White Oak Hospitals Nurses
We thank Shaun Chandler son of Maire Chandler nee Murphy a nurse at White Oak Hospital during the late 1940's when it was an opthanlmic hospital for these photos.
The medal/ cross is for Moorfields Westminster and Central Eye Hospital.
THE COPYRIGHT TO THESE ARTICLES REMAINS WITH THE WRITERS AND/OR SWANLEY HISTORY GROUP AND SHOULD NOT BE COPIED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT THEIR WRITTEN PERMISSION.
All photos are Copyright Shaun Chandler
UPDATE MARCH 2023
We have heard from Karen Luck who recognised her mum in the photos. She is 2nd from right in the group of 5 nurses. She tells us:
I was overcome when I saw the photo of my mum when she was nursing, I hadn't seen it before and know how she would have loved to see it.
Mum was training but had to give up nursing in 1950 when she got married, they were not allowed to be married whilst training.
Mum lived in at the hospital and met my dad when she was out with another nurse (he was just out of the army and lived at Crockenhill).
She has said that she was nursing children with eye problems, I was named after one of the children.
I'm assuming the other nurses have all died now too, Mum was 93 when she passed away 2019.
She was Joan Cheesmur (Joan Pearson when married) born 13.1.1926 in Bermondsey.
During the war mum's sister was in the WRENs but mum had to look after their disabled mother in Eynsford and so worked in the NAAFI at Lullingstone Castle. After the war and her sister's return, mum then went to White Oak to train as a nurse.
I don't know how long she was there, but I think between 1946/7 and 1950.
She had tales of the nurses going out when they shouldn't, it was very strict, and climbing back into White Oak through the window. Mum would have carried on the nursing, but it was a choice between nursing and marriage in those days. She later became an auxiliary nurse at West Hill, again nursing babies.
We are pleased to have been able to put Shaun and Karen in contact with each other.
We thank Shaun Chandler son of Maire Chandler nee Murphy a nurse at White Oak Hospital during the late 1940's when it was an opthanlmic hospital for these photos.
The medal/ cross is for Moorfields Westminster and Central Eye Hospital.
THE COPYRIGHT TO THESE ARTICLES REMAINS WITH THE WRITERS AND/OR SWANLEY HISTORY GROUP AND SHOULD NOT BE COPIED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT THEIR WRITTEN PERMISSION.
All photos are Copyright Shaun Chandler
UPDATE MARCH 2023
We have heard from Karen Luck who recognised her mum in the photos. She is 2nd from right in the group of 5 nurses. She tells us:
I was overcome when I saw the photo of my mum when she was nursing, I hadn't seen it before and know how she would have loved to see it.
Mum was training but had to give up nursing in 1950 when she got married, they were not allowed to be married whilst training.
Mum lived in at the hospital and met my dad when she was out with another nurse (he was just out of the army and lived at Crockenhill).
She has said that she was nursing children with eye problems, I was named after one of the children.
I'm assuming the other nurses have all died now too, Mum was 93 when she passed away 2019.
She was Joan Cheesmur (Joan Pearson when married) born 13.1.1926 in Bermondsey.
During the war mum's sister was in the WRENs but mum had to look after their disabled mother in Eynsford and so worked in the NAAFI at Lullingstone Castle. After the war and her sister's return, mum then went to White Oak to train as a nurse.
I don't know how long she was there, but I think between 1946/7 and 1950.
She had tales of the nurses going out when they shouldn't, it was very strict, and climbing back into White Oak through the window. Mum would have carried on the nursing, but it was a choice between nursing and marriage in those days. She later became an auxiliary nurse at West Hill, again nursing babies.
We are pleased to have been able to put Shaun and Karen in contact with each other.