Census documents

Context

For those of us interested in Army nurses there are three Census years to investigate: 1891, 1901 and 1911. It is possible to track individual nurses through the Census. Sometimes the enumerators used ANS or ANSR, or Army Nurse which helps us identify the individuals we are seeking. At other times they would be noted as a nurse, in either case we still need to corroborate to ensure we have the correct information. At the times of these Census recordings, most Army nurses would be serving in a military institution or in the case of the 1901 Census, serving on operations. I have used the Census of the Herbert Hospital, Woolwich as an example of the Census from an institution, and how the information varied over the years. The Census gives us an indication of the nurse patient ratios. In the first two years of opening it had no more than 300 patients at any time, though by WW1 this had risen to 650.

Herbert Hospital, Woolwich 1891

This is an image of one page of the Census taken in 1891. The citation for this page is RG12; Piece: 528; Folio: 100; Page: 1 or shortened to RG12/528/100/1.

You can see I used this in my research as the nurses are highlighted in pink :-) The nurses listed are:

• Superintendent Annie Ellen Caulfield
• Sister Sarah Elizabeth Oram (later Principal Matron in WW1)
• Sister Sarah Emily Webb
• Sister Clara Manesyn Chadwick
• Sister Mina MacLaver Forrest
• Sister Maud Sarah Hitch
• Sister Louisa Mary Stewart

They were all members of the regular Army Nursing Service. Some went on to serve in the Boer War and WW1. These 7 nurses managed 300 patients.

Herbert Hospital, Woolwich 1901

This is an image of one page of the Census taken in 1901. The citation for this page is RG13; Piece: 563; Folio: 160; Page: 1 or shortened to RG13/563/160/1.

Although the numbers of beds had increased by this time, the number of nurses had only increased to twelve:

• Acting Superintendent Blanche Vaughan
• Sister Jane Ann Gray

both of whom were regular Army Nursing Service, and then a number of nurses from the Princess Christian's Army Nursing Service (Reserve):

• Sister Dorothy Pryde
• Sister Bessie Louise Prior
• Sister Helen Richardson
• Sister Mary O'Neill
• Sister Annie Buchanan Cameron
• Sister Florence De Blaquiere
• Sister Francis Spencer Epps
• Sister Mabel Knox O'Donnell
• Sister Hannah Elila Arkle
• Sister Jane Bulman

Herbert Hospital, Woolwich 1911

This is an image of one page of the Census taken in 1911. The citation for this page is RG14; Piece: 2856 or shortened to RG14/2856.

By 1911 the nursing establishment had grown to 18:

• Matron Amy Nixon
• Sister Alice Barker
• Sister Mildred Mary Bond
• Sister Winifred Gertrude Maney
• Sister Mary Elizabeth Richardson
• Sister Dora Jane Saunder
• Sister Dorcas Douglas Tripp
• Sister Amy Willer
• Staff Nurse Alice Bradley
• Staff Nurse Flora Cameron Craig
• Staff Nurse Annie Harriet Esden
• Staff NurseMary Edith Evans
• Staff Nurse Margaret McCormick
• Staff Nurse Violet Therston Newman
• Staff Nurse Edith Florence Roberts
• Staff Nurse Rose Margerita Rooke
• Staff Nurse Catherine Murray Roy
• Staff Nurse Elsie Schafer

These nurses were all in the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Nursing Service which had been established in 1902. The Matron and many of the Sisters were veterans of the Boer War.