A HOSPITAL which treated injured first World War soldiers is to be the subject of a new book put together by the Rainhill Civic Society.
Oakdene, originally built in 1850, was used as a Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) during the war after being made available by Henry Gamble in 1914.
Three years ago the civic society was sent an autograph book kept by Edith Lidstone, who was a nurse at Oakdene Auxiliary Hospital during the Great War.
More than 80 soldiers signed, wrote poems and sketched pictures in it, and after Edith’s death it was passed to her sister, Alice and then on to her friend Jessie.
After Jessie’s death it was passed to Trish Harms who migrated to Canada.
However, with the help of the Internet and an exchange of e-mails the album was passed into the hands of the civic society.
The society is writing a book, including all the contributions from soldiers in the document, along with information on the Oakdene Hospital before, during and after the war, Edith Lidstone and the people who worked there.
The society is seeking for any further photographs and information about the nurses that residents may have.
Edith and many of the other nurses and helpers lived in and Rainhill or Huyton.
The society has also had contact from Simon Owens, grandson of one of the nurses, Bessie Mitchell, and has sent us photographs of her at work and relaxing with the soldiers around Oakdene and her life story.
Bessy at the hospital
Judy Lowe, who is working on the book for the society, said: "There are other nurses on these photographs and we are hoping that people’s memories may be jogged and they might remember that their grandmother or another relation had worked at Oakdene at that time.
"They might even recognise someone or have other photographs or information that they could pass on to the Society."
Local people who worked in Oakdene VAD Hospital include nursing sisters Cara Hall, Caroline Hall, Rachel Mitchell and Ellen Dene.
Medical officers were Charles W Wild and Leonard Youatt and nurses were: Mary Williamson; Marie Platt; Frances Langdon; Ethel Kandall; Ruth Sever; Elizabeth Peck; Elsie Farvie; Riva Baxter; Jessie Lee; Alice Doudney; Louisa Booth; Margaret Rudd, May Breen.
Cooks were Nancy Harrison, Elsie Hallas and Mary Glover.
Pantry, kitchen and nursing orderlies were: Annie Turton; Hilda Ray; Doris Nisbett; Millicent Hine; Nellie Appleyard; Mildred Leach; Alice Alcock; Alice Alders; Nellie Ashcroft; Gladys Bates and Emily Birkett.
Contact the society on rainhill.civic@gmail.com
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