I was born 1947 so I am now around about the same age as my late Gran was when she was significant part iof my childhood. I have all her own notes from her earliest involvement volunteering in the 1930s to help read, transcribe, index onto tickler cards, various NSW bdm records.... her Dad had been admin there pre WWI, . Later generations rise higher up in that government instution. But Gran had several strings to her bow. She shared her life - stories with me on many an evening.
She had gone across to NZ especially to become a trained nurse ... the training there was , in her view, best in the Empire ... followed Florence Nighingale traditions.... etc.... so when Spanish flu reached Sydney, she handed the day to day care of het children over to Aunty, who moved in, and Gran returned to front line door to door nursing... strict hygiene, full head to toe change of outfit, burn it each night,get new head to toe uniform ... calico etc. Photos of her masked, gowned up head to toe, in side car of motorbike at NSW library
Warm to hot water, simple soap, lather up, recite 'The twenty third psalm,' ... rinse off, do again... dry thoroughly. Do NOT touch your face, do not speak except softly, do not sing, walk slowly to avoid bumping into others... and stay at home, early to bed, read the books, start at top shelf ... no fighting,
Of course many other nurses volunteered too. Gran said "all the Nightingale lasses got through without any infected"
Her lessons to her children and their cousins and to later generations continue to ring loud and clear.
JM
