WW1 nurse possibly VAD

[1pompey]

Some years ago I was given a photo album that my aunt rescued from a nursing home, it was to be disposed of, as the owner had died some years previous. My aunt gave me the album as she considered it too nice to be placed on the bonfire.

The album showed pictures from the First World War and just after, and was the record of a young nurse from Kent (possibly VAD). The young nurse in question was called, Mercedes Isabel Tiber and she was born in 1899 (according to her death records). There is no record of her in the 1901 census and with her unusual name, I guess she was perhaps born overseas and moved to England in the early part of the century. She was stationed at Higham VAD Hospital in Kent and also at Fort Pitt Military Hospital. I seem to have read somewhere that VAD Nurses had to be 21 years of age, so she either wasn't a VAD nurse or perhaps lied about her age.

I have studied the album on many occasions and still do not know which one of the nurses is Mercedes. I should like to find out more about her and wondered if anyone would be able to help. I think she moved to Southsea in the 20’s (possibly Victoria Grove, then Outram Rd). She was still living in Southsea in 1976 and died in 1988 at West Meon.

The album contains 236 photographs, mainly of Kent, but there are some of Southsea, Chichester and Gosport and some from Portsmouth Dockyard. The album also contains some pictures of Naval ships including the Royal Yacht, and some aircraft from Gosport Aerodrome. The majority of pictures though, are of the staff and poor patients at the hospitals.

Yesterday I wrote to the Red Cross, Museums and Archives section, in London but just thought that I would try my luck here.

Thanks.

Mick

[Coldstreamer]

welcome to the forum

Cant see her listed on the medal index cards for ww1 so seems she might have been in the Uk for the duration

[1pompey]

welcome to the forum

Cant see her listed on the medal index cards for ww1 so seems she might have been in the Uk for the duration

Thanks for taking the time to look for me Coldstreamer!

It's so frustrating seeing all of these nurses in the album and not knowing which one is her.

[Sue Light]

Mick

VADs only had to be 21+ for overseas service - she could easily have been working by the age of 18, so not too young. Try the British Red Cross Society for a service record:

BRCS personnel records

And this is a link to Hazel Basford's site about Voluntary Aid Detachments in Kent, if you haven't seen it:

Kent VAD

[it needs to be viewed with Internet Explorer, as it get scrambled with Firefox]

Sue

[Sue Light]

Sorry - just saw that you've already contacted the BRCS - should spend more time reading before I write!

Sue

[1pompey]

Sorry - just saw that you've already contacted the BRCS - should spend more time reading before I write!

Sue

Thanks Sue, I have indeed seen Hazels site, she did in fact have my album for about six months!

I have also loaned it to the Higham Historical Society and the guy there works for the Kent Messenger. He has just written a book about Higham and has included a couple of shots from it.

I will maybe post a few shots here as there are lots of different Nurse Uniforms, she may have been a trained nurse. Is this the forum to post them? or is there somewhere more appropriate.

Thanks!

Mick

[Sue Light]

I will maybe post a few shots here as there are lots of different Nurse Uniforms, she may have been a trained nurse. Is this the forum to post them? or is there somewhere more appropriate.

I'd love to see the images - I have a passion for nurses' uniforms [probably a different passion from that of the men here! ]

Sue