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2 Rn Auxiliary Hospital Barrow Gurney Long Ashton Somerset

Posted: 21 Nov 2015 15:15
by Sue H
Afternoon All

Really should be ironing.........but well you know how it is :lol:

2nd attempt at the 1939 reg looking for relatives

Not sure what I have found :oops: .

Have found what looks like my relative at the above base. After searching google found it has mixed comments.

Barrow Hospital, known to most as just Barrow, or Barrow Gurney, lies in 11 acres of mature woodland (called the Wild Country) off Wild Country Lane, Long Ashton, three miles south-west of Bristol. Built between 1934-7 for Bristol City Council by H. Willcock and Co., of Bristol & Wolverhampton, and opening officially 3.5.1939, Barrow was the last mental asylum to be built in Britain, therefore it's no surprise to see the buildings not conforming to the stereotypical, grim, Victorian asylums, for the hospital was designed as a user-friendly place, light, airy and therapeutic. Initially (1938) used to relieve overcrowding at Fishponds (later Glenside) Hospital, the site was quickly requisitioned by the military in 1939 & used as a Royal Navy Hospital, known as The Royal Naval Auxiliary Hospital Barrow Gurney, serving Naval establishments across the South West of England until late 1946.

Ok so my relative is on a long list of other people, all having different occupations. It tells me their (my relative)

Personnal Occupation......Factory Hand (Confectionary)
in another column
Instructions....................V.A.D West Lancs (could be Lanes) W/5700

The list is ladies only they have a mixed array of jobs (most not associated with a hospital) although there are cooks but there are mill works, dental workers, house keepers and WRNS which are obviously associated with the Naval Hospital. The WRNS in the instruction column are all cooks.

I do know that in later life she became a Health Visitor, so could this be a list of Axilary Nurses ??

Her birthday matches and she isnt at the home address in 1939 or anywhere else I can see. I found her by putting in basic details and then updating in the edit page. No matter how I look this is the only person who matches.

Has anyone found anything similar or our you familiar with the abbreviations they use

Many thanks

Sue x

Re: 2 Rn Auxiliary Hospital Barrow Gurney Long Ashton Somer

Posted: 21 Nov 2015 15:21
by BarbaraW
V.A.D. Voluntary Aid Detachment (google search for RN abbreviations :) )

Re: 2 Rn Auxiliary Hospital Barrow Gurney Long Ashton Somer

Posted: 21 Nov 2015 15:23
by Sue H
Brilliant Barbara

Thank you......another success :lol: :lol:

Re: 2 Rn Auxiliary Hospital Barrow Gurney Long Ashton Somer

Posted: 21 Nov 2015 15:50
by BarbaraW

Re: 2 Rn Auxiliary Hospital Barrow Gurney Long Ashton Somer

Posted: 21 Nov 2015 22:08
by Sue H
Thanks Barbara

Read this with interest and something else earlier. I believe I can apply to the Red Cross for records, if they have them.

Really pleased with my hits on 1939 records

Sue x