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Remembered Today:

Kitebrook Auxiliary Hospital - Gloucestershire


PaulJC

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Hello All,

 

I am looking for any information on Kitebrook Auxiliary Hospital which I understand was in Stow in the Wold but moved to Moreton in Marsh. 

I have tried to find photographs of the building, staff and patients but without success.

The hospital shows up in the records of someone I am researching so I would like to add some detail to the reference.

 

Thanks,

Paul

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Not photographs but there are 4 pages of cards for VAD workers at Kitebrpok.

 

https://vad.redcross.org.uk/en/Search?hosp=Kitebrook

 

Then I found a Medical Card and Medical sheets for two different patients at Kitebrook. Needs a visit to National Archives for these. They should also give the names of Doctor/s.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_aq=Kitebrook&_cr=Mh106&_dss=range&_ro=any&_st=adv

 

TEW

 

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Paul

 

The hospital was in Kitebrook House which is now Kitebrook Prep School.

 

Dave

 

Text from Item sold on E-bay : Photo of a group of wounded soldiers " No [3] Ward Boys " together with 3x Nurses identified as " Nurse Barnes. Sister Mabbs. Nurse Hart ". Hospital and location unknown, though possibly Kitebrook House VAD Hospital, Morton on the Marsh, Glos. Postcard in excellent overall condition for age. 

 

The British Red Cross WW1 Volunteers register identifies a Sister Isobel Mabel Mabbs who served full time between 8/1915 - 12/1916 at Kitebrook VAD Hospital, Glos. 

 

See also: https://www.angelfire.com/az/garethknight/redcross/stow.html  and https://www.angelfire.com/az/garethknight/redcross/kitebrook.html

2041134279_KITEBROOKHOUSE2.jpg.749a6175b66f3bceb46e7b0a6aa716b4.jpg

 

 

 

947508364_KITEBROOKHOUSE.jpg.47937a9e4a95492e2f4d00207bc86823.jpg

319062961_kitebrook3.jpg.ced745678810f3925ab06c95d3a196f8.jpg

 

 

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I’m nearly at the the end off compiling a database of admissions to Gloucestershire Red Cross Hospitals and would be interested to know the name of the man with the Kitebrook connection to see if I have him recorded. Meanwhile here is an photo of some patients and staff outside the building in March 1917.

 

Dave

C98DBE25-B878-4EF1-BD5A-6F170E7E75FA.jpeg.ad9519ce5a0f8991ccc7af2f86b11cd3.jpeg

 

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Dave,

If you mean the 2 men with MH106 records I mentioned they are:

 

Sgt. Robert Smith, RFA. 48528. Malaria.

 

Pte. J Willbond, Leicestershire Regt. 14907. Shrapnel right arm.

 

Their TNA records list all their UK hospital stays for these ailments.

 

If you do a TNA search within MH106 for 'Hospital Name' you'll no doubt pick up other men.

TEW

 

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Tew, Thanks for that I had only recently found those extra details in MH 106 which helped clear up a few things. WILLBOND is recorded on an admissions list in the Glos Echo dated 25 July 1916 as WILLOND!!. I’ve got a few more to check through still.

 

Dave

 

 

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1 hour ago, dink999 said:

I’m nearly at the the end off compiling a database of admissions to Gloucestershire Red Cross Hospitals and would be interested to know the name of the man with the Kitebrook connection to see if I have him recorded. Meanwhile here is an photo of some patients and staff outside the building in March 1917.

 

 

 

Thanks Dave

Its actually one of the staff that I am interested in . Alice Maud Prichard who I believe was the Commandant of the hospital.

Paul

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That’s ok,

 

Judging by other Red Cross pictures of Commandants I’ve scene, that could well be Alice stood up in the centre of the picture.

 

Dave

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Alice Prichard was awarded the MBE in the 1918 New Year Honours List for her war service at Kitebrook.

 

Dave

Edited by HERITAGE PLUS
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I have no photos to compare so its possible its her. I was surprised to learn how few staff were at the smaller hospitals so a good percentage of Kitebrook are on this picture.

 

Also, as Commandant, I wasnt sure if she would wear a uniform that looked like a nurse or that it would be differentiated.

 

Did they have rank insignia on the uniform?

 

Paul

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Yes I was aware of the MBE (partly the reason for my research.....).

 

There are some basic details of her VAD service but little detail. I thought that due to her rank that there might be more. 

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On 19/06/2021 at 00:02, PaulJC said:

did they have rank insignia on the uniform?

 Not sure, and now I’m doubting myself and she might be the lady to the left judging by this photo of the Commandant of Leckhampton Court

BACACCD9-A459-4C87-A98D-9884C5E15716.jpeg.51781b7f5b3e5b1483ce03b4f0831bdf.jpeg

 

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I was hoping to find this type of photo for Alice M Prichard but it eludes me. 

 

Having received the MBE she is mentioned in quite a few newspapers of the time but all without any photos. 

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Paul,

  This tree on Ancestry shows she was born as Alice Maud Dugdale in 1870. It also includes all available censuses and her marriage in 1908 to Evan Theodore Prichard. There appears to be no records of her training as a nurse. It wasn't unusual for wealthy women to open a hospital and declare thermselves the Matron, although her Red Cross card does refer to her as Commandant. There would be at least one trained nurse on her staff.  https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/165864254/person/242192831737/facts

Unfortunately there are no photographs of her on the tree. Alice died in 1963, athe probate record shows she was quite wealthy.

 

Regards,

Alf McM

Edited by alf mcm
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3 hours ago, dink999 said:

 Not sure, and now I’m doubting myself and she might be the lady to the left judging by this photo of the Commandant of Leckhampton Court

BACACCD9-A459-4C87-A98D-9884C5E15716.jpeg

 

  The stripes on her arms are not marks of rank. They are white efficiency stripes. One was awarded for each year of continuous service, if the nurse was deemed 'efficient', and should only have been worn at the top of her right arm.

 

Regards,

Alf McM

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Thanks Alf,

 

I have some details of her family and marriage. As you say, I also can find no records of her training as a nurse. She was from a wealthy family, married into more money and lived in a country mansion. No doubt they would have been her main qualifications for being appointed Commandant,

 

I can find no record of any service overseas or any entitlement to medals.

 

Paul

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23 hours ago, dink999 said:

I’m nearly at the the end off compiling a database of admissions to Gloucestershire Red Cross Hospitals and would be interested to know the name of the man with the Kitebrook connection to see if I have him recorded. Meanwhile here is an photo of some patients and staff outside the building in March 1917.

 

Dave

C98DBE25-B878-4EF1-BD5A-6F170E7E75FA.jpeg

 

  The British Red Cross record cards for Kitebrook show only 2 trained nurses when this photo was taken.

  Evelyn Fakes was a Sister at the hospital. I have been unable to find any more about her.

  Anna O'Donoghue served in the T.F.N.S. in England {so no medal card} before resigning to become Matron at Kitebrook. Her T.F.N.S. record can be downloaded here for free at present if you register. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10806596

In her T.F.N.S. record she is recorded as Ann Cecilia O'Donoghue. She was later awarded the Royal Red Cross 2nd Class, {A.R.R.C.}. She emigrated to Australia after the war and died, probably of tuberculosis, in 1928.

  Trained Nurses can be identified by the veil on the back of their caps. This means that Evelyn and Anna are both in the photo. Given their relative ranks I would suggest that Evelyn is standind on the right of the photo and Anna, who seems to be wearing a T.F.N.S. style cape {although it should be lighter} is standing in the middle. I am almost 100% certain that Anna is standing next to the Commandant, Alice Prichard. She is wearing a VAD uniform, because she wasn't a trained nurse, and looks to be the right age.

  There is a Masseuse sitting in the middle of the front row. The Red Cross has a card for a Masseuse, but she started after the photo was taken.

 

Regards,

Alf McM

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Thanks Alf,

 

That's about as close as I will get to  identifying her without actual names on the photo.

 

Theres not a lot about her time at Kitebrook and not being a trained nurse she has no medical record. 

 

I assume that the VAD kept records although have found no references to them.

 

Paul

 

 

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Re her awards - I assume she would have been eligible for The British Red Cross Society War Service medal. This was awarded to all members of the BRCS including voluntary aid detachment members who had performed a minimum of one year or 1000 hours voluntary service and did not receive any campaign medals.

 

Paul

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The only VAD records I'm aware of are the BRC cards.

 

There's another card for a Nancy Pritchard (sic) of Donnington Manor at Kitebrook. Alice's daughter?

 

I found a site for a Thomas Octavio Prichard who may be related to Evan. The rather oddly set out web page also has:

 

of the British War Mission to the United States of America Alice Maud Prichard - Commandant, Kitebrook Auxiliary Hospital, Moreton - in - Marsh, Gloucestershire.

Context for the above is not clear to me.

 

I note the Ancestry tree has muddled her marriage to Evan. They married 2nd Qtr. 1907, St. George, Hanover Sq. London. Not Ashton 1908.

TEW

 

 

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Thanks.

 

Nancy was one of two daughters.

 

I can find no reference to a Thomas Octavio Prichard. My internet search drew a blank so I would be interested in the web site that you mention.

 

Paul

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On the BRC site, I can find both Alice and her daughter but where it says VAD cards (and there are two for Alice) nothing happens when I click the icon?

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This is from Cheltenham Examiner of 19th June 1907.

 

Image courtesy of British Newspaper Archives/Findmypast

 

   Nancy was one of Evan's duaghters from his first marriage.

{Not sure how to make image larger}

 

Regards,

Alf McM

Screenshot 2021-06-20 at 10-37-11 The British Newspaper Archive findmypast co uk.png

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VAD site stopped working for me last with an error page. Just as I was trying to view a Mrs Dugdale's card.

 

The website is:

 

https://amp.ww.en.freejournal.org/26212578/1/thomas-octavius-prichard.html

 

Search the page for Kitebrook is the easiest option to find Alice.

 

TEW

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