Staff Nurse Frances Elizabeth Smith Died 1/7/1918

[8055Bell]

Florence is mentioned on the Manchester Warehouseman and Clerks Orphans' School memorial in Cheadle and I can't find out too much about her nursing career - mainly because I don't' know where to look.

She served in Aylesbury Military Hospital and is buried in Gorton Cemetery, Manchester. CWGC also confirm Florence was in Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service

Any help would be appreciated.

Tim

Edited 18 March , 2017 by 8055Bell

[Sue Light]

Tim

If you do a search for Florence Smith on Discovery here:

Nurses' service records

There are six results. You can discount five of them, one being hyphenated and the other four having the wrong middle initial. The remaining one (WO399/7694) might not be right, but as it's that or nothing it has to be worth downloading - all you have to lose is £3

The series isn't complete, but it would be unusual for a nurse who died in service not to have a service record there, though it does happen.

Sue

[Jim Strawbridge]

The heading is misleading. She was actually Frances Elizabeth Smith. Florence (Florrie) was her sister who died in 1909. CWGC doesn't help as they have her as F.E. Smith although the Grave Registration Form on their site does show as Frances E. Smith and this is how she is shown on the York Minster panels.

[8055Bell]

Hi Sue & Jim,

Thanks for your responses. I'm a little confused now (not for the first time). I can see Frances' dad died in 1901 when she was @ 17 and I can't see how she would then have been an orphan foundationer like her sisters. My principal source is Heads & Tales - a History of Cheadle Hulme School and this specifically states Florence. The Memorial Panel definitely says Miss F E Smith https://17thmanchesters.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/memorial-roll-e1411510487893.jpg

Any way; the grave registration wouldn't be wrong and I'll look into the York Panels. Frances was also a sick nurse in Withington in 1911 and as expected Florrie is missing.

Tim

[Sue Light]

If the woman in question is actually Frances Elizabeth Smith the file you need is WO399/7696. Home address is 314 Wellington Road, Heaton Chapel, Stockport, educated Cheadle Hulme.

Confused of the South Coast

[8055Bell]

Great Sue,

I have a trip planned to NA and will let you know what I find.

Thanks

Tim

[Jim Strawbridge]

I used the 1901 census where mother and nine children are shown - including Frances but not Florence. The headstone reads "In loving memory of Florrie, daughter of F.W. & M.A. Smith, died April 8^th 1909, aged 21 years. Also Frances E. Smith, Staff Nurse, Q.A.I.M.N.S. ( R ) died July 1^st 1918, aged 35 years. At Rest”. If Florence was aged 21 in 1909 then she is likely to be boarding at Cheadle Hulme as a 13 year old boarder when the 1901 census was taken. The 1901 census shows mother as a widow so fits in with the requirements for an orphaned child at that school. The youngest child in the 1901 census is aged 10 so F.W. Smith would still have been alive in 1890. Looking through BMD we find Frederick William Smith, aged 46, having his death registered in the second quarter 1892 in the Chorlton registration district. The family were living at Levenshulme which is a place covered by the Chorlton registration district. This is almost certainly their father. Frances was born around 1883 and of school age at the time of her father's death. So mother was widowed with ten children albeit some were adults but it would take the pressure off her a bit to place some of the children locally at Cheadle Hulme (or the Manchester Warehouseman and Clerks Orphans' School as it was then). Let me just put a thought to you. Melanie Richardson published the book in 2005. What did she use for her research, one wonders ? ,I am guessing that either Melanie, or someone before her, found Florence listed in the 1901 census of the schoolchildren at the school and "guessed" that she was the casualty on the memorial not realising that there was a an older sister with the same initials who had possibly passed through the school earlier.

[Carmania]

Jim is correct, the casualty is Staff Nurse Frances Elizabeth Smith.

[8055Bell]

Thanks both,

It's good verify the correct sister with the multitude of sources we now have available.

Melanie Richardson also specified that 2 other sisters had attended the school and I am aware they have original registers. I met Melanie last year and suspect I'll see her at another event to discuss the Smith girls. Until, then I'll focus on some great tales in her book.

Tim

[8055Bell]

Does anyone know how to change the Heading on this thread??

[CGM]

Hi,

Go to your opening post

Click on Edit

Then click on Use Full Editor

You will then be offered the title of the thread, for editing.

CGM

[Jim Strawbridge]

Thanks both,

It's good verify the correct sister with the multitude of sources we now have available.

Melanie Richardson also specified that 2 other sisters had attended the school and I am aware they have original registers. I met Melanie last year and suspect I'll see her at another event to discuss the Smith girls. Until, then I'll focus on some great tales in her book.

Tim

I believe the girls who attended the school to be Florence, Frances and Amy (aged 15 in 1901).