PaulJC Posted 27 August , 2020 Share Posted 27 August , 2020 Hi, I am trying to research a WW1 nurse called Dora Lund (born 1887 Near Kendal). I have details of her joining the QARNSS and being awarded the ARRC and usual WW1 service medals. I have records that she sailed from Glasgow to Hong Kong in 1919 and then the trail goes cold. She was shown as aged 33, single and a nursing sister. It is suggested (by her family) that she returned to the UK a few years later. I have a few questions: - Does anyone have idea why she would have gone to China to nurse at that period? - Are there any sources of information about British nurses in China during that time? I cannot trace any record of her returning to the UK, perhaps getting married or her death. Thanks, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsmith Posted 27 August , 2020 Share Posted 27 August , 2020 An interesting item from an auction last month https://live.adampartridge.co.uk/m/lot-details/index/catalog/213/lot/95686?url=%2Fm%2Fview-auctions%2Fcatalog%2Fid%2F213%3Fcat%3D60%26view%3Dgrid It has got to be her, I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsmith Posted 27 August , 2020 Share Posted 27 August , 2020 An announcement from the Straits Times 7 June 1920 The marriage is announced in Hongkong of Mr. John Muir Bathgate, planter, of Batu Tiga, Selangor, and Miss Dora Lund, nursing sister in the Government Civil Hospital, Hongkong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helpjpl Posted 27 August , 2020 Share Posted 27 August , 2020 1. John Muir Bathgate was born in Edinburgh on 09 May 1881 (Scotland Select Births & Baptisms). 2. 1939 Register (from ancestry). Dora's DOB recorded as 19 March 1889: 3. According to the Bathgate family tree on ancestry, Dora died 1956 in Gullane, East Lothian. JP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf mcm Posted 27 August , 2020 Share Posted 27 August , 2020 Paul, Dora was in the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service Reserve {Q.A.R.N.N.S.R.}. Her naval nursing records are available from The National Archives. The records can be difficult to follow, but Dora’s details are shown in the following pages;- ADM 104/162 pages 5,6, 20, 23 & 108 ADM 104/165 page 133 These records can be downloaded for free from T.N.A. They have always been free so there is no need to register. These records tell you where she served, and include confidential reports. There was a Naval Hospital in China, but Dora never served there. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6003172 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6003175 These are large files, and may take some time to download. Regards, Alf McM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 27 August , 2020 Share Posted 27 August , 2020 Dora Lund christened 21 Apr 1887 at Holme, Westmoreland (about 10 miles south of Kendal) according to Familysearch.org. Birth year also given as 1887 by FreeBMD. John Muir Bathgate born 9 May 1881 Canongate, Edinburghshire (Familysearch). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulJC Posted 27 August , 2020 Author Share Posted 27 August , 2020 Many, many thanks. Firstly, the auction house sale was something I was aware of .....................but I cannot find an MBE to Dora Lund. An ARRC but no MBE? The marriage is the breakthrough for me. It opens up the last 30 to 40 years of her life. I will download the records from the NA but I have reached my limit for the last 30 days so will have to wait. Again, many thanks, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 27 August , 2020 Share Posted 27 August , 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, ajsmith said: An announcement from the Straits Times 7 June 1920 The marriage is announced in Hongkong of Mr. John Muir Bathgate, planter, of Batu Tiga, Selangor, and Miss Dora Lund, nursing sister in the Government Civil Hospital, Hongkong. Oddly, on this site, she's given two additional names as Dora May Russell (presumably Lund after her father in the line above), although place and date of birth and marriage match otherwise: http://ibmpscott.co.uk/page121.html Edited 27 August , 2020 by seaJane corrected Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulJC Posted 27 August , 2020 Author Share Posted 27 August , 2020 Thanks, As I said, the family maintain that she was awarded an MBE and a search under Dora Lund drew a blank. I now need to look for Dora May Russell, Dora Bathgate or perhaps even Dora Muir Bathgate. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf mcm Posted 27 August , 2020 Share Posted 27 August , 2020 Paul, The Naval Nurses records are free, and always have been. You can download them without logging in. Regards, AlfMcM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenE Posted 28 August , 2020 Share Posted 28 August , 2020 As she was working in Hong Kong, you perhaps may find a mention in Hong Kong records such as online newspapers or government publications such as '"Blue Books", and she is in fact mentioned in the 1920 Blue Book under the name Lund https://archive.org/details/hongkongbluebook1920hong/page/88/mode/2up and more detail https://archive.org/details/hongkongbluebook1920hong/page/154/mode/2up which is "on its side" and hard to read on a fixed screen. Perhaps it may be easier on a mobile device. Hong Kong was under British control at this time, part of the British Empire, so there were plenty of British working there. The lifestyle was probably better than Britain, with many servants the norm, and as an unmarried British woman the social life was probably good. See the FIBIS Fibiwiki page Hong Kong for details of records https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Hong_Kong Cheers Maureen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulJC Posted 28 August , 2020 Author Share Posted 28 August , 2020 Thanks, The pieces are slowly coming together. The reference to this MBE is eluding me though........... Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 28 August , 2020 Share Posted 28 August , 2020 My colleagues who volunteer at the QARNNS archive have not come across her often, so have been very pleased to see this thread. They do know that she was on HS GARTH CASTLE from 24 July 1915. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulJC Posted 28 August , 2020 Author Share Posted 28 August , 2020 Thanks, Another piece of the jigsaw. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulJC Posted 28 August , 2020 Author Share Posted 28 August , 2020 Hi Alf McM I managed to download the two links from TNA. Not the easiest items to navigate Interesting stuff but am I right in seeing only upto the beginning of 1916? Are there records for her service to the end of the War? Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf mcm Posted 28 August , 2020 Share Posted 28 August , 2020 Paul, Dora served on ‘Garth Castle’ until 21st January 1916. Her confidential report from ‘Garth Castle’ is interesting;- ‘Conduct satisfactory, ability above the average. She is a certificated masseuse & has been very useful in this capacity’. Regards, Alf McM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf mcm Posted 28 August , 2020 Share Posted 28 August , 2020 23 minutes ago, PaulJC said: Hi Alf McM I managed to download the two links from TNA. Not the easiest items to navigate Interesting stuff but am I right in seeing only upto the beginning of 1916? Are there records for her service to the end of the War? Paul Paul, They are certainly not the easiest of files to use. Information seems to have been added wherever there was a space. You need to go to 162/page 23 and then 162/page 108 {this covers from 1916-18}. Then go to 165 page 133. Regards, Alf McM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulJC Posted 28 August , 2020 Author Share Posted 28 August , 2020 Thanks Alf McM Found them. I guess the request for an Honararium was payment for good and long service? There was a request for the 1915 Star, Where could I check to see if this was ever granted? Thanks, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf mcm Posted 28 August , 2020 Share Posted 28 August , 2020 Paul, It looks like she was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and British Victory Medal, but not until 1924! https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1687/images/31793_221358-00169?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=4cfabb61e514ef43be0c214d8d5415ba&usePUB=true&_phsrc=bmY44312&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=1331180 Regards, Alf McM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulJC Posted 28 August , 2020 Author Share Posted 28 August , 2020 Thanks again Alf McM I dont have access to Ancestry but your post answers the question. I guess the link is to a medal card. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf mcm Posted 28 August , 2020 Share Posted 28 August , 2020 Paul, It's not a medal card, it's a medal roll. Regards, Alf McM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulJC Posted 3 September , 2020 Author Share Posted 3 September , 2020 Hello All, Dora is said to have nursed at Guys Hospital in the 1920's or 30's. Her name had changed by then to Dora Bathgate. She was even said to have nursed then then King at sometime. Would anyone know if it is possible to search the Guys Hospital records from that time? Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 3 September , 2020 Share Posted 3 September , 2020 Staff records for Guy's Hospital would appear to be at the London Metropolitan Archives, ref. no.1 and no.9 on this page at The National Archives (TNA) website: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/c/F104913. You can click through on the TNA links to the relevant pages on LMA's website, and contact details for LMA are here: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/a/A13532670. Hope that helps. sJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulJC Posted 4 September , 2020 Author Share Posted 4 September , 2020 Many thanks. The records dont seem to be on-line so it would mean a visit to London unless they are prepared to undertake a search. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 4 September , 2020 Share Posted 4 September , 2020 5 hours ago, PaulJC said: Many thanks. The records dont seem to be on-line so it would mean a visit to London unless they are prepared to undertake a search. Paul You can but try - the worst they can say is 'No.' Good luck! sJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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