early GNC badges and married nurses

[Sarah Rogers]

hi, is any one aware of examples of married nurses registering before say WW2; in particular in 1921/2 ?
Thanks Sarah

[myk1066]

I don't know of such, I assume if it did happen then the man would have been a Psychiatric Nurse?  When did men first train as Psychiatric Nurses?
Mike

[Sarah Rogers]

And what about women?- i dont know about the earliest pysch nurses, sarah

[nursesue]

hi - have found some info which maybe of use
number 1 on the fever register is Annie Bryant 1894-1896
number 1 on the mental register is Tom Christian  Cert MPA 1900-03
I wonder if its possible to view the original registers and assume they must still be stored with the NMC

[Sarah Rogers]

Hi, thanks Sue, I thought that nurses(female) did not work after marriage, and yet am aware of one, who registered in 1921, after her marriage 3 years before- and her husband appears to be still living. What I dont know is if she carried on working- but it seems that she registered if she wasnt working. i hope to get to kew in May so will look her up then, thanks for the help, sarah

[backman]

 Hi Sarah,The term you need for a web search of the topic is "Marriage-Bar".It was widely held in the civil service and public sectors that women were expected to quit work once they married and this was certainly the expectation up to the Second World War and indeed in some places well after. My mother who undertook her nurse training in the early 1960s still had to have a dispensation from the Matron in order to live out with her family.The expectation was that Hospital nurses were required to live in,thus making a husband rather awkward.I believe there were exceptions for Midwives or Private Nurses who might not have such a requirement so it rather depends upon the nature of practice of your nurse as to whether  she were married.I assume her details show her to be married rather than widowed,as the death of a spouse might allow her to be hospital based?
As far as the question as to Male Psychiatric nurses,the answer lies in the history of the Asylum attendant,and might best be answered by others more knowledgable in the field?

[myk1066]

My remark re the man being a Psychiatric Nurse is based on the fact men couldn't be SRN's etc until much later on, is this correct?

[backman]

No,if I remember correctly, I believe that there was a supplementary part of the Register for Male Nurses from the outset,whilst Male Mental nurses were included in the General Register for Mental nurses.It was the fact that male general nurses were not considered the same as female general nurses until  ??? Does that make sense??

[Sarah Rogers]

Thats great- I have seen that, i was just surprised to see a GNC badge for a female nurse, who was married  3 years prior to registration- and still appeared to be married when registered in 1921; and wondered whetehr there were any other examples for female nurses at that time - apart from male married nurses of course. thanks for all the help, sarah

[Dianne]

Sarah, as I am sure you remember SRN1 was Mrs Ethel Bedford Fenwick. 
I have been trying to get to the bottom of this idea that female nurses could not be married, and have concluded that it was a general assumption in the UK, up until about 1950, that a married woman's job was home keeping and child rearing.  As a result, marriage tended to end the professional life of many nurses.

[Sarah Rogers]

Thanks- that is my assumption, interestingly, my lady, badge number 168 is  and apart from Mrs BF at number one- she is the only other married woman to be regsitered in that first 168- and giving her home address as a hospital- I have more research to do!, thanks Sarah

[Mick B]

This is a really interesting set of posts, I had no idea there was a marriage bar until I came across a mention in HANSARD while I was undertaking general research on another subject, enrolled nurses. The entry was dated 11 May 1944.

HC Deb 11 May 1944 vol 399 c2066 2066

§ 29. Mr. Reakes  asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that a nurse on the staff of the Northern Hospital has been given notice
consequent upon her pending marriage; and what steps he proposes to take to safeguard the nursing profession from the effect of the marriage ban.

§ Mr. Willink  No, Sir. Staffing matters are ordinarily for the hospital authority concerned, but if the hon. Member will let me have further particulars
of the case he has in mind, I shall be glad to make inquiries.


§ Mr. Reakes  In view of the fact that this is a concrete example of the marriage bar against nurses, will the Minister consider raising the bar in that profession, particularly in view of the fact that it has been raised in other professions?


§ Mr. Willink  I could not possibly deal with this most finding matter by way of question and answer.


I am unable to find any instruction rescinding the ban and from later entries it appears that this wasn't an official ban.

Although not entirely related to the subject, this was in the context of 'Student nurse and nurse 'wastage' I did find this statement by an MP on 30 march 1950 quite amusing.

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot ...  in the case of female nurses and hospital officers a great number of the retirements are on account of marriage—the nurses being a particularly attractive section of the community, and a section in whom the wastage—if one may use that singularly inappropriate word—due to marriage is extremely high. It is a good thing that the marriage rate should be high and that the turnover should be rapid. The fount of human sympathy is not inexhaustible; after a certain period the springs will tend to run a little dry, and I think that a change-over in nurses does no great harm. I think it is a good thing that those who perhaps have no calling for the profession, should move on to family life where the springs are more constantly refreshed.