Nursing Schools in Aberdeen and Grampian

[AberdeenMuseums]

Hello All,

I am currently preparing for an exhibition on nursing in the Aberdeen and Grampian area, to take place in November 2010.  I am very keen to hear from anybody who trained or worked in hospitals in the area who might have suggestions about what should go in the exhibition.

We have a large collection of nursing memorabilia and medical items but welcome new offers of donations or loans for the show.  We are also seeking volunteers to record their memories for future use for education and exhibitions.

I can be contacted at Aberdeen Maritime Museum on 01224 337719 or through this forum.

Thanks,

Jenny Brown
Curator

[nursesue]

hi Jenny I didn't train in Aberdeen but have some Aberdeen school of nursing badges that I would be happy to lend you. I would be very interested in details of the exhibition when you have them. I am currently living Fife and am planning to move Aberdeen soon to take up a new job so getting them to you would be no problem
sue x

[wilfb]

Hi Jenny.

It is good to hear of your planned exhibition and you have my best wishes for it's every success.

I didn't train in the Aberdeen area and am not a Scot (though I believe that my father was in the Black Watch!) but I do have one suggestion - I would like to see any such exhibition to include at least one example of each of the Scottish State Registration and enrolment badges as well as all the nursing and hospital badges in your area.

I have a small collection of Scottish badges (perhaps none from Aberdeen - but I will check) and would be prepared to work with Sue and loan any that you might feel appropriate.

As you will know, we have a reasonable collection of Scottish/hospital badge photographs here in the galleries - I would be more than willing to ask particular copyright owners to give you permission to use any you might feel useful. (You can of course do that yourself via member messages or emails if you prefer the direct approach).

Would you be prepared/are you able to give a plug to nursing history sites which include Scotland during the exhibtion? I can think of three - this one: nursingbadges: and nursinghistory if such is possible.

Please let us know and keep us informed - I have already one private message from a nurse who intends to vist the exhibition if she is able.

Best Regards,
W.

[AberdeenMuseums]

Thanks for both your replies.  I'm still waiting for definite exhibition dates, but I will post them here once I have them.  I am definitely planning a section on uniform and badges, which will focus primarily on local badges with other Scottish badges.  We do have a collection of local badges, so once I know where our gaps are I may get back to you both with requests!  I have been reading other discussions on badges, which have been really helpful.

As for publicising other sites, I will definitely try to do this (so long as they aren't commercial etc) as I hope to have a small "research corner" with books of photos, other useful info and a chance to submit memories.

Thanks again and keep the suggestions coming!

Jenny

[AberdeenMuseums]

Dear All,

Exhibition dates for "The Caring Profession" are confirmed as 9 October 2010 to 5 February 2011 at Aberdeen Maritime Museum, Shiprow, Aberdeen.  I'll also be giving a free lunchtime talk on our collection of nursing badges on 17 November - you'll need to call 01224 337714 to book a place.

I have just put our nursing badges online at www.aagm.co.uk.  Go to the left hand menu and select "The Collections".  You can either use the search function (try nursing and badge) or go to "Highlights from the Collections" and select "Science and Industry Collections".  This will change to "The Kenneth A. Webster Nursing Collection" soon but I thought I might as well post now to let people browse - so you'll have to ignore the largely irrelevant introductory text and non-badge items until such time as we have edited it all!  I hope you don't mind too much - sometimes I think we spend so long getting everything just so we forget that it is the collection which people want to see.

I have tried to accurately describe all of the badges in the collection and inscriptions on the reverse (although these are not yet all finished) and to give some details about organisations and hospitals where I have reliable information.  This is greatly indebted to Jennifer Meglaughlin's wonderful book.  I'm afraid we are only able to show one image of each badge (a limitation of our cataloguing software at present) but all those with inscriptions on the reverse have been photographed on both sides and are available on request.  If photos aren't showing, it may be that they haven't loaded yet, but they should do in a couple of weeks tops.

I would be happy to receive enquiries and comments - positive, negative or otherwise!  Especially any corrections.  Indeed as you are my target audience - please feel free to either discuss here or email me direct on jenbrown@aberdeencity.gov.uk

Yours in trepidation...

Jenny Brown
Curator, Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums

[wilfb]

Hello again Jenny.

The links worked fine for me - coming along well. I was a little dissapointed that I could'nt enlarge the photo's much - maybe that's me? But it is really good to see the collection building up on line.

I do have a bone to pick though! Page 7 of the collection has a doll dressed as an SNO. I just wanted you to know that I was an SNO (Teaching) and I didn't look even nearly like your doll.... Nor did I wear a dress!! And I do bear grudges - reputedly for ever....

Well done Jenny. I'm afraid that although back in the UK next month, I will be gone again by the time of the exhibition. Being able to visit on-line is a big plus.

(MR) Will.

[AberdeenMuseums]

Dear Will,

What can I say?!  I'm sorry we have no male dolls but I do actually love this set of dolls, they are some of my favourite objects in the collection!  That they are all female does say something interesting about nurse recruitment in the later 1960s, although it may have more to do with the availability or otherwise of manufactured male dolls generally at that time...

You should be able to enlarge the images to more than a thumbnail - you can click on a record to see one record per page and then click on the image again to enlarge it.  This is as big as it will currently go online however.  I am considering a small publication on our local badges to accompany the show, which might have greater detail.

Jenny

[nursesue]

hi guys - such a pity you can't make it Wilf you'd have been more than welcome to stay with us in the wilds of Aboyne!!! Jenny - am still happy to lend you anything you may need  ( will email you later) but found your pics  to be my wish list Some stunners that I can only admire. Is it Aberdeen/Grampian badges or anything Scottish cos I seem to have more Edinburgh/Glasgow badges than Aberdeen ones??? I will be definatly coming to the exhibtion and hopefull will be able to do a piece for this and Pete's site. Any chance of a place on your talk??
sue xx