I found a nice new link whilst looking up a RBNA member which others may find useful.Yet again it uses work from members of the University of the 3rd age.
Do check it out; http://www.kingscollections.org/nurses/a-c?page=10
Hi Peter,
Now that is a superb link - another piece of historical magic.
Will.
I always thought that the numbers on the badge related to the registration number but I note that a badge sold on ebay yesterday for quite an interesting sum. It was to Louisa C East and numbered '3' but her registration number is '9'.
Number 3 on the register was Godiva Marian Thorold. So how does the badge number relate to the individual?
Mick
They generally do Mick,but I believe these relate to the standard Bronze Badges.I assume that the silver Badges which I believe were issued to committee members had a separate numbering system,hence Louisa East being number 9 on the register but 3 on her silver item.The next question is who has her Bronze badge or better still Ethel Fenwick's Number 1 ???
It is a long long time since I seriously collected but still intrigued by numbers. Bearing in mind the hallmark of the badge I mentioned was 1916, do we know the dates of issue of the silver and bronze badges?
Mick
I know that this is an old thread but I have had call to revisit it as I too have found that most of the registration numbers given here do not tally with the badge details?
I have emailed for guidance but responses are slow as most staff are volunteers only. I admit to being fascinated by this organisation and recently acquired an article in an 1891 magazine for which the link is listed;https://www.flickr.com/photos/backmanmal/23879088519/in/dateposted-public/
It describes the presentation of 350 of the badges and also mentions that a gold example was presented to Princess Christian.Presumably this may have ended up in the royal collection as I know other presentation pieces are in it,including a first pattern London Hospital;https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/search#/15/collection/71235/badge
an unidentified PSL;https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/search#/14/collection/71245/badge
and a couple of rare St Katherines Nurses items;https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/search#/37/collection/71221/badge https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/search#/35/collection/71224/badge-and-belt
A gold Territorial Army nursing service https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/search#/5/collection/71246/badge
I have received a reply which helps to explain the numbers discrepancies.
"The number on her badge refers to her membership number whereas the numbers on our Pioneering Nurses database are the registration numbers. It is confusing - there are two different registers, one has members of the RBNA which include doctors and other supporters as well as nurses, and the other is a register of nurses who were qualified, according to the regulations of the RBNA, to work as professional nurses and wished to be included on the register."