Perhaps the most exciting time in the career of the majority of nurses was the day they were able to pin their newly received state registration and enrolment badge to their uniform. It felt good - I can tell you that, I was there! It was a public recognition that a nurse had made it - had successfully completed the course of training; overcome the obstacles (professional and personal); passed the theoretical and practical examinations - including the orals, and was at last publicly recognized as competent to practise!
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Face side of the English State Registered Nurse badge issued between 1921 and 1983. The design was the same for all five registers. | The State Enrolled Nurse badge had exactly the same pattern - but the enamel colour was green, the Registration badge blue - the metals differed. |  |
Collecting state badges is quite
popular, but because the number issued was far greater than the individual
school/hospital badges, prices tend to be lower. Registration badges seem to
be in greater demand than SEN badges, and command better prices. There are
possibly two reasons for this. The 'snob' value and appearance, and more to
the point, the metals used differed. Early registration badges were silver -
later ones chromium plated (!), whilst the enrolment badges were brass or a
similar base metal.
However, it is interesting to note the apparent preference of collectors for
state registration badges to SEN badges. Because of the smaller numbers
available, the SEN badge should in theory be in much higher demand and
command much higher prices. The opposite appears the case right now. I
wonder how long that situation will last - and who will be the first to
obtain one for each of the available specialties?
Collecting registration badges is perhaps the most popular precisely because
it is not too difficult (or too expensive) to create a complete set - say
one for each nursing specialty. SRN; RFN; RSCN; RMN; RNMD; RNMS; RNMH.
General; Fever; Sick Children's; Mental; Mentally Defective; Mentally
Subnormal; Mentally Handicapped. The last three refer to nursing people with
learning disabilities - the changing titles reflecting the changing
attitudes and legislative definitions accorded to this group. (I don't think
that passing changes which referred to mental impairment ever reached the
GNC badges). Whatever, a full collection is possible, but RFN; RMND;
RNMS; and RNMH badges are quite rare.
There are many tiny differences in manufacture which make State badges
quite interesting. Manufacturer marks differ although there was only one
manufacturer (Thos Fattorini); inscription methods differ; hall-marks (on
silver badges) differ; materials differ; pins differ - and there were also
button-hole fittings; some badges are fitted with safety-chain loops; some
still have their safety-chains; some are battle worn with chipped enamel and
scratches; some are still pristine - perhaps with original boxes and
paperwork - perhaps even the original receipt (early badges had to be paid
for). All difference which make these badges more interesting. All
differences which help date a badge's manufacture accurately - or sometimes
on official 'Duplicate' badges, confuse all concerned!
| One of the earliest GNC
badges I am aware of in a collection was issued to a nurse qualifying as RSCN. D.J.A. Peacock RSCN 70! 24.4.1922 Silver Hallmarked. Original Fattorini (Hockley St) markings and original design pin in working condition. Absolute gold! Oh, sorry, Silver - 10Gms.. |
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Imagine. Imagine that you
had a full set of state badges, all of them, including Mrs Bedford-Fenwicks'
(number 1), and couldn't remember where you had left the suitcase...
Forgive yourself? you never would.... Better have another look
under the bed!
WB.
*Our
Forum Topic on GNC badges (open to all) can be found Here.
| Another Photograph from the past... Mayday Hospital, Croydon - January 1970 PTS. |
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*Training
Hospitals/Details Here
Back
Row (peering through) Left to Right: 1. Marylin Thompson. 2.Ronnie Rayner. 3.Anna Joseph. 4.Name:? 5.Name?
6.Name? |
Well, that seems yet
another very pleasant note upon which to end the Site News, so for now all
the very best - smile and we all prosper!
WB.
| Would you like to see your PTS or training group featured here? We desperately need more photographs to feature. Can you help? If so please Contact us. |
We express our grateful appreciation to those people
who have contributed the original photographs
used to produce the News Pages.
1. News heading photo (all dates) - John Reeves
2. Bristol Southmead Gold (April) - John Reeves
3. St Bartholomew's Gold (April) - Ruth Watkin-Jones
4. Haygarth Silver (April) - 'ukhistory' (ebay)
5. Newcastle LS (April) - Peter Backman (Nursing badges)
6. RRC Medal (April)
photo's- 'Caulgisbo' (ebay)
8. 'catandfrog' (July) - (ebay).
9. bokojnr (Dec) - (ebay).
10. blue.bottle (Dec) - (ebay).
11. 'backman' - (ebay).*
12. Hotminicooper (Jun) - (ebay).
13. Right-one50 (Oct - (ebay).
14. jcollinsmedals (Dec - (ebay).
15. Brittania Medals (Dec 2009).
16. elaine3080 (Feb 2010) - (ebay).
17. Fran Biley (Feb 2010) - schoolsofnursing.
All
Copyrights are Asserted
*11.
-
'backman' is also creator and webmaster of the 'nursingbadges'
&
'historyofhospitals'
websites.