Staff - Sick Bay

There was always a sick bay in the ships. At Rock Ferry there was also a shore sanatorium, Willow House from 19?? to 1914 and from 1914 to 1940, the purpose built Conway House adjacent to the Knowlsey Road playing fields. The latter has been demolished and replaced by a very conspicuous block of flats with a blue top.

At Bangor from 1940 to Conway had use of Bryn Mel (now an Old People's nursing home) along the road from Glyn Garth slip/the Antelope Hotel. Bryn Mel was a large summer holiday residence owned by Miss L Johnson of the Johnson Warren Line (later Furness Withy).

At Plas Newydd from 1949 to 1974 there was the sick bay in the house. That has now been converted into a staff flat for the National Trust.

There are photos of many member so staff for whom I have no names. See them here. If you know any of them please email them to me.

MEDICAL OFFICERS

1911 (at least)	Not known
At least 1919 to 1920's	Dr J NOBLE MB CM Obituary 1929
At least 1930 to 1940	Dr J T GRIERSON MB ChB DPH Listed as providing Ambulance lectures in 1919
1941 to ???	Dr R G WALKER MC FRCS E
1943 to 1951 Dec	Dr John WILSON-READ MB CHB Born in Ayr and educated at Ayr Academy. Trained as an engineer and served in the RFA in WWI. Started studying medicine in 1918 and qualified in 1924-25. GP in Beaumaris. "Popular and well liked" Obituary The Cadet 1954 01 Obituary The Cadet 1954 02
1952 Jan - at least 1954	Dr Jack DUBBERLEY MB CHB Appointmmet Graduate of Manchester University and Manchester and Sheffield Royal Infirmaries. Local GP and Clinic al Assistant in Orthopedics at Bangor and Caernarfon hospitals.
19??- to 1974	tbd

Dates are taken from various editions of The Cadet - various overlaps cannot be explained.

From the late 1920s to 1953 there was a Matron in the ship and one ashore (Sister Walters throuhout).  From 1953 to 1960 when Walters retired there seem to have been two Matrons, the overlap cannot be explained.

For images of nursing staff and sick bays click here

1859 - circa 1877	Not known
circa 1877 - 1914	Mrs WILLIAMS She ran the sanatorium in Willow House until it was closed on the opening of Conway House. She was "the personification of kindness and sympathy ... had a very large heart ... a capable mind and body ... was always a faithfull and trusted servant of the ship ... ever cheerfull". Died Dec 1915 leaving a husband and son.
??? - ???	Nurse FILLINGHAM 1902 - 1905 Night nurse and part time nurse in sickbay. 1905 Became Nurse full time ?? became Matron
1906 Dec - 1910 Easter term	Miss C LENDRUM
1910 Easter term - 1910 Dec	Miss I HAWS. Sister in Charge She trained at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading before working at the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh. She returned to the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading  as sister in charge of a large male surgical ward from where, after two years, she joined Conway. Click here. She left in December 1910 to get married to Dr A P Yonge of Twickenham.. She was much appreciated for "way she carried out her duties in the sick bay and the hearty and sympathetic manner in which she had entered into the social life of the ship". "An ever cheerful friend."
1911 - 1912	Sister C F WALLACE Joined from Bimbala District Hospital NSW where she had been Matron and joined with excellent credentials. "Her experience in an up country hospital should stand her in good stead in Conway."
1914 - 1919	Name not known
1919 - 1924 Dec	Sister SHEARER Miss A
Jul 1924 to at least 1930	Sister IRONMONGER Start date clashes with Sister Shearer above.
Late 1920s - 1960 SISTER ASHORE	Mrs WALTERS Assisted by her husband they: - ran the sanatorium (Conway House) at Rock Ferry - then the sanatorium at Bryn Mel, Anglesey. - finally sick bay at Plas Newydd. Before Conway she had been Matron of a small hospital. She was known for her "spotlessly crisp white hospital uniform". Retirement 1960
circa 1931 to 1951 Jul	Sister L M PARRY SRN Retired after 20 year on board. She was “a good-humoured and gentle lady who made being sick a pleasure. I never knew her get ruffled, though she had plenty to try her patience.” Wrote an article on her time in Conway for The Nursing Times. Fell and broke her leg in the Summer of 51 and despite a long recovery she eventually resigned her position. Profile Sep 1951. Obituary The Cadet 1958
from 1951 Jul to 1952 Jan	Sister GREAVES Held the post temporarily until a full time Sister could be appointed.
from 1952 Jan to 1954 Apr	Sister Christine Margaret SZUMSKA SRN BRCS According to her son (in a 2011 letter to the Daily Mail) she later changed her name to Bennett-Hughes and then married to become Massey. "She had a thick accent and I remember her wielding a very large and thick needle full of penicillin when I was in Sick Bay for boils in my ear,despite her rather scary appearance she was a real softy at heart." Previously a lecturer and inspector for the Red Cross. She gave First Aid lectures to the cadets. Had a cabin at the stern of the ship and was on leave when the ship was wrecked. She lost all her possessions.
1954 May to at least 1963 Jun 13th (But also listed as a Sister in the 1952 Prospectus)	Sister (Miss) GRIFFITHS aka "Sexy Griff" Photo in Staff Looked after the altar linen, helped with harvest festivals,  prize days and other occasions. Left to be closer to home for her sick mother. Mr Rooney said of her "I found her a very hard lady that took no prisoners. I undertsand she left Conway to become Matron of a nursing home in Caernarfon. Pity the senior Citizens.
1964 Sep to 1965 Dec	Sister B E EVANS SRN Previous;y worked in the fat east and Europe. Fell off her scooter in her first term and so was off sick with facial injuries. Sister Wynn-Jones covered for her. Left to take up a post in Zambia. Valete
1966 Jan to ???	Sister BAIRD SRN
??? to early 1970	Sister Glenys WYNN-JONES Crossed The Bar 2013
early 1970 to 1971 Aug	Miss Fay Kendal CRISPIN SRN Obtained her SRN qualification at the Liverpool Royal before joining Conway. Left to join a course in Social Welfare at the London Polytechnic.
1971 to 1974	???

circa 1882 to 1902 Dec	Nurse Annie ADAMS Gave 21 years service as nurse onboard.
1902 - ???	Nurse FILLINGHAM 1902 - 1905 Night nurse and part time nurse in sickbay. 1905 Became Nurse full time Later became Matron
Dec 1908 to Dec 1918	F COPPACK Ward Maid   Click here
??? to Feb 1915	Mr T DREW Ran the infirmary in Conway House
At least 1951-63	Nurse name not known but believed to be Miss WILLIAMS
??? to 1960 Aug to ???	Sister SHANKS SRN Resigned. It is assumed she was a nurse employed to support Sister Griffiths
1960 Aug to at least 1961 Summer	Sister ROGERS SRN Joined to support Sister Griffiths presumably as a nurse Married Mr Caldwell of the academic staff in Summer 1961 at Ross on Wye. "I seem to remember she had a wooden leg from the knee, but this did not seem to interfere with her nursing duties.  She was a compassionate and well-liked staff member."
At least 1961	Nurse, name not known but could be Sister Rogers above
1962 to 64 Apr	Sister HUGHES Again a sister who is assumed to have worked as a nurse. Moved to be matron of Llangefni geriatric hospital