CORNELL, Bertha Mary
Biography
Bertha Mary CORNELL was born on 21st September 1872 at Saffron Walden, Essex. Her father was a basket maker, later recorded as a Hamper Manufacturer.[1] She attended St George's College, Wethersfield.[1] The 1881 Census records her living with her family in Wethersfield, Essex.[2] The 1891 Census shows her working in Islington as a Draper's Assistant.[3]
She trained as a nurse at the West London Hospital, Hammersmith for three years from 1896 to 1898, leaving on 14th December 1898 as Staff Nurse.[1]
Nursing Service in the Boer War
She applied to join the Princess Christian's Army Nursing Service Reserve (PCANSR) and was accepted on 9th March 1900, receiving Membership Certificate No. R400. The Nursing Record and Hospital World (1900) records her embarking on the SS Briton for South Africa. She served at No.1 General Hospital, Wynberg[4] and at No.8 General Hospital, Bloemfontein.[5]
Nursing Service Post Boer War
Following the war Sister Cornell remained in South Africa as a military nurse. From January 1904 to March 1910 she served at the Military Families Hospital, Bloemfontein.
In 1905 she was recommended to become a Staff Nurse in Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (Reserve) (QAIMNSR) but declined, preferring to remain as a Sister in the PCANSR employed at the Military Families Hospital. Her personal file records: "Miss Cornell elected to stay as a Sister (pay £40 per annum) in the PCANSR rather than become a staff nurse in the Reserve under QAIMNS Regulations. At present we recognise only the QAIMNS Reserve and therefore the conditions under which Miss Cornell refused to join are now obsolete."[1] This note was signed by Principal Matron Caroline Helen Keer, herself a Boer War veteran.
Sister Cornell then left military service to return to the United Kingdom to undertake midwifery training at the City of London Lying-in Hospital from April to July 1910,[1] before returning to South Africa. Her termination of service was noted by the then Matron-in-Chief Ethel Hope Becher, also a Boer War veteran: "Miss Cornell has been employed in South Africa since March 1908 and will in all probability be re-engaged on her arrival there."[1] On returning to South Africa she joined the Kleinfontein Mine Hospital.
Nursing Service in WW1
At the start of WW1 Sister Cornell was called back for service. As she was still technically a PCANSR Sister on obsolete terms and conditions she had to apply afresh to join the QAIMNS(R). She arrived in the United Kingdom on 5th October 1915 and enlisted in the QAIMNS(R) on 25th October 1915. On 14th November 1915 she was ordered to report for duty aboard the HMHS Essequibo, then moored at Belfast, and served a period on the hospital ship before her next posting.[1]
Her next posting was to Poona, India, where she served at the Deccan War Hospital. She subsequently requested a home posting because of illness in her family.[1]
On return to the home establishment she joined the Pembroke Dock Military Hospital. Her confidential report dated 20th January 1918 noted that she had joined on 1st May 1917, that her professional capabilities were well up to the rank in all respects, that her administration was good, that she was well able to train orderlies, and that she possessed all the required moral qualifications with decidedly good influence. The report noted she had acted as Matron during leave periods with success and considered her fitted for promotion.[1]
In March 1918 she was transferred to the Colchester Military Hospital as an Assistant Matron. Her confidential report from August 1918 gave a mixed assessment, leading Bertha Cornell to write directly to the Matron-in-Chief Ethel Hope Becher — a previous Boer War colleague — requesting a personal interview:
"I have the honour to request that I may be granted a personal interview regarding a Confidential Report written by the Matron of the Military Hospital, Colchester. To my knowledge it is the first adverse report written of me during my fourteen years service in the Army. I have been appointed Assistant Matron of this Hospital for four months, and during that time I do not consider that I have been given my position in that capacity by Miss Brown. Her statement that I have not served in a higher rank is not correct. I was matron in a hospital when called up for Service, which post I had held for three years, also the previous year serving as Matron at the Military Families Hospital Pretoria. I do not wish to trouble you unnecessarily, but shall deem it a great favour if you will grant me this interview."[1]
The outcome of this interview is not recorded. In September 1918 she was transferred to the Reading War Hospitals and promoted to Acting Matron. Her confidential report from No.5 Section (Katesgrove and Central Schools) noted that during her time there she did her work very efficiently, that her administrative capacity was good, that she managed the hospital with tact and was very kind to her staff, and that her general influence was good.[1]
In February 1919 she was posted to Harwich as Acting Matron of the Great Eastern Military Hospital. After a few months there she was demobilised and returned to South Africa aboard the SS Briton on 8th December 1919 — the same line on which she had sailed to the Boer War nearly twenty years earlier. On return to South Africa she wrote to the Matron-in-Chief requesting a recommendation should any District Sister posts become available.[1]
Bertha Cornell and her three sisters lived in East London, South Africa, until her death in 1959.
