daily express gift

[BIFFO]

I have recently read about the daily express starting a nurses present fund in 1914.after public donation every nurse serving on the western front recieved a gift.I have seen lots of "genuine"queen mary tins but have never seen a picture of the small white leather case,anyone have a photo ??

biff

[MACRAE]

I have recently read about the daily express starting a nurses present fund in 1914.after public donation every nurse serving on the western front recieved a gift.I have seen lots of "genuine"queen mary tins but have never seen a picture of the small white leather case,anyone have a photo ??

biff

Well lads there must be some one with a picture of this item out there, it sure would be nice to see a picture of this.

Dan

[ralphjd]

Dont know if it is the same thing, but a picture of a khaki monogrammed writing set appears on members.lycos.co.uk/hinckley1/mary.html

Entered The Princess Mary Christmas Gift 1914 on the internet and the above site appeared. Any use ? Cheers Ralph

[Sue Light]

I don’t have a picture of the Daily Express gift, but have added some extracts from various documents which describe the gift, and also the others that were received by the nurses at Christmas 1914. Of course, the main problem in finding evidence is the question of numbers – while the Princess Mary tin for soldiers was produced in hundreds of thousands, in December that year there were very few nurses working on the Western Front. I don’t have the exact figure, but I estimate there were barely 1,000 QAIMNS, Reserve, TFNS, Civil Hospital Reserve and British Red Cross nurses there, and most of these gifts were restricted to nurses employed by the British Military Forces, and excluded those working for the French and Belgians. In addition to that, it seems from what’s written, that Queen Alexandra’s gift eclipsed all others, and the one from the Daily Express was very functional, and probably much used over the years rather than kept simply for display. The first extracts here are from the official unit war diary [WO95]:

25.12.14

Christmas Day

Received the King and Queen’s cards. The little Company at Headquarters were paraded. D.M.S. addressed them and presented the cards to all officers and men. In the afternoon visited the little Red Cross Hospital; gave the Nurses Princess Mary’s gift.

Sent a telegram to Queen Alexandra:

“The members of Your Majesty’s Military Nursing Service respectfully offer their heartfelt thanks for the beautiful gifts which are being distributed, and offer you every possible good wish for Christmas” and one to Princess Mary:

“The Q.A.I.M.N.S. and Reserve thank your Royal Highness for their Christmas gifts and wish you every happiness.”

Miss Barbier and I dined with Colonel Leishmann and Major Burrell. Letter from Matron-in-Chief saying gifts were coming from Lady Galway – turkeys and puddings – Princess Mary’s book for everyone – wallets and soap from the Daily Express, so that I am returning to Boulogne to arrange about their distribution. It is not noted where they are arriving but I presume Boulogne.

05.01.15

Boulogne

To A.D.M.S. office, then to supply stores to find no gifts had yet arrived. Then to 13 Stationary where I learnt that Miss Holman had been given permission to do dressings and which I told her was not permitted – she is returning to England on 28th, not to return. I told her very plainly that untrained people were not permitted to nurse in any Military Hospital.

Miss Wohlmann came to see me wearing Queen Alexandra’s Christmas Gift, a beautiful fur lined cloak with fur collar, a muff, a hood which I didn’t see, which she had received enclosed in a bag tied with ribbons and containing also her photograph and a letter in her own hand writing – Miss Steenson also came from her ship.

Left Abbeville early for Boulogne in order to meet Miss Sydney Browne R.R.C., Matron-in-Chief T.F.N.S. who was arriving with gifts from Her Majesty Queen Alexandra, with gifts for the Territorial Nursing Staff. Instructions were sent from the War Office requesting that every facility should be given.

18.1.15

Abbeville

Saw Miss Browne off, then distributed Queen A’s gifts at all the hospitals. Had lunch and then Miss Barbier and I returned to Abbeville, arriving 5pm, to find many letters awaiting me, as well as nurses being required at 10 Stationary, 4 Clearing, 13 General, 3 Ambulance Train, to fill vacancies made by Sisters being laid up with influenza.

The Principal Matron’s appointment approved by D.G. – also the question of me inspecting all Voluntary Hospitals after Feb. 1st, and the decision that the QAMNSI are under me also.

A large number of beautiful gifts – writing cases and needle cases for the nurses have arrived from the Daily Express which I have acknowledged and will distribute without delay.

And this extract is from the personal diary of Nursing Sister Jean Todd, R.R.C., Q.A.I.M.N.S.:

1st January 1915, No.9 General Hospital

Well, well. Five months war and nearly five months in France and one Christmas over. Wonder what will have happened by next Christmas, and what a marvellous Christmas it has been. The gifts we have had. Queen Alexandra sent us fur-lined capes – grey, down below the waist – quaint hoods and muffs and a Christmas card. The King and Queen their photographs and a message. Princess Mary acid drops and note paper in a special box, and then all kinds of gifts from Newspapers – plum puddings, parcels of clothing – and friends and relatives all sending things. It was lovely… I was far too busy seeing to food for the surgical walking cases to open parcels or read letters, so when anything fresh came… they just joined the pile on our beds.

Finally, a picture of the gift from Queen Alexandra - the bag contained the fur cape as well as other luxury items. This collection belonged to Nursing Sister Katherine Jane Stewart.

Sue [not one of the 'lads']

[MACRAE]

Well done Sue a good bit of research i never knew that bag existed now thanks to you if i see and i mean a BIG if i will know what it is.

Dan

[BIFFO]

thank you for info sue,much appreciated

biff

[Indunna]

The British Journal of Nursing - Volume 53, 12th December 1914 (p467)

The Daily Express announces that thanks

to the generosity of its readers a sufficient sum

of money has been collected to provide a Christmas

gift for each of the British nurses at the front.

No further subscriptions are required, and the

“ Nurses’ Presents ” Fund is now closed.

The gift, which is to convey to the heroines

of the nursing line in France:the Yuletide greetings

and deep gratitude of the people at home, has

been selected.

It is a neat white leatller case which folds

over quite flat, so that it can be slipped into the

pocket. On the outside it is adorned with a

gold embossed crown and four flags, and it has

“ Christmas -1914 ’’ and From the readers of

the Daily Express ’’ printed on the flaps inside.

outfit, well supplied with all the requisites for

emergency needlework, of the finest workmanship.

We feel sure the kind thought of the editor

will be appreciated by many nurses who will be

far from home at Christmas, and that they will

value this gift, and no doubt keep it carefully

in memory of the work they have had the good

fortune to do in this national crisis.