philg Posted 6 October , 2006 Share Posted 6 October , 2006 I'm just wondering if any nurse experts out there can tell me if this lady is in a nurses uniform? It's from about 1880. many thanks Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coulson Posted 6 October , 2006 Share Posted 6 October , 2006 Probably wrong but it looks like a maids outfit to me. Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 6 October , 2006 Share Posted 6 October , 2006 I would say she is the maid with some responsibility, she is holding a chatelaine chain formerly worn at the waist by the mistress of a large country house. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 6 October , 2006 Share Posted 6 October , 2006 Downstairs parlour maid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philg Posted 6 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 6 October , 2006 well that seems to be unanimous...in fact it seems obvious now you all mention it....what was I thinking? cheers Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T8HANTS Posted 6 October , 2006 Share Posted 6 October , 2006 I think we are looking at a domestic servant, but one with some responsibility as she probably has a key on the end of the chain, which indicates she is trusted by her employers, Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 7 October , 2006 Share Posted 7 October , 2006 I disagree. The dress is totally in keeping with a nurse circa 1875-85. Most nurses at that time were working in private homes, and this is typical of the type of photo taken for a nurse's 'carte de visite.' All that pin-tucking is unlikely for a domestic servant, and the prominent display of the key or scissors is commonly used to define women as nurses, not servants. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corinne mills Posted 7 October , 2006 Share Posted 7 October , 2006 same question too - are these nurses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 7 October , 2006 Share Posted 7 October , 2006 I disagree. The dress is totally in keeping with a nurse circa 1875-85. Most nurses at that time were working in private homes, and this is typical of the type of photo taken for a nurse's 'carte de visite.' All that pin-tucking is unlikely for a domestic servant, and the prominent display of the key or scissors is commonly used to define women as nurses, not servants. Sue It looks like a pencil shes holding. But I dont think we can disagree with your expertise in the history of nursing. Sue you have made an interesting point about symbolism, which i have an interest. 'prominent display of the key or scissors is commonly used to define women as nurses, not servants' I dont agree that the display of these items is exclusive to nurses. The holding or display of the key is a display of authority in a household, I mentioned the chatelaine in a previous answer which developed from being a usful tool to being an item of decoration. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 7 October , 2006 Share Posted 7 October , 2006 Mick I don't think I said that they were exclusive to nurses - only 'commonly used to define women as nurses not servants.' I agree that a similar pose might be adopted by other women within a household, but in this case: 1. The holding of the item, whatever it is [though I'm still going with scissors] is purposely included in the pose to signify something - probably 'authority.' 2. It seems unlikely that a symbol of authority [if that's what it is] would be included in a photograph of an ordinary servant - housemaid, kitchen maid etc. 3. If the woman in the photograph was a senior servant, i.e. Housekeeper, who might have been entitled to the 'object,' then I feel she would not be wearing a frilly hat. Nurses at that time had real difficulty finding their place in a household, being neither 'upstairs' or 'downstairs' and I genuinely feel that this sort of symbolism in nurse photos was greater then than at any other period - that was when they had a point to make. WW1 of course, was definitely the time of 'the book.' I dread to think what it would be today. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 7 October , 2006 Share Posted 7 October , 2006 same question too - are these nurses? Corinne I would think so, but not British - ?French. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corinne mills Posted 7 October , 2006 Share Posted 7 October , 2006 Corinne I would think so, but not British - ?French. Sue Thanks Sue - are they likely to be civilian nurses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 7 October , 2006 Share Posted 7 October , 2006 Surely civilians - but almost all nurses were civilians at that time, even if they were nursing soldiers. The uniforms are very pretty, aren't they - perhaps too fancy for a religious order? I wonder if they're sisters Amusing, but fruitless, to do a Google search on any combination of 'French' 'Nurse' and 'Uniform' Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corinne mills Posted 8 October , 2006 Share Posted 8 October , 2006 Surely civilians - but almost all nurses were civilians at that time, even if they were nursing soldiers. The uniforms are very pretty, aren't they - perhaps too fancy for a religious order? I wonder if they're sisters Amusing, but fruitless, to do a Google search on any combination of 'French' 'Nurse' and 'Uniform' Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 8 October , 2006 Share Posted 8 October , 2006 This link is worth looking at. The 1879 illustration mentions keys and scissors. http://www.shef.ac.uk/~nmhuk/uniform/unitimeline.html Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philg Posted 9 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 9 October , 2006 Thanks for your expert views Sue and thanks for the link Terry. she's not too dissimilar to the 1870 illustration is she? cheers Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borys Posted 9 October , 2006 Share Posted 9 October , 2006 Ahoj! I tried the French Nurse Uniform google search , and some of the hits were unexpected. Like this one: http://dyk2.homestead.com/Index.html Borys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 9 October , 2006 Share Posted 9 October , 2006 To reassure members of a nervous disposition, I just opened the link Borys posted, and it is a large, detailed and completely serious website devoted to nursing uniforms worldwide and historically. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philg Posted 9 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 9 October , 2006 is that not a bit weird? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borys Posted 9 October , 2006 Share Posted 9 October , 2006 Ahoj! And WHAT exactly is wierd? a/ - Borys found non-porn link b/ - Borys posted non-porn link c/ - there ARE non porn nurse sites Borys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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