midwife help

[parf]

Hello,  I have this picture of my Grt Grandmother Mary Ann Thomas, who I was told was a Midwife in the Bridgend area of Glamorgan.  She has always looked like a nun to me in the picture but she was a Midwife.  I would like to try & find out more about her, where she trained etc but do not know where to start. 

The picture is stamped on the back with the date 31st Oct 1929 & is addressed to my Grandad Thomas John Thomas in Pencoed nr Bridgend.  Mary Ann died in 1933 aged 78yrs old. 

I have found her on the census with my Grandad & his family & also with Mary Anns family, the Bevans, before she married & there was no mention of her being a midwife.  The only thing I thought odd was that on the 1871 census she is listed as a "Scholar" at the age of 18 years old!!!  I also have her marriage certificate of 1877 & she is a domestic servant on that.

Could anyone please tell me if they have seen a midwife in a uniform like this before & where should I start looking for info on her as a Midwife.

Thank you Jan

[Captain2]

Don't know anything about the uniform, however did read an interesting article recently which gave an address for tracing a midwife/nursing ancestor: www.rcn.org.uk/development/library/archives/factsheets/factsheets-tracing nurses which is on the Royal College of Nursing website.  I didn't use the site myself, however you may find the information useful.

Kind Regards

[parf]

Thanks for that, I just had a look & sent them an email asking if they can help.  I also just found another picture of Mary Ann which is not dated but looks younger & she has what looks more like a nursed uniform on, looks like a striped blouse with white colar & cuffs & a white apron on with a sort of large bow or colar around her neck.  She also has a little black hat.  I would love to find out more about when she qualifield & where exactly she worked.
Anyway will keep looking, thanks again

[behindthefrogs]

There is no reason why she should not have been both a nun and a midwife.  Some nuns belonged to nursing orders and they also ran homes for unmarried women to have their children.  The medal she is wearing is probably the replacement for a visible crucifix and would be normal for a nurse.  It would be very useful to know what it depicts.

Do you know if she was a Roman Catholic?  This would make the above more likely.

However there are some problems of this being incompatible with being your great grandmother as nuns tended not to marry unless they took up the calling late in life after having their family and possibly after the death of their husband.

David

[Gadget]

There is no reason why she should not have been both a nun and a midwife. 

However there are some problems of this being incompatible with being your great grandmother as nuns tended not to marry unless they took up the calling late in life after having their family and possibly after the death of their husband.

David

I was thinking that she might well have become a nun late in life.  The photo is dated 1929 and she was 78 in 1933, so aged about 74.

My grandmother was the local midwife in a North Wales village,  although she was not formally trained. I have seen photos of her in nurse uniform in WW1.


Gadget

[Bilge]

You may wish to publish your photograph here I am sure they can offer some assistance.

http://nursinghistory.multiply.com/

The badge/medal does not seem to be a common one issued to other nurses.