Birmingham Prize Giving Photograph

[backman]

Too large to get into our albums but check out a recent acquisition;  http://www.flickr.com/photos/backmanmal/12131138266/

The 3 nurses and the matron in the front rows all seem to wear large prize medals which I can't identify? Any guesses?

[Magpie]

Hi Peter. Don't think it is a Birmingham General photo. I trained in QE School of Nursing 1960 -1964 and we didn't wear that uniform and certainly not those caps. The badges awarded would have been the QE S of N badge which is well known and not like the shape of those badges. The gold medal award for top student is also a different shape. Don't recognise the Matron or ?Tutor either. Also worked at Dudley Rd Hospital, Birmingham Accident Hospital and Royal Orthopaedic and it doesn't look like any of those. The QES of N involved training in QE, BGenHosp, Women's,Children's, Midland Nerve, Skin, Maternity, Midland Eye and Dental Hospitals.
Don't think I will remember all of the B'ham Hospitals but here goes! East Birmingham, Dudley Rd,Hollymoor(RMN)St Chads,Sorrento,All Saints(RMN)Ruberry (RMN) and one I can't remember near Moseley, May have been Learning Disability.
I'm sure Sue can think of more.

[backman]

Thanks for that,
All I was going on was that the Photographer was Logan of Birmingham so I would expect it to be within a 20-30 mile radius.Using my most powerful magnifying glass I can make out that at least half a dozen appear to wear the same badge which is roundish and has a cross,looking pretty similar to the GHB League Badge, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1929-Silver-General-Hospital-Birmingham-Nurses-League-Badge-/141173162536?pt=UK_Collectables_Badges_Patches_MJ&hash=item20de938228
It may well be earlier but I am guessing at 60s.I suppose the clincher would be if anyone recognises any of the senior staff or the location which appears to be a large conservatory.Please keep coming with suggestions.It also came with another photo which shows a nurse wearing the badge more clearly;http://www.flickr.com/photos/backmanmal/12137159433/lightbox/

[nursesue]

the one near mosely is or was the Sorrento which was a maternity hospital, B/ham sick kids was part of the QE group but having worked there can't place a conservatory. Other B/ham hosps include Marston Green maty, Good Hope in sutton coldfield, The Accident hospital, the Dudley rd group,Highcroft, and there was hospital in Solihull ( think now now part of EBH group) The hats of the nurses on the photo holding babies is possibly form the QE group of hospitals -  seem to remeber that design form my time at BCH but am still working on a definite ID - i agree it does look like the GHB badge

[Magpie]

Have researched Birmingham Hospitals as follows:
Monyhull ( Colony for epileptics/defectives, closed 1999)
High croft (RMN)
John Connelly psychiatric and I think attached to Highcroft
Jaffray elderly care
Mars ton Green Maternity
Moseley Hall
Selly Oak
St Margaret's
Yardley Green may have been isolation or chest
West Heath.
The uniform is wrong for any QES of N as the aprons were higher at the neck and we had to wear brown stockings and shoes. If newly qualified they would all have had the long hats. Also in the 60's they wouldn't have had a General Hospital badge as by then it was the QES of N (United Birmingham Hospitals). I agree that the first nurse in second picture has GHB badge and 3 have a long cap but not with a tiny lace trim. Looks like a maternity hospital with the babies certainly not the B'ham Childrens Hospital uniform.

[nursesue]

St Margarets was in Great Barr - a Birmingham postcode I lived a 15 min walk away from it but am sure its in the Walsall catchment area. For those of you on facebook there is a Maggies page dedicated to the hospital and the Scott family.Alas like many hospitals and great houses no longer there

[barrysutton]

Was the EBH also Heartlands

[nursesue]

Heartlands is the old EBH but the trust covers Heartlands hosp, Solihull and community services, good Hope and Birmingham chest clinic Pete have asked another former QE nurse re your photo and he thinks it could be Birmingham General Hospital

[backman]

Part of the United Birmingham Hospitals,Birmingham General Hospital had 365 beds in 1958 ,it's matron being Miss K E Mapes. By 1965 the bed compliment had dropped to 345 and the matron was Miss M Pierce.Don't know if that helps

[Magpie]

Miss Monica Pearce was a fabulous Matron at B'ham General when I was a student nurse there. Whilst on night duty in A and E I asked an ambulance driver how easy it was to drive an ambulance ( I was a learner car driver at the time). He offered to let me have a go at about 6.30am and to my horror I saw Matron crossing the ambulance bays returning from Mass. I thought I' be in her office but she just looked me in the eye and said " I take it you were having your break Nurse". Thought I'd never stop shaking and waited several nights to get the call to her office which never came! She went on to found the Hospice in Birmingham, a truly inspirational, kind lady.