Australian Nurse's Uniform

[Les de B]

Just wondering if anybody can identify this Australian nurse's uniform from around 1905-1910? This is my great aunt, and I was wondering whether she could be a dental nurse, rather than a hospital nurse?

I'm trying to solve a mystery regarding her illegitimate son born 1909 who's father nobody knows. The son was given three christian names with the third name being unusual - "Pittar". There were only a couple of people named Pittar living in Sydney around that time in Sydney, including a father and son dentist. I was wondering if she could have been a dental nurse working at the dental practice, and had a "fling" with one of them? Just a theory, but it's the best I can think of.

Les

[shume]

The website  www.pulseuniform.com has photographs of nurses with Edith Cavell, wearing a very similar uniform. I suspect the Australian nurses c WW1 followed a similar design.
There is an Australian  Facebook page  "Unnamed soldiers of the Great War" If you can post your photo on that page, then the many experts in this area may be able to help you. Its a very reputable page.
Are you happy to provide her name?
shume  australia

[Les de B]

The website  www.pulseuniform.com has photographs of nurses with Edith Cavell, wearing a very similar uniform. I suspect the Australian nurses c WW1 followed a similar design.
There is an Australian  Facebook page  "Unnamed soldiers of the Great War" If you can post your photo on that page, then the many experts in this area may be able to help you. Its a very reputable page.
Are you happy to provide her name?
shume  australia

Thank you for your reply. I couldn't find Edith Cavell on the link you supplied (just ad's for nurses uniforms), however, I did find her on Google Search, and looked at nurse's unform images associated with that time frame. Similar designs, but nothing exactly the same.

The ancestor's name is Edith Ettie SMITH b.1889, Balmain NSW. That makes her 20 at the time of the birth of her son in 1909, where she describes her occupation as "domestic duties". Wonder how old she was in the photo? When she finally married in 1916, once again she gave her occuaption as "domestic duties". Therefore I don't think she was a WW1 Army nurse?

Les

 

[philipsearching]

In those days there would not have been an "industry standard" or a few national manufacturers supplying identical uniforms so it is probably impossible to be sure.  Dental nurses in NSW would probably have had similar but not identical costume to those in other parts of Australia, or anywhere in the British Empire and Dominions, and there could have been significant differences in headgear.

The only remotely relevant image I found is a Punch cartoon from 1907
https://punch.photoshelter.com/image/I00008PBn0Ed4VXQ
Although it is a cartoon, the style of clothing would be quite accurate.

So, all I can say for sure is that the uniform your lady is weraring is consistent with that of a dental nurse in the Edwardian era.

Philip

[Les de B]

Thank you Philip - anything positive helps my cause.

Just another thing that goes towards my theory that that one of the dentists may be the father of my ancestor's illegitimate son - he was born Herbert Charles Pittar Smith, however, in later life I have him signing his name on numerous occassions just using the initials H C W P Smith. Where does the "W" come in? The dentist son was Walter Pittar!

Les

[philipsearching]

Thank you Philip - anything positive helps my cause.

Just another thing that goes towards my theory that that one of the dentists may be the father of my ancestor's illegitimate son - he was born Herbert Charles Pittar Smith, however, in later life I have him signing his name on numerous occassions just using the initials H C W P Smith. Where does the "W" come in? The dentist son was Walter Pittar!

Les

W and PITTAR are strong indications.  Unless the family had a close PITTAR relative there is a fair probability that Walter could have been the father.

[Ruskie]

Does Herbert ever give a father’s name on any certificates?

I agree that the use of the surname Pittar makes this scenario extremely likely, and even if she was not a dental nurse there could be other ways they may have come into contact.

Are you in contact with any of Herbert’s descendants? A DNA test might help you prove your theory.

[majm]

I cannot help with the Uniform, but I do know the surname PITTAR in that era in Sydney ... only from a local history aspect, not family ...  although I can wish ! and I am sure Les can too ... Kirribilli House ...

 Hopefully the following is NOT too much of a side track.  I noticed the surname PITTAR and my local history knowledge said ‘Kirribilli House’ … which of course is the Sydney Residence for Australian Prime Ministers…  so I have been thinking outside the square ….  Anyways …

Arthur Thomas Henry PITTAR, the dentist, likely also owned various properties in Darlinghurst.  Perhaps including the famous Hampton Court Flats.    SMH 11 July 1941 has the family notice with names of his wife and children.   https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17752626 

Likely some of the funding to construct those flats may have come from the deceased estate of Walter Douglas Brewer PITTAR, dentist…  who died 1922…  Govt Gazette 1 June 1923 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/225019624  (and some funding from sale of Kirribilli House to the Commonwealth too) … 

Govt Gaz 6 Feb 1903, p 1056 has 3 dentists PITTAR … all from Auckland: Arthur Thomas Henry, Parke, Walter Douglas. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/220260359/14061243   Same 3 Govt Gaz 28 Jan 1909 p 496. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/227059309/14941327

Looking at NZ BDM Parke has children in NZ 1900, 01, 03, 05, 07, 09, 13;  Walter in 1905 and 1908, and Arthur in 1900, 02, and 07.   Mary Ann PITTAR dies in New Zealand, aged 39 years, in 1909.  And then in NSW Arthur marries Catherine Morgan in 1912.      Arthur and Mary Ann also have children in NSW …

Now, I think Arthur was likely known as ‘Harry’ …. See the Auckland Star newspaper, 13 Dec 1909.  Two brothers (both married at the time)  are setting out to conquer London with Dental Chambers … They arrived six months prior (probably per the SS Malwa ex Sydney early April, -  arriving London 8 May 1909) … then in December 1909, NZ papers past news item shows that Harry PITTAR had a recent loss, and needed to make ‘flying visit’ to NZ via Marseilles and Sydney.   https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19091213.2.37 

I may be way off track, Les, but I am confident that Kirribilli House (the Sydney Residence for Australian Prime Ministers) was once owned by Harry PITTAR, the dentist. 

JM

ADD
dob for Herbert seems to be early August 1909.  drilling down on NSW BDM online index.

[shume]

https://www.pulseuniform.com/coffee-time/nursing-uniforms-of-the-past-and-present-nurse-uniforms-history/

Here is the complete link to the history of nursing uniforms.. sorry I only sent part of it which didn't prove useful.
shume