identify uniform of nurse amy eveline barber

[Guest davebarber]

I have attached a photograph of Amy Eveline Barber who was born in 1884 in London. Can anyone help me to identify the uniform. I am assuming that she was a VAD in WW1 but the red cross on her bib looks much bigger than those that I have seen in other photos.

Thanks

Dave

[Sue Light]

Dave

There's a lot about the photo that doesn't look 'right'. The cross on the apron is not really a problem - they did tend to come in all sizes and various shades of red, particularly as many women made their own uniforms, and just guessed at the size. However, the apron itself is not the usual style of VAD pinny - they were much broader in the bib, with thick straps which went up and over the shoulders; often the neckline of the apron met the collar. They also tended to go further around the skirt. The hat is very odd. It's not regulation VAD style, either pre or post 1915, and I've never seen a VAD with a red cross on her hat - the hats were plain. Red crosses were sometimes worn on hats by some private hospitals and independent nurses, in which case they were often small badges either sewn or pinned on, not at all the style in the photo.

The other thing that strikes me is that if Amy Barber was born in 1884, this woman looks far too old - even if it was taken towards the end of the war she would only be in her mid-thirties, and the woman in the photo looks at least ten years older than that, if not more. The WW1 period looks right for the photo, and the woman is either:

Working in a small private/civil hospital or nursing home

Working privately as an untrained nurse in private houses

or (tongue in cheek, not meaning any disrespect)

Not a nurse at all, but taking part in a 'dressing up' photo - a sort of 'spoof' photo. I'm not sure this last idea is likely, but the slight oddness of it all just made me throw it into the equation.

Regards - Sue

[Terry_Reeves]

It appears to be a bit of a spoof to me as well. The whole photo looks rather odd. The seascape on the backdrop roll doesn't suite the alleged profession of the sitter. Most studio photographers had backdrops which were neutral or complimented the status of the sitter or even flattered them. The flooring is also very rough and ready. All this suggests the props of an itinerant photographer. "Nurse" Barber also looks decidedly uncomfortable. I have a collection of photographs ranging from the 1850's through to the 1930's and in all the occupational type images, the sitters look proud and confident in the apparel of their trade or profession.

TR

[Black Watch]

Did nurses wear high heels?

Neil

[Sue Light]

Strange to say, that sort of boot was normal footwear for nurses during that period.

Sue

[Guest davebarber]

I have received an input from the Red Cross Museum to say that the uniform looks ok but the cross on the headdress was only introduced in 1925.

Amy would have had five children at home at this time so it seems unlikely that she would have been a nurse.

Dave