SchoolsofNursing.co.uk

Site News
September 2015
(Vol 9 Issue 4) 

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Welcome to our Thirty-Eighth news page here at Schools of Nursing. Our Fourth edition for 2015.

New Nursing badges public gallery opening at schoolsofnursing.co.uk - Current update.
"When our website was first envisaged (we actually opened November 2007) one of our esteemed members, ('eric') suggested that our photograph galleries, then private, could be made public"...

To Recap: Our 50 fifty (50) pages of 24 badges per page - (1200 photographs) - have come along considerably since the last news page - with much detail being added to the actual labels. Individual hospital/school locations have been (and are still being) added; badge shapes; materials used; badge weights; type of fixings; central design (picture) ; inscriptions on the rear (nurse names/dates/maker marks/hallmarks where applicable); designer/s; manufacturers; number made; and dates first awarded are all salient points in our quest being addressed.

Only small move forward: Last time I said - "This is the start - the catalogue - of our new galleries. Open to anyone who has an interest - and hopefully the start of an increasing number of interested people. More pages will follow quickly - first catalogue completion is envisaged by the end of June this year". But no, again, we simply could not finish in time for this news page, apologies. The best laid plans.... But - we do have the almost completed revision and will be putting the catalogue it online very, very shortly...

The present link is repeated - "By the end of the project we will have a new book on nursing badges. We are already working hard on the content and format. There are omissions. There will be errors. By the end, with your help, we will have a new definitive and up-to date 'Nursing Badges II' (perhaps the title?)".  Please, have a second look . If you feel that you can help with details let me know - Heraldry and badge weights are still  particular needs. Please remember copyright. LINK HERE  

No new articles this time. But more are in the offing for the next news.

 
http://www.schoolsofnursing.co.uk/Collections1/Collections001.htm

The links to all our 52 articles are above:-

Ms Barbara Tyler - St Thomas Hospital - Scrapbook Part 8 (including all links to previous pages) is here.

You may have noticed -
Our increasing use of multiple  pictures "Hover your cursor' and 'Point you cursor at images to see alternate image'.  An attempt to include more images in the same space - in order to make the news more detailed and enjoyable. Not all images include this feature yet - but try them all anyway.  Hopefully we are correct and are not attempting the proverbial 'quart into a pint pot' - do let us know - it is extra work, but then we enjoy that!

Email messages - Training Transcripts - Qualified Nurses.
In our experience it has not been possible for nurses seeking transcripts from schools which no longer exist to obtain copies. However, we can offer a couple of links which may help in your search:- 

http://www.nmc.org.uk/registration/
http://www.rcn.org.uk/development/rcn_archives/research_advice_-_tracing_nurses/nursing_records
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ 

Member Photograph Galleries.
Still accumulating, albeit now more slowly. The 'National' galleries now contain 4292 nursing/hospital badge photographs encompassing all areas of the UK; 588 photographs (buildings/people/ephemera); and 133 photographs (nurse uniforms), both civilian and military. What will we achieve by the end of 2015? Is 5250 possible? We continue to make solid progress and will perhaps achieve the largest collection in the UK if we are not already there....  Point you cursor at images to see alternate image.


National Galleries
-
Member Uploads

Photographic rights
nursesue
 

    Aberdeen Royal Infirmary SEN

    Aberdeen Royal Infirmary SRN

We have reached 5000! and only the end of September.  5250 a possibility. We are well on the way and just maybe, we will see another magic number very shortly, thanks to our many contributors. And it is not just a matter of quantity but rather a combination of quantity and quality. The quality of additions made to the site - both in the way of photographs and contributions to our forum has created an irreplaceable contribution to nursing history. We can now claim to have a mini photographic museum here at schoolsofnursing. Sincere, heartfelt, thanks...

But the photographs are not our be all/end all. Our online articles (52) are gaining too, to say nothing of our nursing histories and news pages. There is a great deal of research involved. Someone's time. Someone's money. All given selflessly without thought of gain. What we have here are the seeds of success.

But please, don't break copyrights when uploading/sending photographs. If you are ever uncertain please ask. Most copyright holders we have met so far have been only to keen to assist.

And if you want to join - welcome to the Forum and Member Galleries - Register Here.

Please be aware, our site is rated on Google by Norton Internet Security as being absolutely safe. We intend to keep it that way. You can help by using a reasonable ID and your own genuine email address. Anything that appears dubious may result in failed registration. Our site is free to users. It is hosted by the largest ISP in Europe at commercial rates - with highly professional back-up. Safe and secure!

Worldwide..
Certainly our visitors are wide ranging - from 44 countries worldwide... Australia & New Zealand and Canada are well represented in addition to the UK and USA. There are also some more esoteric sounding countries - China; Russia; Cayman Islands; Japan; Malaysia; plus Romania and Spain.

E-Mail Contact - 'contact' link (here and throughout the site) arrives directly on the webmaster's desk. Use it to communicate directly with the site. All mail is considered confidential unless the contents are stated to be otherwise. Stated to be for public consumption by you. Publication itself is an editorial decision.

Collecting... Something very, very special....

Yes, I know, fisherman's tales - but please - bear with me for a moment or two whilst I explain the one that did not get away.....

And not only did it not get away, I honestly did not know (until after receipt) that I had caught it. There is a saying about everything coming to he who waits, but then, if you don't realise that you are waiting in the first place the surprise when something turns out to be far better than was ever expected is seriously multiplied - promise! And here is the basis of my surprise:-

All images copyright  'petersnursingcollectables " @SoN

No big deal did I hear some say? Not uncommon? Well no Princess Christian's' Amy Nursing Reserve badges are not uncommon, perhaps one might say "Not that uncommon and can still be had for a reasonable price'. What is not common is the identified badge number and memorabilia that accompanied it. A short written précis from the British Army Nurses Website; The original pocked folder (stamped 'Government House Work Party, Pretoria) possibly issued in 1898; and within the pockets the badge of Sister (later Matron) Sarah Alice Claridge; two war ribbons which need identification; two hat or hair pins; three sewing needles (one still threaded); a knob pin; and, superbly, a stick resembling a match stick with a little thread wound on - and a little silver paper - possibly from a cigarette packet.

Words were, for once, well beyond me!!  Just who was Sarah Alice Claridge? The nurse some of whose precious history was in my care. Well, we have already started the search and with luck and effort we will discover enough for a complete article. Watch this space....

But for now, have a closer look... Point and Remove cursor on/off image to change/restore.

All images copyright  'petersnursingcollectables " @SoN

One main objective in my collecting is to obtain items with which I can claim some direct connection - a strong association with something I would really like. With this next badge I struck the mother lode again! Nottingham. Very indistinct on the Rt picture below but clearly inscribed  'A. Lubilowski SRN 511074. Hallmarked silver -1976 and made by Thomas Fattorini, Regent St, Birmingham.

All images copyright  'petersnursingcollectables' @SoN

I did not know the nurse, but there were many Polish people in Nottingham following WWII - I worked with one of them - an ex-Lancaster Squadron Leader who, faced with a glut of pilots after the war, decided to remain in Nottingham and train as an SEN. A magnificent performance.  Maybe one day I might come across his GNC badge. Now that really would be magic!!

And once again I was back to the past - My RMN training at Parkside Hospital, as I listened to the senior tutor take us back in history from Bedlam at one end of the scale to the Quaker William Tuke, responsible for opening the 'York Retreat' with it's unlocked doors in 1796 at the other.

All images copyright  'petersnursingcollectables' @SoN

Unlocked doors were not the order of the day then - in fact every member of Parkside nursing staff had a regular 'pass key'. I can well remember the day when there were only two 'secure' wards left - and the results of opening those doors was not mass 'escape', but quite the opposite in almost every case... It was around 1960 - following the 1959 Mental Health Act. A long time after William Tuke....

I never managed to work there, in spite of out tutors' inspirational presentation, but now at least I possess a genuine badge. Although alas unnamed... Perhaps, one day.....

Imagine, dreaming, that you bumped into an old lady struggling to carry a large box down the street and no one seemed to notice or care. When you stopped and asked if you could help her, she looked at you sadly and said no, it was 'too far...too long ago'... 'But perhaps if you could lend a penny for the bus' - 'you will be rewarded'...?  And all I had was a credit card!! - forgive yourself - you never would!.....
WB.

 

 

 

 

Another photograph from the past

This one unidentified  but many of us have been there - though those ladders
were not part of my experience!  -  'Fire Practice' - perhaps 1930's?

 

What was this their School/Hospital and badge ?

*Training Hospitals/Details *Not Available.

It always seems impossible that a photograph will never be identified - but who knows?        

*Sincere thanks to SoN member and Moderator 'backman' for the photographs used... 

Well, that is yet another very pleasant note upon which to end the 38th Schools of Nursing Site News.
 

Would you like to see your PTS or training group featured here? We desperately need more photographs to feature. Can you help?  If so please Contact us.


We express our grateful appreciation to those people who have contributed the original photographs
used to produce the News Pages.

1. News heading photo (all dates) - John Reeves
2. Bristol Southmead Gold (April) - John Reeves
3. St Bartholomew's Gold (April) - Ruth Watkin-Jones
4. Haygarth Silver (April) - 'ukhistory' (ebay)
5. Newcastle LS (April) - Peter Backman (Nursing badges)
6. RRC Medal (April)  photo's- 'Caulgisbo' (ebay)
8. 'catandfrog' (July) - (ebay).
9. bokojnr (Dec) - (ebay).
10. blue.bottle (Dec) - (ebay).
11. 'backman' - (ebay).*
12. Hotminicooper (Jun) - (ebay).
13. Right-one50 (Oct - (ebay).
14. jcollinsmedals (Dec - (ebay).
15. Brittania Medals (Dec 2009).
16. elaine3080 (Feb 2010) - (ebay).
17. Fran Biley (Feb 2010) - schoolsofnursing.
18. St Andrews Children's Hospice - Grimsby.
19.themedalcentre - (ebay).
 20. Christmas 1923 - Eric Wilkinson, schoolsofnursing.
21. past-modern - (ebay).
22. susie1156 - (ebay).
23. redsunshine525 - (ebay).
24. nbarton8 - (ebay).
25. magpieantics - (ebay)
26. rayofhope0 - (ebay).
27. Anotherluckyb - (ebay).
28. Helen M Coan.
29. yazandlaz - (ebay).
30. delroyb - (ebay).
31. Burmeseblue - (ebay).
32. amersham417 - (ebay).
33.Bethesda - (ebay).
34. nikkibarnard - (ebay).
35. madeinireland - ebay.
36. jamesmcg - (ebay).
37. pugwash - schoolsofnursing.
38. Sarah Rogers - schoolsofnursing.
 
40. Bill, schoolsofnursing.
41.
alastaircox - (ebay).
42. Margaret Maxwell - (ebay).
43. soisjack - (ebay).
44. blubberlover - (ebay).
45. the collectique - (ebay).
46.
mandacollectables@hotmail.co.uk
47. Dart Silver Lid - ebay
48. 'gawincole' - ebay
49. 'Middletonmasonic Ltd' - ebay
50. 'petersnursingcollectibles'.
51. 'ladywegnall' - ebay.
52. janines*1967' - ebay
All Copyrights are Asserted

 

 
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