Author Topic: Nurse S M S  (Read 8778 times)

Offline ggrocott

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Nurse S M S
« on: Thursday 29 March 07 13:06 BST (UK) »
Have found an ancestress on the 1881 census - Elizabeth Chapman born 1819 (in Chelsea according to the 1881 but that is not consistent!).  She is shown as a nurse S M S. Can anyone tell me a little more about what this means - does SMS stand for something (senior medical sister, perhaps?) - is it a rank or a particular hospital?  She is living in Edmonton, London at the time.

Gill
Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Tagg, Bowyer (Berkshire/Surrey), Adams, Small, Pratt, Coles, Stevens, Cox (Bucks), Grocott, Slater, Dean, Hill (Staffs/Shropshire), Holloway, Flint, Warrington,Turnbull (London), Montague, Barrett (Herts), Hayward (Kent), Gallon, Knight, Ede, Tribe, Bunn, Northeast, Nicholds (Sussex) Penduck, Pinnell, Yeeles (Gloucs), Johns (Monmouth and Devon), Head (Bath), Tedbury, Bowyer (Somerset), Chapman, Barrett (Herts/Essex)

Offline Romilly

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Re: Nurse S M S
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 29 March 07 13:21 BST (UK) »
Just had a look on GENUKI for you Gill. See:

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LIN/occupations.html

Apparantly up until 1919 anyone could call themselves a Nurse, but putting SMS (Subsidiary Medical Services) after it, meant that they had had some medical training.

Romilly.
Any census information included in this post is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Researching:
Wilson, Warren, Dulston, Hooper, Duffin, Petty, Rees, Davies, Williams, Newman, Dyer, Hamilton, Edmeads, Pattenden.

Offline ggrocott

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Re: Nurse S M S
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 29 March 07 13:28 BST (UK) »
Thank you Romilly - I learn something new every day!
Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Tagg, Bowyer (Berkshire/Surrey), Adams, Small, Pratt, Coles, Stevens, Cox (Bucks), Grocott, Slater, Dean, Hill (Staffs/Shropshire), Holloway, Flint, Warrington,Turnbull (London), Montague, Barrett (Herts), Hayward (Kent), Gallon, Knight, Ede, Tribe, Bunn, Northeast, Nicholds (Sussex) Penduck, Pinnell, Yeeles (Gloucs), Johns (Monmouth and Devon), Head (Bath), Tedbury, Bowyer (Somerset), Chapman, Barrett (Herts/Essex)

Offline Romilly

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Re: Nurse S M S
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 29 March 07 13:40 BST (UK) »
No probs Gill!

If I'm stuck on something...I find that someone on here will invariably come up with an answer:-)

Where would we be without RC?

Romilly. ;)
Any census information included in this post is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Researching:
Wilson, Warren, Dulston, Hooper, Duffin, Petty, Rees, Davies, Williams, Newman, Dyer, Hamilton, Edmeads, Pattenden.


Offline stanmapstone

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Re: Nurse S M S
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 29 March 07 15:32 BST (UK) »
Up until 1919 anyone could call themselves a Nurse. Putting Nurse SMS (Subsidiary Medical Services, i.e. anyone other than a properly qualified medical doctor) on a census form would have been an attempt to indicate that one was properly experienced and employed and not just the woman-up-the-road-who "did".

In 1919 the Government introduced a Bill which was passed and became law as the Nurses Registration Act December 23rd 1919. The Act laid down certain standards and The General Nursing Council (GNC) was required by the Act  to 'form and keep a Register of Nurses for the sick. The register was opened on 30 September 1921 and was divided into the general part, reserved for female nurses, with supplementary parts for fever nurses, male nurses, mental nurses (with a special section for nurses for mental defectives) and sick children's nurses.
By 1925 the first state examinations had been held, and the first nurses were admitted to the register by examination. 
Stan
Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Romilly

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Re: Nurse S M S
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 29 March 07 15:54 BST (UK) »
Hi Stan,

I guess that must mean that Florence Nightingale wasn't a qualified Nurse!!

(Interesting info though).

Cheers, Romilly.
Any census information included in this post is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Researching:
Wilson, Warren, Dulston, Hooper, Duffin, Petty, Rees, Davies, Williams, Newman, Dyer, Hamilton, Edmeads, Pattenden.