Collecting... Some collecting....Some giving back... Sometimes to me!

And here I am again, 'riddling' away, but not with any intent of causing confusion.  But rather in celebration of being, ultimately, the cause of a recent serious business of returning (with the greatest of pleasure!) what were the most superb items that I have ever collected - and then being able to acquire an equally superb set - the Garrard set - and then being completely out-shone as a collector by the absolutely unexpected and superb gift of another (historically traceable) Princess Christian's (PCANSR) badge! 

A very serious emotional roller-coaster ride in a very short period of time!....

The giving back the collection of the badge and absolutely stunning ephemera of Miss Sarah Alive Claridge originally featured in our News page 38 last September - ( http://www.schoolsofnursing.co.uk/Newspages/Newspage038.htm ).  I simply could not believe my luck when I first became it's guardian. Not just because of the Princess Christian's (PECANSR) badge - a rarity but not really uncommon - but mainly because of the associated ephemera. To obtain both, as a single collection, was simply overwhelming....

No big deal you might think - I gave away a heirloom - and got that nice warm deep-inside glow associated with being able to make someone's day. That I was (to my way of thinking) rewarded by being able to acquire the Garrard set.  And I had enjoyed every minute of that roller-coaster ride. What better?...

What better? Was it possible to better those happenings?

It certainly was - in response to my gift, Sarah Alice Claridge's great niece, a retired GP, set up a thank-you gift. Afternoon tea at that well known London venue - as you might have guessed - 'Claridges' - Mayfair - London - for the main actors in this not to be missed spectacular! And it was according, to all, a real spectacular... Present were our host Patricia Mumford and cousin Thelma; Peter Maleczek (SoN);  Sarah Rogers and husband Harry Rogers (soN); and Dr Keiron Spires (British Army Nurses). Monday, 20th June,2016!

And at the end of the tea 'Claridges' handed out freebies in boxes  - just in case one gets hungry later I suspect.

Was that the end of a very fine thank-you story?  No, not even nearly.....

Pam and I were unable to attend Claridges. Worse, we were unable to hand over the Sarah Alice badge and heirlooms to Sarah to pass on at the Claridges Tea (27 different teas and out of this world snacks!) en-route home from Crete.  But there was still time... Royal Mail Next Day did just that, and Patricia herself received the package before the event. Plus Peter donated a related 'National Union of Trained Nurses' badge at the event. And there, I thought, it rested. Job well done, all safely delivered in time. Well done Will, pat yourself on the back. I had safely delivered the first 2500 miles myself, in person. Across Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and Holland. The Royal mail had it easy.... Rest upon your laurels Will. I should have known better. A collectors life is never dull..

Almost before I could sigh and smile in satisfaction a package arrived at  our Waddington, Lincoln, home.

It contained another quite exquisite PECANSR badge. Fully documented. 'Sister Mary E. Jefferys - Princess Christian's Royal Army Nursing Service Reserve - Badge (service) No 19'. Badge number Nineteen!! Enlisted on May 6th 1897. Approximately 119 years ago....
 

Mary E. Jefferys had trained at Bristol General Hospital. She joined the War Office Nominal Roll as of September 30th 1900.  But therein lies another conundrum.

Badge No 19 was also issued to another PCANSR nurse:-

Sister Mary Leonard - who trained at the Mater Misericordia Hospital, Dublin, who enlisted on October 21st 1898.  Sister Leonard served at Bloemfontein and at Pretoria, South Africa in 1901. There is obviously a whole story attached to this badge, which we will in due course follow up and publish here on site.

Is this then the same badge? Was it an (unlikely) accidental duplicate? Or was someone mixed up when entering the details for another badge - 61 perhaps?  Or was the original badge 19 deliberately re-issued to the second recipient - Sister Mary Leonard and if so why? So many questions.  Probably needs a group to answer - perhaps members of the SoN forum.

I have heard anecdotes alleging such re-issues of PCANSR badges and it would be good to know the definitive answer....

Imagine, that whilst dreaming, you found a whole box of the probably silver PCANSR badges. Knowing their historical value you took them to a numismatist for financial valuation, and when you awoke he was no longer there.....  Forgive yourself? You never would.....
WB.

Another photograph from the past - this one is of
Matron and nurses
 at
 Milton Hospital
(Possibly Portsmouth)

*Training Hospitals/Details *Not currently Available.

*Sincere thanks to SoN member 'backman' for the supply of this photograph. I wonder if any of the nurses can still be identified? It is not too long ago.. Perhaps a descendant or friend will appear with names - or even one of the nurses in the photograph!

Well, that is yet another very pleasant note upon which to end the 40th Schools of Nursing Site News.