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January 2018
 (Vol 12 Issue 1) 
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Welcome to our forty-fourth news page here at Schools of Nursing.  That it is still here is a real tribute to our members (now over 661) who have kept it alive. My heartfelt thanks.... This particular issue is our first this year - 2018.  Last year there was so much to do and seemingly so little time in which to accomplish it.  We failed to publish two issues. Apologies. We did (and do) try desperately to keep things moving - and indeed the unseen maintenance which keeps the site on-line continued throughout. But at he expense of the publication of the news pages.. However 2018 is here and we are off to a good start - 10 years and a couple of months later!  Our best wishes for 2018. Enjoy!

New.  Our original researcher Sue B is back - hopefully for a long time! We have four new articles in preparation. Three from Sue and one from myself, though not necessarily in the order below:-

1. Sister Mary Jefferys - a PCANSER nurse history.  LINK
2. Sister Mary Josephine (aka May) Leonard - another PCANSER nurse history. LINK
3. Miss Ann Braddick - Military Nurse/Hospital Matron - QA/Bristol Southmead Hospital/Matron  St John's Hospital, Towbridge, Wilts. (preview)
4. Badge manufacturers and their Maker Marks. (Completion pending). 

The Nursing badges public gallery  - "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"... our current update is right here.

We are currently  adding the reverse images of each badge. A vast undertaking which is progressing slowly. You need only point your cursor at a particular badge to see if a reverse has been added. 

So far now have 3 galleries which are open to the public without login:-

1. Eric's Gallery - The original and much neglected gallery still awaiting update. CLICK LINK...

2. Peter's 'backman' gallery - fifty (50) pages of 24 badges per page and 1250 pages  - (2400 photographs). CLICK LINK...

3. Mike's 'myk1066' - at the first (published) page of 20 badges - with another 91 pages in progress. CLICK LINK...  

(*Temporarily - You may need to use your browser 'back' button to get back here).


Our original aim is unchanged.  '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'. Reverse sides being added to each badge wherever we have the photographs.

In short, everyone who has agreed to our publishing a public gallery will have one - using their own photographs wherever possible. We must surely have a copy of almost every UK nursing/hospital badge ever produced.

Click a badge photograph to see the single page!  The links can take you back and forward - a page at a time (24 badges per page) - for all 1250 pages if you like.  Or go to the 'Gallery Start" page at the bottom of any individual badge to get back to the numbered 24 badge page. Sound complicated but you will quickly get the hang of it - promise!

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, *But please note: We simply cannot respond to transcript requests individually:- 

http://www.nmc-uk.org/Registration/Leaving-the-register/Planning-to-work-overseas-Obtaining-a-copy-of-your-transcript-of-training/ 
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 4955 nursing/hospital badge photographs encompassing all areas of the UK; 583 photographs (buildings/people/ephemera); and 154 photographs (nurse uniforms), both civilian and military. Will we achieve 6000 by the end of 2018? It is possible, we continue to make solid progress and will perhaps achieve the largest collection in the UK if we are not already there. New additions continue...
 


National Galleries
-
Gift Uploads

Photographic rights
'nursesue@SoN
 

 Grantham & Kesteven General Hospital Grantham

 Hospital Badge (Psychiatric)
  North Lincolnshire School of Nursing

 

We are now at 5603 - 6000 now seems a definite possibility. We are well on the way and just maybe, we will see another magic number 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 (41) 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 us. 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... 'Battered badges IV'.  Damage repairable - for Repair...  And a seriously old badge acquired...
First words to 'backman' our moderator. "Nursing badges are'  notoriously difficult (to repair) once damage has occurred. Many of our nursing badges have a vitreous enamel finish. This is essentially a form of glass and I have previously accepted damage as just one of these things. After many attempts to find some means of effecting a repair that doesn't look too amateur I have tracked down a specialist firm in Birmingham that does re enamel badges. Gladman & Norman;" (links below).

Gladman & Norman  and  the sister company:-

http://www.worcmedals.com/repairs

Once again, having previously  said that 'I had always sought to collect the nearest to perfection that could be found - wherever possible inscribed with a nurses name and date awarded. An essential starting point for tracing precise histories'. Well here I am  having to eat my words with yet another badly damaged badge - and which I now need to have repaired.  But first, have a look at some of the damage....
St Bartholemews Nurse League Badge St Bartholemews Nurse League Badge

All images copyright  R STRINGFELLOW@ebay

The face side has a neat hole dilled right through the edge for the (still attached) safety chain.  The face itself has an area of the original white enamel of the shield missing - probably difficult to match. Certainly more than a DIY job! Turn the badge over and the reason for the hole through the face edge becomes obvious - this example is an early dished type - drilling the edge would seem less destructive than the face in the absence of a better method of attachment, and it is at least secure. but that is not the end of the story. Whilst the pin itself may hopefully be original, both pin 'fixings' are most clearly 'after market'.  A bit of a botch...

However, I bought the badge in full knowledge of it's condition and for precisely that reason. Having admired the superbly remade Nightingale badge featured in the previous issue (43) - I wanted to know what can be done with this one.  I am about to find out! Hopefully to the good...  Is it 'beyond the pale' or will the effort (and cost) be worth it? Certainly in it's present condition it has but curiosity value, but it was once owned by a nurse who obviously wanted it. Watch this space....

Meanwhile, compare the images above with a similar badge and year (below) in excellent condition.  You can appreciate the differences, even allowing for the lack of safety chain, but particularly in relation to the pin and fixings, when comparing the two. 

St Bartholemews Nurse League Badge Face

 St Bartholemews Nurse League Badge Reverse

images copyright @Son

In good condition - well I am not certain - maybe in the region of 25-100 pounds sterling. Probably more than the repair cost. But a worthwhile project...

But, back to collecting...
My next acquisition was, for me, an absolute must*. The seller said that the badge was - “A VERY RARE OLD 'Q.M.C.A.H' WW1 QUEEN MARYS CONVALESCENT AUXILIARY HOSPITAL ENAMEL PIN BADGE,, THE HOSPITAL TREATED LOTS OF WWI CASUALTIES AMPUTEES etc AND WAS KNOWN AS 'THE HUMAN REPAIR FACTORY'. ON THE BACK IT HAS NEATLY SCRATCHED 'MLR SEPT 1919,. PLEASE SEE PHOTOS FOR CONDITION..”

images copyright bobstish1709@ebay

The photographs were not very good - the seller asked me not to publish them until I had the badges to re-photograph. All done, and here they are - for a 99-year old badge the condition is remarkable, almost pristine.  But what of the badge itself? Well, the initials and name have already been explained in the title. But what was the lineage of the badge?  Who was the manufacturer? Why was it made?   And who was the (presumed) first recipient 'MLR' ? What is the significance of the date scratched on the reverse?  99-100 years ago is a long time ago; but something of the history of the badge must be available - it is one of the things that collecting nurse/hospital badges attractive. Tracing their histories.

Well, there is plenty of history. Mostly surrounding the world wars and armed forces. The severe disabilities; amputations; the more unpleasant aspects of war injuries - and of course the superbly admirable response of the staff and patients of the hospitals involved.  LInk.

*I bought the badge as a Christmas gift for my brother-in-law (ex RAF) an avid collector of all military badges. I like to attempt to find him something associated with medicine and nursing but with military associations.  Looking at he link above I think that I may have succeeded...'

Imagine, that whilst dreaming, that you met a collector of QMCAH badges who possessed the very first one issued - exquisitely inscribed with the name of the owner and date issued - who offered to sell for a shilling if you could give him the name of a supplier of artificial limbs. And I awoke before I could tell him...  Forgive yourself? You never would...
WB.

 

 

Another photograph from the past - this one is currently unattributed...

Any information  is appreciated.


*Training Hospitals/Details *Not currently Available.

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

*Sincere thanks to SoN member 'backman' for the supply of this photograph. I wonder if any of the nurses can still be identified? It is not too long ago.. Just who was miss Joyner?  Can anyone identify those cape badges? Perhaps a descendant or friend will appear with names - but it does seem a very outside chance this time....

Well, that is yet another very pleasant note upon which to end the 42nd 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. Dr Patricia Mumford
50. dedsure@yahoo.com
51. steve@lloy.ball
52.R STRINGFELLOW@ebay
53.bobstish1709@ebay
All Copyrights are Asserted

 
 
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