Well after much research it appears that Annie was not a Registered Nurse but a Domestic Nurse (another term for Nannie). However I think we have now exhausted our research so this is my profile for your interest. Would welcome any observations.
Annie Chatt was born 5th June 1869 at Hexham, Northumberland to George and Hannah Chatt, George was the first Editor of the West Cumberland Times. Hannah died 12th January 1888 aged 53 and George died 8th November 1890 aged 55. Annie had two sisters at birth, Isabella aged 2 and Mary Hannah aged 3.
There is a gap of 22 years before the only details obtained are as follows with the assistance of my daughter, colleagues on the RootsChat Forum and the Web. No record of her qualification as a Registered Nurse so a ‘sinful’ assumption that during this period she attended a private school where she gained experience in child care and assumed the title of Domestic Nurse
In 1891 the Census records Annie as serving as a Domestic Nurse working for a Frederick Lange and family at Portland Villa, Forest Road, Longbenton, North Tyneside.
In 1901 Annie is recorded as a Domestic Nurse at the Vicarage, Ambleside; Cumbria: now the Old Vicarage Hotel
In 1910 Annie sailed to America, recorded as a Nurse, description 5 Feet 4 inches tall with dark complexion and grey eyes. She arrived in New York 8th September and moved on to
Sharon, Connecticut to join friends Mr. Gardner and his wife at Governor Smith House; in earlier years the home of John Cotton Smith,7th Governor of Connecticut who died in 1845
1st May 1915 Annie sailed from New York on the R.M.S. Lusitania destination Liverpool; possibly to undertake a War Service function at home. Unfortunately the Lusitania did not complete her journey as she was torpedoed by a German submarine, U20 Captained by Walter Schwieger, on 7th May 1915, 11 miles off Old Head of Kinsale Lighthouse, Southern Ireland with the loss of 1,198 passengers and crew Annie unfortunately being one of them age 45+11months.
Annie’s grave is the wreck of the Lusitania in the Atlantic Ocean location described above, she is commemorated on the headstone of the family grave in Cockermouth Cemetery, Cumberland
. Compiled by Tony Murphy November 2015
