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That I May be of Service |
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The
roots of modern nursing were established by Florence Nightingale
and thirty-eight other nurses who saved thousands of lives
at the Scutari Barracks in Turkey during the Crimean War.
When the First World War began in 1914, it was not surprising that
many nurses, young and old, felt that their place was in Europe,
caring for wounded soldiers.
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Florence Nightingale:
As Seen in Her Portraits
1916
City of Toronto Archives
Series 953, File 4
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The Beginnings of Army Nursing - Niagara Camp
ca. 1914
City of Toronto Archives
Series 1200, Subseries 3, File 1
When the No.4 General Hospital, staffed by doctors from the University of Toronto, left to support the overseas war effort in 1915, it was accompanied by nurses from Toronto’s leading hospitals. Thirty-nine of those nurses were alumnae of the Training School of the Toronto General Hospital.
Graduates of the School for Nurses who sailed with the No.
4 Canadian General Hospital, University of Toronto Unit
May 15, 1915
Matron - Miss Annie Hartley, R.R.C. Class 1901
City of Toronto Archives
Series 1200, Subseries 3, File 2
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During
the war, 180 members of the Alumnae Association went into
active service in England, France, Greece, Italy, Belgium
and Canada.
Twelve of the nurses who served overseas were accorded the Royal
Red Cross and three were mentioned in dispatches. Many continued
to serve after the war ended by helping in the Department
of Soldier’s Civil Re-establishment.
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Nursing Sister Louise A. Spry
Toronto General Hospital
1910
City of Toronto Archives
Series 1200, Subseries 3, File 1 |
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Polish Camp, Niagara on the Lake, Miss Janet Clark, Class of 1910 (back row left)
ca. 1914
City of Toronto Archives
Series 1200, Subseries 3, File 1
In
the period between the wars, the Canadian Nurses' Association
and the Canadian Red Cross Society, in conjunction with the
Department of National Defence, created a list of qualified
nurses who would be ready to serve in times of war or disaster.
When World War Two was declared in September 1939, the list
was implemented and Toronto General Hospital was well represented.
Several
staff nurses enlisted immediately; one graduate nurse from
each classification was granted a leave of absence upon being
accepted for military service.
When No. 15 General Hospital was organized, many TGH nurses
went to England to help with the war effort. One
Alumnae member from the class of 1925, Agnes Campbell Neill,
enlisted as a nursing sister shortly after war was declared.
She rose through the ranks to become Col. Agnes
Neill R.R.C., O.B.E., L.L.D, Matron in Chief. After the war
she served as president of the Alumnae Association in 1947 and
1948.
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Nursing Sisters No. 15 General Hospital
RCAMC, England, July 1940
City of Toronto Archives
Series 1200, Subseries 3, File 4
On
the home front, nursing classrooms that were busy by day were
taken over at night by the Red Cross Club.
Formed by members
of the nursing staff, the Alumnae Association and others, the
group prepared parcels to be shipped overseas for the war effort.
Surgical dressings, received from all over Canada, were packed
into large tin boxes and sterilized in a huge autoclave. Scarves,
sweaters, socks, gunners’ mitts and knitted helmets were
packed into wooden boxes and shipped abroad.
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Image of Nursing Pin
City of Toronto Archives
Series 1204, File 9 |
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The nurses
created a fund to provide equipment for emergency operating
rooms overseas. Tables, instruments, sterilizers, blood transfusion,
intravenous and anaesthetic sets were also supplied for use.
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Report of "Aid to British Nurses Fund" Committee
1941
City of Toronto Archives
Series 863, File 19 |
The
members privileged to give this national service at a time
of great need, brought to their school and the Alumnae Association
both honour and distinction, the warm commendation of physicians
and surgeons and the sincere gratitude of many suffering men.
In recognition
of the 227 Toronto General Hospital graduates that served
in the Second World War, the Alumnae Association presented to the school an Honour
Roll that lists all their names.
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Honour roll of graduates who served in the Second World War
1952
City of Toronto Archives
Series 1200, Subseries 3, File 5
Created
by Miss Dorothy Stone, it was unveiled in May 1952 and was
hung in the East Residence.
Miss
Stone then created a companion plaque commemorating the 135
graduates who had earlier served in the First World War. That plaque
was dedicated in 1957.
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Honour roll of graduates who served in the First World War
1952
City of Toronto Archives
Series 1200, Subseries 3, File 5
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