Voluntary Aid Detachment Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War

Emily Beatrice Oborn

Surname: Oborn

Other names: Emily Beatrice

Locations in this story:
Hammersmith, London
Horseshoe Inn, Ebbesbourne Wake, Wiltshire
Ashdown Park Hospital, Forest Row, West Sussex
New Zealand Military Hospital, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
Wilton, Wiltshire
Southfield. London
Fovant, Wiltshire
Bower Chalke, Wiltshire

Story:
Emily Beatrice Oborn was born in Hammersmith, London, on 22nd November 1886, the daughter of Arthur Oborn (a Police Constable born in Fovant, Wiltshire) and Emily Jane Oborn. Emily lived her early life in the London area but by 1911 her father had retired and become landlord of the Horseshoe Inn, Ebbesbourne Wake, Wiltshire. Emily joined the British Red Cross (Voluntary Aid Detachment) on 26th September 1917 and served in various hospitals including Ashdown Park Hospital, Forest Row, West Sussex and the New Zealand Military Hospital, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. Her service finished on 9th December 1918. She married George W. Gude at Wilton, Wiltshire, in 1919. There appear to have been no children of the marriage. The 1921 Census shows her visitng her parents at West End, Bower Chalke, Wiltshire. By the 1939 Register she was living with her husband, a Railway Friendly Society Clerk, at 171 Astonville Street, Southfield, London, where she later died on 8th June 1964.

Emily's brother Henry Arthur (b.1882) also served in the UK during the war, with the Devonshire Regiment and the Labour Corps.

Images:

Links to related web content / sources:
Henry Arthur Oborn
The National Archives

Louise Beatrix Gordon

Surname: Gordon

Other names: Louise Beatrix

Locations in this story:
Charlton, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire
Wadhurst, Sussex
Wandsworth, London
Folkestone Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire
St. Mary's Church, Donhead St. Mary
Wadhurst Auxiliary Hospital, Wadhurst, Sussex
Mere, Wiltshire

Story:
Louise Beatrix Gordon was born in Charlton, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire, on 26th December 1883 and baptised at St. Mary's Church, Donhead St. Mary, on 27th January 1884, the daughter of Rev. Alexander Gordon (Rector of St. Mary's Church) and Juliette Blanche Gabrielle Gordon (née Graham). She lived in various places depending on where he father held a living but they finally ended up prior to the War in Wadhurst, Sussex. Her mother died in 1913. Louise joined the British Red Cross (Voluntary Aid Detachment) on 15th August 1915 and served at Wadhurst Auxiliary Hospital, Sussex, until 7th July 1916 when she moved to 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, London, a major military facility. She was still serving there by 8th July 1919. The 1921 Census shows her now living at Burton Grange, Mere, Wiltshire, with her widowed father and sister and by the time of the 1939 Register had moved, with her sister, Agatha Marguerite Gordon (who also served with the V.A.D.), to 12 Folkstone Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire. She remained single all her life and died on 5th December 1940 in Salisbury at the age of 56 years.

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Agatha Marguerite Gordon
The National Archives

Agatha Marguerite Gordon

20th March 2020/in 1914-1918 Voluntary Aid Detachment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Gordon

Other names: Agatha Marguerite

Locations in this story:
Charlton, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire
Wadhurst, Sussex
Wandsworth, London
Folkestone Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire
St. Mary's Church, Donhead St. Mary
Tappington Grange Military Hospital, Wadhurst, Sussex
Mere, Wiltshire

Story:
Agatha Marguerite Gordon was born in Charlton, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire, and baptised at St. Mary's Church, Donhead St. Mary, on 17th August 1886, the daughter of Rev. Alexander Gordon (Rector of St. Mary's Church) and Juliette Blanche Gabrielle Gordon (née Graham). The family moved frequently as her father served in many parishes and by 1911 she was living at Wadhurst, Sussex. Her mother died in 1913. She joined the British Red Cross (Voluntary Aid Detachment) in October 1914. She trained and served at Tappington Grange Military Hospital, Wadhurst, Sussex until March 1915. She was re-engaged on 16th Aug 1916 and was still serving by 8th July 1919 at the 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, London, a major medical facility. The 1921 Census shows her living at Burton Grange, Mere, Wiltshire, with her widowed father and sister and by the time of the 1939 Register had moved with her sister, Louise Beatrix Gordon (who had also served as a V.A.D. at Wandsworth) to 12 Folkestone Road, Salisbury, Wilts. She was also a Volunteer ARP First Aider. She remained single all he life and died in Salisbury on 16th February 1941 at the early age of 54.

Images:

Links to related web content / sources:
The National Archives
Louise Beatrix Gordon

Selina Elizabeth Doggrell

20th March 2020/in 1914-1918 Voluntary Aid Detachment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Doggrell

Other names: Selina Elizabeth

Locations in this story:
Henstridge, Somerset
Semley Wiltshire
Tisbury War Hospital, Tisbury, Wiltshire
Wallmead Farm, Wardour, Tisbury, Wiltshire
Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire

Story:
Selina Elizabeth Doggrell was born at Henstridge, Somerset, on 6th March 1894 and baptised there on 8th April 1894, the daughter of Thomas Doggrell and Sarah Ann Doggrell (née Burt). In time the family moved to East End Farm, Semley, Wiltshire. Selina joined the British Red Cross (Voluntary Aid Detachment) in February 1915 and worked as a V.A.D. Nurse at Tisbury (Auxiliary A) Hospital, Wiltshire, throughout the war. She received an official mention in 1918 for her work. The 1921 Census shows her living with her parents at Chaldicott's Farm, Semley, and by the 1939 Register she had moved with her widowed father to Wallmead Farm, Wardour, Tisbury, Wiltshire, described as a Poultry Farmer and Housekeeper. She remained single all her life and died at Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire, on 18th March 1982.

Selina's brother Thomas (b.1897) served in the war with the Dorset Yeomanry and sadly died in Palestine in 1918.

Images:

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Thomas Doggrell
The National Archives

Emily Louisa Snook

19th March 2020/in 1914-1918 Voluntary Aid Detachment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Snook

Other names: Emily Louisa

Locations in this story:
Lower Farm, Stowell, Somerset
Sedgehill, Wiltshire
Woolwich London
Gosport, Hampshire
Tisbury War Hospital, Tisbury, Wiltshire
Catisfield, fareham, Hampshire

Story:
Emily Louisa Snook was born on 9th August 1883 at Stowell, Somerset, the daughter of Alfred M. Snook and Frances (Fanny) Snook (née Paull). By 1901 the family had moved to Sedgehill, Wiltshire. At the outbreak of the First World War she was living at Lower Farm, Sedgehill when she joined the Red Cross (Voluntary Aid Detachment). From February 1915 until February, 1916 she worked as a Cook at the Tisbury (Auxiliary A) War Hospital, Tisbury, Wiltshire. She married Francis Padwick Snook (same surname) on 28th December 1916 at Sedgehill, Wiltshire. There appeared to be no children of the marriage. The 1921 Census shows her living at 107 Herbert Road, Woolwich, London, and by the 1939 Register, at the renumbered 97 Herbert Road, Woolwich, London, where her husband was a Customs Officer. Her death was registered in Gosport, Hampshire, on 17 Jul 1969 and she was buried at Catisfield, Fareham, Hampshire.

Images:

Links to related web content / sources:
The National Archives

Gertrude May Roper

19th March 2020/in 1914-1918 Voluntary Aid Detachment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Roper

Other names: Gertrude May

Locations in this story:
Milton Abbas, Dorset
Street Lane Cottages, Sedgehill, Wiltshire
Tisbury War Hospital, Tisbury, Wiltshire
Totland, Freshwater, Isle of Wight, Hampshire

Story:
Gertrude May Roper was born on 30 Jun 1892 at Milton Abbas, Dorset, and baptised there on 11 Aug 1892 the daughter of William Frank Roper and Jane Roper (nee Dorey). By 1911 she was living at 2 Street Lane Cottages, Sedgehill, Wiltshire. She joined the Red Cross (Voluntary Aid Detachment) in May 1915 and worked throughout the war as a cook and ward orderly at the Tisbury (Auxiliary A) War Hospital, Wiltshire. She married Frederick Stewart Starke at Sedgehill, Wiltshire, on 9 Apr 1921, and they set up home, per the 1921 Census and the 1939 Register, at Stoats Farm, Totland, Freshwater, Isle 0f Wight, Hampshire. She died in the Isle of Wight on 6 Dec 1961.

Images:

Links to related web content / sources:
The National Archives

Mary Elizabeth Napier

19th March 2020/in 1914-1918 Voluntary Aid Detachment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Napier

Other names: Mary Elizabeth

Locations in this story:
Marylebone, London
Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire
Portsea Island, Hampshire
Tisbury War Hospital, Tisbury, Wiltshire
Gunville House, Sedgehill, Wiltshire

Story:
Lady Mary Elizabeth Napier was born on 10th February 1871 in Marylebone, London, and baptised at Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, on 18th March 1871, the daughter on Admiral Sir Michael, 3rd Baronet Culme-Seymour and Mary Georgiana, Lady Culme-Seymour (née Watson). She married Vice-Admiral Treveylyan Dacres Willes Napier, RN, KCB, MVO, on 17th August 1899 at Portsea Island, Hampshire. Lady Mary lived in various places in the UK settling down at Gunville House, Sedgehill, Wiltshire, about the time of the outbreak of the First World War. She served with the Red Cross (Voluntary Aid Detachment) from October 1915 to April 1917 at the Tisbury (Auxiliary A) War Hospital, Wiltshire, giving aid to the sick and wounded. She was at some time made a Dame. She died in 1944 and was buried on the 16th October 1944 at the Parish Church, Sedgehill, Wiltshire.

Images:

Links to related web content / sources:
The National Archives

Minnie Munro

21st June 2017/in 1914-1918 Voluntary Aid Detachment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Munro

Other names: Minnie

Locations in this story:
Exbury, Hampshire
1st Southern General Hospital, Selly Oak, Birmingham
Iwerne Minster, Dorset

Story:
Minnie Munro was, according to 1911 Census information, born in 1884 in Exbury, Hampshire. (It has been difficult to confirm this as no record of her birth can be found.) At the time of the 1911 Census, she was single and working as a domestic maid for James Hainsworth Ismay, (Lord Ismay), owner of the Iwerne Minster estate. She enlisted with the Red Cross as a nurse in the VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) on 6th January 1916, her age then being given as 31 years. The official Red Cross record shows that she started working at the 1st Southern General Hospital, Selly Oak, Birmingham. However, her memorial inscription states that she commenced duties there in September 1915 which does not accord with the Red Cross records. She died at the hospital on 30th July 1917 from septic poisoning after contracting Pulmonary TB. She is remembered on the Iwerne Minster War Memorial, Shaftesbury.

Source: Photograph of Minnie Munro from the Imperial War Museum's First World War Portraits (Women's War Work) Classified Collection. Catalogue Number WWC Z-15.

Images:

Links to related web content / sources:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Imperial War Museum

Annie Neish

21st June 2017/in 1914-1918 Voluntary Aid Detachment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Neish

Other names: Annie

Locations in this story:
Feock, Nr. Truro, Cornwall
No. 1 Reading War Hospital
London Road Cemetery (Old Cemetery), Reading, Berkshire
The Gardens, Iwerne Minster, Dorset
Gallipoli, Turkey

Story:
Annie Neish was born in 1886 in Feock, Nr. Truro, Cornwall. She was the daughter of William Neish, who became a gardener on the Iwerne Minster estate, and Jane Neish (née Hinder). Among her siblings was Alfred William, born in 1894. At the time of the 1911 Census Annie was single, a domestic nurse, living at The Gardens, Iwerne Minster, Dorset.

On 18th January 1916 she became a Red Cross Nurse with the VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) and served in No. 1 Reading War Hospital, Berkshire. She died there of sepsis on 18th October 1918 after nursing a soldier who had septic pneumonia. She was buried at London Road Cemetery (Old Cemetery), Reading (grave id. 80. 16489) on 23rd October, 1918. She is remembered on the Iwerne Minster War Memorial, Shaftesbury. Her gravestone in Reading includes memorials to her mother, Jane (died 1932) and her brother, Alfred William (died in Gallipoli, Turkey, 1915).

Printed Source:
Iwerne Minster Before, During, and After the Great War. Edited by P. Anderson Graham.

Images:

Links to related web content / sources:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives