Tag Archives: Agatha Christie

Voluntary Aid Detachment volunteers

Over 90,000 people volunteered for the British Red Cross at home and overseas during the Great War, providing vital aid to naval and military forces and caring for the sick and wounded. County branches of the Red Cross had their own Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs) made up of both men and women. The VAD’s work included such jobs as nursing, transport, rest stations, working parties and auxiliary hospitals. They ran libraries, did air raid duty, and a service that is still being used today – Missing and wounded service.

As women volunteered for jobs normally undertaken by men prior to the war it enabled over 11,000 men to be released for military service of some sort.

Agatha Christie record. London Evening Standard

Agatha Christie record. London Evening Standard

Did you know that Agatha Christie, volunteered for the Red Cross before publishing her first novel in 1920 and worked in a Torquay hospital. Her work, dispensing drugs, gave her an insight into poisons – this information she used in her books. Vera Brittain, famous for her ‘Testament of Youth’, joined the VAD in 1915 and by 1917 was working in France. Enid Bagnold, of National Velvet fame, served in London. Did you also know that E M Forster, novelist, critic and essayist, was a pacifist and instead of fighting he worked with the Red Cross. Lady Diana Manners, mentioned in an earlier article, – reputedly the most beautiful woman in England at the time and it was expected that she should marry the Prince of Wales. Her mother was not enamored at her joining the VAD. Diana stated in her memoirs, The Rainbow Comes and Goes. “She explained in words suitable to my innocent ears that wounded soldiers, so long starved of women, inflamed with wine and battle, ravish and leave half-dead the young nurses who wish only to tend them,” The Duchess relented “… knew, as I did, that my emancipation was at hand,” Diana says, and goes on to admit, “I seemed to have done nothing practical in all my twenty years.” The VAD plunged her and other young ladies into four years that would change their lives forever. I’ll dot in a few more volunteers further down the page.

Deaths – even though the VADs were non-combatant, they suffered many deaths. During the war,it is estimated that 128 nursing members and over 100 other VAD members not all directly working for the Red Cross died or  were killed. The Roll of Honour contains records of the deaths of 498 Joint War Committee members. This figure includes 8 VADs who died as a result of the sinking of the SS Osmanieh on 31 December 1917. The vessel was contracted by the British navy and was struck by a mine laid by the German submarine UC34 and sank, killing 199 people. They are remembered at the Alexandria (Hadra) War memorial cemetery. The most common cause of death of the VADs was pneumonia caused by Spanish flu.

An obituary in the Red Cross Journal, 1918 stated:

Miss Elger died on February 10th from pneumonia following influenza… For two and a half years she was a devoted and conscientious worker at Clayton Court Hospital, where her loss is felt most keenly by all who knew her. Clayton Court, it will be remembered, was most generously placed at the disposal of the Red Cross by Mr and Mrs Elger early in the war. After doing so much to help their country, it seems hard that they should have to bear this further personal sacrifice”.

The Red Cross has recently transcribed personnel records and at the moment surnames starting with the letters A and B are currently available to search. Volunteers are still working to update the site with more names. One such volunteer was Achsah Bradley of Westbourne, St Andrews Avenue, Morley. Her record card shows that she had originally lived at Denshaw, Morley. Achsah served from March 1917 to January of 1919. Her work as a Special Service Probationer, a pantry worker, was at Roundhay Auxiliary Military Hospital, Leeds, where she worked part time. In total she worked 3,920 hours, which roughly equates to nearly 40 hours per week for her 2 years’ service.

Thornes House, Wakefield home of the Milne-Gaskell's

Thornes House, Wakefield home of the Milne-Gaskell’s

Another volunteer was Lady Constance Milnes Gaskell, of Thornes House, Wakefield.

One of the gentlemen who volunteered was Retired Major Ernest James Gibson Berkley of 70 Camberwell Road, London, S.E.5.  Major Gibson served from June 1918 until June of the following year, working as a Divisional Inspector, with duties at the P.M.O. Hospital, and Southward V.A.D. Hospital.  He had been awarded the M.B.E. and O.B.E.  Major Berkley, in 1911 was aged 49.  He gave his occupation as ‘SURGEON MAJOR R A M C T CAPTAIN HUNSBURY’. Information about him can be found in The Gazette here and here.  Probate for Major Berkley tells that he died on 30th of April 1928 and Probate (to Barclays Bank) revealed that he left £20813 5s 7d. His wife will can be found here.

Source – The Red Cross archives

Four years of our war website

History in a Wardrobe

What a wonderful way to learn about capsules of time – through a wardrobe, or should I say what is kept in a wardrobe.  But Lucy Adlington has a unique, informative and enjoyable way of bringing history alive through her History Wardrobe talks.

A friend of mine has known Lucy for many years, becoming friends by attending  one of Lucy’s talks and asking questions afterwards.  Talk, does not seem the right word as the events are more than that – more like a walk through a period of time with the audience being a friend or someone to have a conversation and a joke with.

I met Lucy earlier this year when my friend suggested I go to one of her events – that didn’t go to plan as the traffic was terrible and I arrived a little late. Lucy had started and  was all decked out (ouch!) in her finery as a first class passenger on the Titanic with her ‘husband’.

The changing of costumes during a day onboard the Titanic was wonderful, interspersed with jovial banter from the pair and was a delight – just like being party to their private jokes.  Then sadly the news of the iceberg reached the passengers and we follow the couple as they tell what happened to them – I won’t give away who their characters are as that would give away the ending!!

I next saw History Wardrobe when Lucy was in Agatha Christie mode during the 1920’s onwards and with the help of Merry wore some wonderful and original costumes from morning attire, day wear to an evening dress that would not be out of place on the red carpet today.  The duo worked off each other with quips and remarks flying fast and furious.

But seriously, the costumes together with snippets of Agatha’s novels went down a treat.  As with most of Lucy’s talks there are extra costumes on mannikins and memorabilia from the  period.

My latest show was ‘A woman of a certain age’, about Jane Austen and women in various times of there life in Jane’s  novels – the girl, the spinster, the married woman, the dowager, the widow and the ‘lady of a certain age’.  The costume worn by Lucy was simple but very striking.  Lucy de-constructed the dress, which in some places was held together with pins.  Hats were worn, flouncy capes worn, sections of Jane’s novels were read as examples of the times in a woman’s   life. An enjoyable time was had by all and many in the audience have been to more than one talk.

So, who is this lady that travels the country doing what women like doing – dressing up and talking?  Lucy is a graduate of both Cambridge and York Universities with degrees in English and Medieval Studies.

Cocktail anyone?

She has run workshops, given presentations and with her hands-on approach  is always in demand.  As well as all this Lucy is an accomplished author of childrens and young adult books.

A full diary of events can be found on the History Wardrobe website, so where ever you are in the country you will be able to see an event……………BUT !!!  keep it a secret, as I want to be able to get a seat!!!