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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Apiarist on Wednesday 22 July 20 09:25 BST (UK)
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I have an ancestor, Grace ALLEN, listed in the 1911 Census as a Superintendent Laundress in the Edmonton Union Workhouse and yet a family portrait photo dated about 1911-12 shows her in a nurses uniform. Another group photo includes Grace with 45 other medical staff (23 men, 23 women) in front of a two storied Victorian building - supposedly St Thomas's Hospital.
Grace emigrated to NZ with her husband Lewis GILES on 26 Oct 1912 and the nurses uniform remained in the family's possession for many years.
My question is how likely is it that a 31 year old senior laundress could change occupation to nursing ? Presumably training was on-the-job. Would a student nurse normally be included in a staff photograph in Edwardian times ? Did St Thomas's have less than 50 staff at the time (1911-12) ? I understand St Thomas's was a training hospital.
Any ideas or suggestions much appreciated.
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I wouldn't have been surprised to see her in a uniform.
Superintendent laundress is a reasonably responsible job.
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What was her occupation when she married
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Could it be the other way round - that she did her nursing training before she became Superintendent Laundress? 31 is a bit old to start nursing training.
What was she doing in the 1901 census?
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What was she doing in the 1901 census?
She was a laundry maid at the Forest Gate District School
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9N8-M39
Earlier thread on this couple
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=832317.0
Edmonton workhouse, should be a photo or two
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Edmonton/
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Did St Thomas's have less than 50 staff at the time (1911-12) ? I understand St Thomas's was a training hospital.
Looking at the 1911 census for St Thomas's there were over 200 nurses, let alone medical practitioners and other staff.
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Another group photo includes Grace with 45 other medical staff (23 men, 23 women) in front of a two storied Victorian building - supposedly St Thomas's Hospital.
Was there anything particular about the building which led it to be identified as St Thomas's?
Old image of St T here https://www.antiquemapsandprints.com/london-st-thomass-hospital-1926-old-vintage-print-picture-240485-p.asp
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Thanks everyone for your helpful comments.
I have a group photo showing my ancestor Grace ALLEN (too big to attach to this post). On closer examination I think this is a photo taken at Edmonton Workhouse about 1911 when Grace was the Superintendent Laundress (not St Thomas's Hospital). Staff numbers in the photo, presence of children, variation in adult clothing and background building facade all tend to support this.
Either Grace went on to become a nurse at St Thomas's Hospital in the following few months or more likely this was a family myth.
Unfortunately there is no evidence of a marriage to Lewis GILES prior to their emigration to NZ in Oct 1912 (probably due to divorce complications) so there is no marriage record showing Grace's occupation. Couple traveled to NZ as Mr & Mrs Lewis Giles and no-one was any the wiser !
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All Staff would have worn some sort of uniform.
The other Laundy staff would also have worn a uniform but as Superintendent hers would have been more elaborate to signify her status which probably would have been on a par to a Nursing Sister.
Is there any difference in the shading of the uniforms or in their hats, belts and badges?
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Is it possible to post copies of the photos so that we can see her? Also indicate which person she is :)
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Apiarist said the photos are too big to post, Gadget. I see that photos have to be under 500 kilobytes.
What photo editing software are you using, Apiarist? There should be some way to reduce the size of the photos.
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If Apiarist has problems, I'll be happy to reduce them in size.
Apiarist - Let me know if you'd like them resized and I'll send you a PM with my e-mail address so that you can send them to me.
Gadget
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Hi Gadget
They are just JPG files - the group photo (Edmonton Workhouse?) is 2218 KB and the portrait photo is 565 KB. Happy to send them to you for re-sizing and posting/distribution.
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Hi
I've just received the files and have reduced them.
I'll put them up as comparisons and then the group photo. The first photo here is a crop from the St Thomas group photo. The other is a portrait.
Unfortunately, I don't think they were scanned from originals so they're not too clear.
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And a small version of the St Thomas's group
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For what it's worth, I don't think the st Thomas's Nurse is the same person as in the portraits. The forehead is different.
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Correct - I don't have the originals so can't provide better source docs. Grace ALLEN is the woman in the front left of the group photo (circled) but I suggest this is the Edmonton Workhouse staff. The same woman is then shown by herself in the portrait photo but wearing a different uniform. Ignore the couple - they are altogether different.
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I'll take the couple off and just leave the two close ups. I don't think they are the same.