Hi all, Could anyone kindly help me identify the nursing uniform that my grandmother is wearing in this picture. Unfortunately very little is known at this time but it would be great to see if I can get hold of any kind of records for my mother. All I know is that she was in London during her service but do not know what organisation? Apologies for the rubbish photo but received this via a WhatsApp photo recently. I hope to get a scanned version soon. Many thanks,
Good suggestion by Tony56 - can you tell us when she was born, her name etc to give an idea as to what era she nursed in TD
of course and my apologies. Her name was Joan Mary Steggel (maiden = Roach) Born 1917, Romford, Essex Married 1941 Romford to Stanley Arthur Steggel (Stanley Arthur Steggel | ParaData) Died 2001, Cheshire Was definitely a nurse during WW2 serving in London for sure but unsure of any other dates Many thanks
In 1939 she was a 'Probationer Nurse' at King George Hospital, Eastern Avenue, Ilford. She is single and under her maiden name of Roach with a dob of 7 Feb 1917. Possible baptism Baptism date 11 Mar 1917 Father's first name(s) Frederick John Father's last name Roach Father's occupation Cooper Mother's first name(s) Mary Elizabeth Place Collier Row, the Ascension Residence Norman Villa Hainault Rd Romford County Essex
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007 Name: Joan M Roach Registration Date: Jan 1917 [Feb 1917] [Mar 1917] Registration Quarter: Jan-Feb-Mar Registration District: Romford Inferred County: Essex Mother's Maiden Name: Mason Volume Number: 4a Page Number: 887 England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 Name: Joan Mary Steggel Death Age: 84 Birth Date: 7 Feb 1917 Registration Date: Jul 2001 Registration District: South Cheshire Inferred County: Cheshire Register Number: D9B District and Subdistrict: 3411D Entry Number: 201 There is another Joan M Roach born in 1917 but November - could be confusing so be aware You may need at some point a copy of the death certificate as normally for military records they demand one to know how long ago the person died and to cover themselves for data protection etc.. Never had anyone go through the nursing service record system so would be interested to learn what you have to do, what you need to provide and how you basically get on. Be nice to see what it looks like as well. Could be a very interesting thread TD
Registered with the General Nursing Council in 1941. This is her entry in the Register of Nurses 1943.
Its on Ancestry and is a scan of the Registers held in the RCN Library. https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/60423/ This collection consists of a number of different registers from diverse organisations. Prior to1921 registers of nurses were kept locally, by hospitals and nursing organisations. These included Burdett’s Directories from 1898 and the Royal College of Nursing (1916-1923). In 1921 the General Nursing Councils (GNC) were established; one for England and Wales, one for Scotland and one for Ireland. The register of nurses was first published in 1922. The publication of the registers ended in 1968. These registers are held by the Royal College of Nursing Library and Archive Service, the largest specialist nursing collection in Europe. The Royal College of Nursing was founded in 1916 and successfully campaigned for the state registration of nurses. It continues as a professional member organisation and the voice of nursing to this day. Travers
Thanks for the info Travers - for the Axel and for completeness and address's may be fun to check out Name: Joan Mary Steggel [Joan Mary Roach] Residence Year: 1943 Residence Place: Romford Registration Date: 27 Jun 1941 Publisher: General Nursing Council for England & Wales Name: Joan Mary Steggel [Joan Mary Roach] Residence Year: 1946 Residence Place: Ilford Registration Date: 27 Jun 1941 Publisher: General Nursing Council for England & Wales Name: Joan Mary Steggel [Joan Mary Roach] Residence Year: 1966 Registration Date: 27 Jun 1941 Publisher: General Nursing Council for England & Wales Unfortunately no address in this one but you do now have her 'service/registration' number 108710 if you need it when chasing up other avenues TD
Thank for all your help Travers, Tricky Dicky and Tony, some really great info there. I will get this over to my mom and aunty and they'll be really appreciative. Please find some more pictures of my grandma that has just come to light
The last photo 1941 is presumably after she has passed her exams & is registered, as she has different headwear. If I remember rightly from a relatives training, once you had qualified as SRN you became a sister and/or specalised in one field ?
That sounds about right. I have been told she was also qualified as a theatre nurse, district midwife (which she loved apparently). My mum has also confirmed that she remember her wearing the belt and buckle of an SRN although this has been lost somewhere? Any ideas on the dark jacket and headwear she is wearing in the smaller pictures. I was told today about a story that they use to wear navy capes with red linings and when it was Christmas, the nurses use to reverse their caps and then go around singing Christmas carol to the patients ; )
I also think the buckle was only when qualified. The headwear would I think be that of a student nurse, and also the cape etc. Like a walking out uniform in the army. Students usually had to live in at the nurses home, and would have allsorts of things organised, and what they wore at work & to/from work would have been regulated & smartness inspected & strict rules of behaviour & morals. A neighbour of ours who trained in the 20's 30's said that her parents had to pay for her to train as an SRN.