Matron Patricia A O’Curran RRC, aka Patience A Curran, a ‘touch of class’?

[wesleycj]

I am wondering if ‘one’ had to be connected to get into QAIMNSR early in WW1.

 

This is prompted by the case of Matron Patricia Annette O’Curran RRC. On her QAIMNSR application she claimed to be the daughter of a clergyman, educated at home by a governess and that she was born in Bircher, Herefordshire on 26 March 1875. 

It would appear, unless I am much mistaken that she really was Patience A Curran the daughter of John Curran a farmer (58 acres), later Blacksmith at Cocksgate, Yarpole less than a mile away from Bircher.  Her mother Annie Wall was from a Bircher family and Patience was born about 1870.

Her mother died in 1885 and her father in 1890.  In the 1891 census Patience was employed as a parlourmaid with her sister Mary, a cook, at the Manor House Dinmore.

The owner was the Reverend Harris Francis Fleming St John and the family did employ a governess as well as the 2 Curran girls (miss-recorded as Cuvian on the census). In all probability Patience did pick up an education from the governess, enough for her to successfully study nursing at St Thomas’s 1897-1901 before taking up an appointment in the south of France.  She then went to the Royal Victoria Belfast where she was a Ward and Theatre Sister.  She was registered on the UK & Ireland Nursing Register in Nov 1905 as Patience Curran.

She then held the posts of Sister at Brighton County Hospital and Lady Supt. at a Tubercular Hospital in California the latter for about 5 years until she returned to the UK on holiday in Jun 1914 under the name of Patricia O’Curran.  In the autumn of 1914 she volunteered for the Red Cross and served first at Netley Hospital and then No 1 Hospital in France.

She returned in Aug 1916 having successfully applied to become a Sister with QAIMNSR. She served in Salonika Jun 1916 until Aug 1917 when she returned to the UK and was Assistant Matron at 41^st General Hospital.  She was awarded the RRC 1^st Class gazette 4 Jun 1917.  Her war paperwork alternates with the Christian names Patricia and Patience but always O’Curran.

Both of her parents died in Weobley where there was a workhouse; is it possible she thought an ex-parlourmaid daughter of a Blacksmith might not have been appointed to the QAIMNSR so she needed a touch of class? Whatever the case QAIMNSR were very fortunate to acquire the services of this very patriotic lady.

Patricia Annie O’Curran died 18 Jun 1932 in San Francisco, California.

[alf mcm]

  It's an interesting story. Patricia/Patience did well to cover up her background. If she had declared her father was a Blacksmith she may not have been appointed to the QAIMNSR, and certainly would not be appointed to QAIMNS. Findmypast have her in the 1930 U.S. Census in California working as a Graduate Nurse. She claimed to be 50 yars old!  https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=USC%2F1930%2F004950272%2F00946&parentid=USC%2F1930%2F004950272%2F00946%2F021

 

Regards,

Alf McM