WWI British Nurse Photo Album

[Kathie]

I have only just come across this thread and am amazed and moved - thank you Bob for sharing and thank you Sue for doing the WFA thread.

I have a computer difficulty - when I view the enlarged photo the writing on the bottom of the photo is hidden by the series of smaller images on the lower portion of the screen - how do I get to read what is written on the bottom? Sorry to be so Neanderthalian.

kathie

[rcleary171]

I have a computer difficulty - when I view the enlarged photo the writing on the bottom of the photo is hidden by the series of smaller images on the lower portion of the screen - how do I get to read what is written on the bottom? Sorry to be so Neanderthalian.

Kathie

Hi Kathie,

No problem - which photo or photos are giving you the problem? I can pass that info onto you.

Bob

[Guest geometer]

Hello Group,

This may be of interest to this forum. A number of decades ago I purchased an old photo album which appears to have been the property of a nurse who served in France between 1915 and 1920 (how it got to New Jersey I will never know). I have been posting pictures from this album on another forum (see link below) but I will be willing to scan and deliver any of these pictures to the members of this group upon request. The owner is not identified but she did make the effort to put the names down of her colleagues and friends. Hope this helps in your research.

Sincerely,

Bob

http://www.toysoldie...read.php?t=1858

Hello Bob,

I'd like to be able to put one of your photographs from the WWI nurse's album into a presentation I'm giving soon in the town of Hardelot (just south of Boulogne on the French channel coast) in connection with the actions of Indian troups on the Western Front during 1914-1915. It's not a commercial presentation, and the town council, under whose responsibility the activity and an associated exhibition are bening mounted, won't be paying me for it. My own interest in this comes from a small research project I did for my work as a first year history student at the university of Liverpool earlier this year.

The picture I'd like to use is the one with the caption 'Hardelot woods 1916', and it shows four nurses who've been gathering what look like wild daffodils in the woods around Hardelot. I don't know if these nurses worked with Indian soldiers - the whole question of British nurses working with Indians, or indeed in military hospitals at all, was apparently very fraught, given the prevailing mores of the times. If you could let me have a scan of this picture at as high a resolution as is convenient for you, then it would be really helpful for this little piece of work!! My email is W.Leigh@student.liv.ac.uk

Thanks very much in advance for your help with this.

Sincerely, Bill Leigh

[Sue Light]

Bob

If you're there - I've replied to Bill off-list about this.

Sue.

[b3rn]

I'd like to be able to put one of your photographs from the WWI nurse's album into a presentation I'm giving soon in the town of Hardelot (just south of Boulogne on the French channel coast) in connection with the actions of Indian troups on the Western Front during 1914-1915. It's not a commercial presentation, and the town council, under whose responsibility the activity and an associated exhibition are bening mounted, won't be paying me for it. My own interest in this comes from a small research project I did for my work as a first year history student at the university of Liverpool earlier this year.

When's the talk & exhibition Bill?

[rcleary171]

Bob

If you're there - I've replied to Bill off-list about this.

Sue.

Thanks Sue!

[Guest collins0]

I have read with great interest the info and photos for Ida Maude Kenshole. My name is Sarah Collins and Ida was my Great Aunt. I remember her well when I was a child, she was a very calm in character but also very strong. Her sister Gladys and brother Trevor all lived in Fernhill Heath Worcester, and I remember visits to their house, and also return visits to where we lived in Snitterfield and Loxley. My grandfather (Ida's brother) , Edward Harold was married to Dorothea, and their daughter ( and my Mother) is Veronica Mary Burrow (Born Kenshole), sadly she died in November 2010. I am so pleased that Ida's wartime diaries and photos have been kept safe, and shared with so many other people. The internet is a wonderful thing! After Ida died, I did go tto the auction of the house contents to bid for family effects including the family bible. Sadly a lot of things I could not afford as there were quite a few dealers and collectors there who had a lot more money than myself! but I retrieved what I could. Thankyou for preserving this memory along with sharing it with so many ...........if you need any further information or acknowledge the email please do.Email me

[rcleary171]

Hello Sarah,

I am very pleased that you have been able to reconnect with your Great Aunt through these pictures and Sue's wonderful contributions. The internet is a wonderful thing. Your Great Aunt was a very special person.

Bob

[helpjpl]

For me, the images of the departure of Miss McCarthy from France are wonderful - something I never thought I'd see. After transcribing a million (or so) words of her war diary, her leaving left me trying to type while sniffing into my hankie. Personally, I don't believe that the image of the woman with her back to the camera, talking to the officer, is Miss McCarthy. Here's the account, written by Mildred Bond, to go with your images:

05.08.19

Departure of Matron-in-Chief, France

On August 5th the Matron-in-Chief, BEF left France, from which date I took over the duties of Principal Matron of France and Flanders.

On the evening of the fourth, Dame Maud McCarthy GBE, RRC, dined with the DMS General Gerrard CB, and the officers of his staff, who were giving a farewell dinner in her honour. The following guest were present: Colonel Barefoot DDMS, L of C, Colonel Statham the DDMS Boulogne and Etaples, Colonel Gordon the ADMS Calais, and also the A/Principal Matrons of the Areas, Miss L. E. Mackay QAIMNS, Miss Allen QAIMNS and Miss Rowe QAIMNS; also Miss Congleton QAIMNS, Matron 32 Stationary Hospital; Miss G. Wilton Smith and myself. In the centre of the dinner table was placed a gorgeous basket of choice hot-house flowers which was afterwards presented to Dame Maud, and the DMS made a very appropriate and gratifying speech in which he expressed so much appreciation of her noble work and character and regrets at her leaving France, in which we all concurred so heartily.

On the afternoon of the 5th, Dame Maud left by the afternoon boat for England. I went with the DMS in his car to see her off, and Miss G. Wilton Smith and Miss Barbier CHR went with her in her own car. There was a large crowd waiting on the Quay when she arrived. Among those present were a Representative from GOC, General Asser being absent from Boulogne; the DMS and his staff; Brigadier General Wilberforce CB CMG the Base Commandant; Colonel Barefoot DDMS L of C; Colonel Statham DDMS Boulogne and Etaples; Colonel Gordon the ADMS Calais; and many other officers; Major Liouville, who represented the French Medical Service and Monsieur M. Rigaud, Secretary to the Sous-Prefecture who represented the French civil population, came in place of Monsieur M. Buloz who was absent from Boulogne. These two men thanked her on behalf of the Military and Civil Authorities for all the goodness and courtesy they had always received at her hands. The Matrons and the Nursing Staff from all the near Units who could be spared from duty and who were anxious to show a last mark of respect to their retiring chief were present.

She shook hands with everyone and was wonderful to the last, in the way she carried through a most difficult and trying farewell. Her cabin was a perfect bower of most beautiful flowers sent from the staff of the different Hospitals. One of her own staff, Miss Hill VAD, was able to cross with her as she was going home on demobilisation. As the ship moved off the Matron-in-Chief, Miss Hill and Major Tate RAMC of the DMS staff, who was proceeding to England on transfer, escorted Dame Maud to the bridge and remained with her. They all waved from the bridge and we all waved and cheered our loudest and sang “For she’s a jolly good fellow” as the ship sailed out of the harbour. I think we shall never forget that sight and shall always like to remember the courageous and plucky way in which our chief carried our flag flying to the very last moment into her civilian life, where we wish her all happiness and success and where she will still command the love and respect of us all.

------------------------------

Sue

On the afternoon of the 5th, Dame Maud left by the afternoon boat for England. I went with the DMS in his car to see her off, and Miss G. Wilton Smith and Miss Barbier CHR went with her in her own car.

The Miss Barbier is:

Isabelle Eugenie Marie Barbier, QAIMNS/CHR. Born in Cardiff 25 January 1885. Daughter of Paul Barbier, a Professor of French at Cardiff University. Trained as a nurse at Bristol Royal Infirmary 1910-1913. She arrived in France in August 1914 and worked as Maud McCarthy's personal assistant throughout the war. Awarded the MBE, the Royal Red Cross and was mentioned 3 times in despatches. After the war she became a nun in the order of St Dominic and died in 1982.

See: Members of the Voluntary Aid Detachment, a unit which provided field nurses to tend wounded soldiers, at work in Sister Barbier's office in Boulogne in 1919:

Pictures taken by Britain's first woman war photographer Olive Edis revealed | Daily Mail Online

JP

[ShazArch]

Hello Group,This may be of interest to this forum. A number of decades ago I purchased an old photo album which appears to have been the property of a nurse who served in France between 1915 and 1920 (how it got to New Jersey I will never know). I have been posting pictures from this album on another forum (see link below) but I will be willing to scan and deliver any of these pictures to the members of this group upon request. The owner is not identified but she did make the effort to put the names down of her colleagues and friends. Hope this helps in your research.Sincerely,Bobhttp://www.toysoldierschat.com/showthread.php?t=1858

Is the link in the original post still valid? I'm just getting a page with a list of adverts for other sites.?????

[TEW]

That link seems broken to me.

Thankfully Sue has provided a flickr link on her page about IMK's album.

TEW

[JayneD33]

I appreciate that this is a venerable old thread, but the photos are well worth studying as has been said above. I came here following links to another nurse from Cardiff, Isabelle Eugenie Marie Barbier who is distinguished by being the only woman (so far...) on the University of Wales College of Cardiff roll of honour which I am currently researching.

Just in case anyone else arrives here and wants to see the photos, a number of links given above are now broken but the following one still works:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/westernfrontassociation/albums/72157624005431289/with/4636661249

[rcleary171]

I am very pleased to see that Sue was able to create a live link for Ida’s photos. Time goes by quickly and my initial links are now extinct. Seeing them after all these years was a treat. Thank you Jayne for your post.

Edited 23 March by rcleary171

[JayneD33]

3 hours ago, rcleary171 said:

I am very pleased to see that Sue was able to create a live link for Ida’s photos. Time goes by quickly and my initial links are now extinct. Seeing them after all these years was a treat. Thank you Jayne for your post.

My pleasure! These are such precious photos. It was so good of you to share them and they need to be seen. At least that link works - for now!