Biography

Cecilia Louise Unwin was born in Chesterton, Cambridgeshire in 18801. She trained as a nurse at the Poplar & Stepney Sick Asylum, London, 1901-19042. She joined the Territorial Force Nursing Service 8th November 19143.

Nursing service in WW1

Staff Nurse Unwin was mobilised to 1st Eastern General Hospital3. The 1st Eastern General Hospital was built at the outbreak of war in 1914 on the eight acre site now occupied by the Cambridge University Library and part of Clare College Memorial Court4. She was transferred to Manchester and served in both the 1st and 2nd Western General Hospitals. She requested a transfer back to Cambridge because of the poor health of her mother. In September 1919 she contracted Tuberculosis and was found permanently unfit for military service and medically discharged from the Territorial Force Nursing Service3.

Artefacts

In October 2019 the QARANC Association purchased her photograph album and are researching the other nurses labelled in some of the photographs.

References

  1. England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915
  2. UK & Ireland, Nursing Registers, 1898-1968
  3. The National Archives: War Office 399/15189 Unwin, Cecilia
  4. http://www.firsteasterngeneralhospital.co.uk/index.html