Photograph of a nurse dated 1916

[SandraB]

Hi

Can anyone please help me with a thread of my family history research which has a vague WW1 connection!

In an old family album is a photo of a lady sat at a table/desk wearing what looks to be a nurses uniform. Alongside the photo (which incidentally has been stuck fast onto a page within the album) someone has written "1916". Assuming the date is correct, it would mean that this lady was nursing during WW1, but by looking at her I would imagine she trained/qualified quite some time before the outbreak of war.

Is there anyway I can locate information about a British pre-war nurse? Any assistance would be appreciated.

Thank you

Regards

Sandra

[Sue Light]

Sandra

It might help if you could find her on a census with her occupation given. Otherwise it's quite difficult, as there was no registration of nurses, or national standards for training until after 1919, and anyone could wear a uniform and call themselves 'nurse' as long as their intentions were honourable. Some had a complete three year training, while others had just picked up knowledge and experience as they went along.

Is it possible to know her name and have a scan of the photo - there might be some clues.

Sue

[SandraB]

Hello Sue

Thank you for that information, I didn't realise national standards for nursing were introduced as late as 1919.

Unfortunately I don't own a scanner so I can't send you a copy of the photo. I would be happy to let you have a copy via "snail mail" if you wanted to let me have a forwarding address (contact me via a PM if you are agreeable to that). I also have a problem with naming this lady! The only identification details recorded in the family album is the year(s) the photo(s) were taken - no family names have been recorded. For every person I can identify positively there are about 10 I cannot!! That's the fun of family history research. I could guess a surname for the lady nurse, possibly Beart or Durrant.

Regards

Sandra

[Christina]

I have a 1901 census sheet with I believe trainee nurses on it, one, although no relation to us [married to my husbands grandfather and later separated] went on to be a nurse in the war. The reference sheet number is RG13/5536, I could not find a listing for the names you gave but perhaps the other pages either side etc, may contain the name you are looking for. Have you tried looking on the MIC's?

Regards

Christina

[SandraB]

Thank you for that information Christine.

Regards

Sandra

[clairec79]

If she was also a midwife then she would have been registered with the CMB, midwives have had to register since 1902.

It may be worth, for either, contacting the Nursing and Midwifery Council (the current version who you have to register with) to see if they have details about old nurses and midwives, or may recognise from the uniform where she worked (you can't make out a belt buckle can you? - not sure if they had the buckles in 1916, but that may give certain information)

[Sue Light]

All the archived records of the General Nursing Council [from 1921-73] and the Central Midwive's Board and its predecessors [from 1872-1983] are held at the National Archives. These include Rolls of registered nurses [201 Volumes] and midwives [117 volumes].

Sue

Edited 2 December , 2005 by SueL