using the same email they registered with they will get an email. Regards David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 20 January , 2019 Author Share Posted 20 January , 2019 Hi Miggs I am the originator of this topic and I have a database of Foreign awards to the British Commonwealth forces for WW1 up to and including 1925 ( approx. 83,000 names). I saw Dorothy's medals in an auction here in Western Australia in 2009, hence the interest. As can be seen above, I am trying to verify her Estonian award and find the name of the other 5 recipients. Do you know if there is anything in the papers you have, that would assist me. I have tried the Estonian Govt and Red Cross but they do not have names, only that they gave Lady Padgett 6 medals to hand out. I would very much appreciate any help you can give. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suley Posted 18 October , 2020 Share Posted 18 October , 2020 Like Ashley, Dorothy Nicholls (Dodo) was my great Aunt. Would like to know if 'Miggs' has gathered more information on the family since her post in 2019. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suley Posted 18 October , 2020 Share Posted 18 October , 2020 My husband and I actually got married in 1974 in St Osyths church in Fulbourn, and we had our small reception at Great Aunt Dodo's house next door! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 18 October , 2020 Admin Share Posted 18 October , 2020 Miggs hasn't visited the forum for 12 months. You can try sending them a private message. Michele Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miggs Posted 26 April , 2021 Share Posted 26 April , 2021 Hi all, Today,Monday 26th April 2021, I received an e mail to say that someone is trying to contact me re Dorothy Nichols ephemera. Sadly,I can not find any recent reference to me on this site . Just to update,I have photos of the nurses with members of the Tzars family. I believe the two eldest daughters and the Tzar’s mother. There are also a small selection of postcards. The most fascinating and in my opinion ,most valuable in terms of knowledge and history, is a letter written by Dorothy referring to the outbreak of a fire and an attack by revolutionaries. There is also a scrap book which appears to be random information collected by her father. Unfortunately,I have recently moved house and these items are in safe storage. I did receive a contact when I first posted on here but that person who I believe was researching for a PhD just “disappeared”! Please try to contact me again if it was “your” e mail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suley Posted 26 April , 2021 Share Posted 26 April , 2021 Hi, I have emailed you directly Miggs. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williywonker Posted 27 April , 2021 Share Posted 27 April , 2021 (edited) Hi Miggs, We also exchanged emails in respect to the photographs and archive of Dorothy Gertrude Nicholl's mentioned in your post. You may recall that I have a friend who purchased her medal group and some photographs a couple of years ago and who was interested in either exchanging information or even having the opportunity of putting everything together. I've just sent you a private message. Kind Regards Mal Edited 27 April , 2021 by williywonker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarahbaker Posted 9 March Share Posted 9 March Hello, I believe Dorothy Nicholls was my Great, Great Aunt. My Grandfather was Derek Lucius Nicholls, who was the son of Lucius Nicholls...Dorothy's brother. This is all so fascinating to read about. I feel very proud. I'm also a nurse. Sarah Baker (nee Fisher). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now