Princess Patricia’s Canadian Red Cross Hospital - Nurses

[Steven Gasser]

I have the attached photo of an adopted relative of mine Lilian Chesworth which is entitled “Princess Pat’s Nurses”.

I would appreciate help in identifying which uniform she is wearing - Red Cross, VAD, or is it a uniform specific to the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Red Cross Hospital?

I am also trying to find her service records but have been unsuccessful thus far.

Lilian was born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England and therefore I have assumed this to be a British uniform, not a Canadian one.

Thanks in advance,

Steven 

 

[BillyH]

If she was born in 1903, as you seem to believe, then she is unlikely to have been nursing in the Great War?

BillyH.

[Michelle Young]

I can’t see where it says she was born in 1903? Her uniform looks to me like a private purchase, reminiscent of the uniforms worn by the hospitals set up by titled women in the Great War. 

[BillyH]

17 minutes ago, Michelle Young said:

I can’t see where it says she was born in 1903? 

It's on Steven's family tree on 'Ancestry'  Nothing about her in the Birkenhead newspapers 1914-18 by the way.

BillyH.

Edited 4 September , 2022 by BillyH

[Michelle Young]

Ah OK, I don’t subscribe. 

[Steven Gasser]

Given that the Princess Patricia's Red Cross Convalescent Hospital was at : Ramsgate 26 Jan 1917 to 14 Jan 1918; and, Bexhill 15 Jan 1918 to 18 Aug 1919 it may have been possible for her to volunteer at age 14, I don’t know but I would appreciate anyone’s insight into the history of the Princess Pat’s Nurses and their uniforms. Lilian’s age aside - is there a site that records the history and personnel files of the Princess Pat’s Nurses? Thanks in advance.

[DavidOwen]

It is unlikely to be the hospital but there was a Princess Patricia hospital in Wexford Ireland also, images would rule out the uniform there.

Search the forum there is a thread about it (tablet won't let me post the link)

[KizmeRD]

Seeing as she’s a Birkenhead lass, it might be that she was a local recruit to the 5th Canadian General Hospital established at Kirkdale from 13 October 1917 onwards?

However, the dark hood is more like that worn by nuns than nurses - was she ever a novice, or did she attend a convent school?

The wording at the bottom attributing this to ‘Princess Pat’s’ was obviously written some considerable time after the photograph was taken. More contemporary references are likely have used the words ‘the Great War’.

MB

Edited 4 September , 2022 by KizmeRD
Added remarks.

[royalredcross]

Not  a military uniform of any kind.  Agree it seems more like a nun's headdress, but could be one of the privately raised units like Duchess of Westminster etc. etc. 

[seaJane]

On 04/09/2022 at 15:59, KizmeRD said:

dark hood is more like that worn by nuns than nurses

Yes, but many nursing uniforms developed from nuns' habits because Sisters of Charity were some of the earliest nurses, and varied depending on the hospital. This is my grandmother as a student nurse at St Alphege's Hospital, Greenwich, in 1927: 

[Steven Gasser]

18 hours ago, seaJane said:

Yes, but many nursing uniforms developed from nuns' habits because Sisters of Charity were some of the earliest nurses, and varied depending on the hospital. This is my grandmother as a student nurse at St Alphege's Hospital, Greenwich, in 1927: 

The similarity between this uniform and the one Lilian Chesworth is wearing is striking. Is there a list of nursing colleges for the WW I period where one can search the nominal rolls for the students?

[alf mcm]

Steven,

See the entry here in the Register of Nurses for 1928 for a Lilian Chesworth. It shows she trained at Birkenhead Borough Hospital from 1920-1924. She will presumably be in Birkenhead in the 1921 census. A check of this census will show if this is ‘your’ Lilian.

UK & Ireland, Nursing Registers, 1898-1968 - Ancestry.co.uk

Regards,

Alf McM

[KizmeRD]

Even as a VAD, she would had to have been at least 21 in order to work at a Military Medical facility (such as the Princess Patricia’s Convalescent Hospital). Perhaps the information written at the bottom of the photo is misleading us?
MB

Edited 7 September , 2022 by KizmeRD

[Steven Gasser]

7 hours ago, KizmeRD said:

Even as a VAD, she would had to have been at least 21 in order to work at a Military Medical facility (such as the Princess Patricia’s Convalescent Hospital). Perhaps the information written at the bottom of the photo is misleading us?
MB

I agree MB. My research since your original comment confirms that volunteers for VAD would be at least 21 years of age.

I will have to pull the photo from the album to see if there are any original notes on the back. The note is likely written by my mother based on what she heard from her mother. 

Thanks for your help.

Steven

[Steven Gasser]

On 07/09/2022 at 08:30, alf mcm said:

Steven,

See the entry here in the Register of Nurses for 1928 for a Lilian Chesworth. It shows she trained at Birkenhead Borough Hospital from 1920-1924. She will presumably be in Birkenhead in the 1921 census. A check of this census will show if this is ‘your’ Lilian.

UK & Ireland, Nursing Registers, 1898-1968 - Ancestry.co.uk

Regards,

Alf McM

Thanks for this research. I definitely believe this is Lilian from my tree. Much appreciated.

[alf mcm]

Steven,

That is good news.

Regards,

Alf McM