ScottishWomensHospitalforForeignService

Referenceandcontactdetails:
GB779RCSEdGD/31andGD/100/1
Location:RSN2andRSO1
Title:SWH ScottishWomensHospital
DatesofCreation:19141918
Heldat:TheRoyalCollegeofSurgeonsof
Edinburgh
Extent:Papersincluding42glassslides
NameofCreator:
LanguageofMaterial:English.
LevelofDescription:
Date(s)ofDescription:2006

Administrative/BiographicalHistory:
The Scottish Women's Hospitals (SWH) was founded in 1914 with the financial support of the
NationalUnionofWomen'sSuffrageSocietiesandtheAmericanRedCross.Whenwarbrokeout
in1914SWHfounder,DrElsieMaudInglis,approachedtheWarOfficewiththeideaofeither
women doctors cooperating with the Royal Army Medical Corps, or women's medical units
being allowed to serve on the Western Front. The authorities were less than helpful.
Undeterred,ScottishWomen'sHospitalsopeneditsfirst200bedAuxiliaryhospitalatthe13th
centuryAbbayedeRoyaumont,France,undertheFrenchRedCross.SuffragettesInglis,Ishobel
RossandCicelyHamiltonwereamongtheteamatRoyaumont.ThroughouttheFirstWorldWar
Scottish Women's Hospitals arranged 14 medical units to serve in Corsica, France, Malta,
Romania,Russia,SalonikaandSerbia.Theyprovidednurses,doctors,ambulancedrivers,cooks
and orderlies. During 1915 several women were captured by the AustroGerman army while
runningaseriesoffieldhospitals,dressingstations,feverhospitalsandclinicsinSerbiaonthe
BalkanFront.AmongstthosecapturedwasfounderandunitleaderDrInglis.AidedbyAmerican
diplomats, the British authorities were eventually able to secure their release. In August 1916
theLondonSuffrageSocietyfinancedagroupof80womentosupportSerbiansoldiersfighting
inRussia.Anotherleaderinthesuffragemovement,EvelinaHaverfield,wasrecruitedasheadof
transport.ASerbianofficialwhosawtheworkofthewomeninRussiasaid"NowonderEngland
isagreatcountryifthewomenarelikethat".AftertheFirstWorldWartheunitdisbandedand
their affairs were wound up in 1922 with the remaining funds used to build the Elsie Inglis
MemorialMaternityHospitalinEdinburgh,Scotland.
DulyacknowledgingtheFamilyRecordswebsite.http://www.familyrecords.gov.uk/

GD31/1(RSN2)ScottishWomensHospitalforForeignService.
Privatecollectionofpapersincluding42glassslides.PresentedbyMsMargaretStreet2006
42glassslidesfromScottishWomensHospitalforForeignService.
Description:
InawoodenboxLength29xheight10.5xbreadth10.75withabrasshandle.Paperlabelonbox
topTheSecretary,ElsieInglisMemorialHospital,BruntsfieldCrescentEdinburgh.over
anotherlabelLanternScottishWomensHospitalNewspaperTheGlasgowHeraldpadding
insidebottomofbox,dated,MondayOctober25th,1915.PaperlabelinsideboxlidwithNotice!

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Theseslidestobereturnedto:MissLindsaySuffrageSociety,202HopeStreet,Glasgow,atonce
afterusecarefullypacked.
Slidesasfollow
No. Subject
1
FrancesIvens;Cecily
Hamilton+
AtRoyaumontHospital
door.(InFrenchonslide)
N.U.W.S.S.8550onvehicle
2
Groupof9wounded
patientsatRoyaumont:3
nursesand2orderlies?

Comment
AmbulanceandCMO

3
4

PossiblyCorsica?
Campkitchens.MissJack,
Administrator,atrightof
picture.
11refectoryRoyaumont.
Frmontedit.Beaumont
surOise
OpeningofFontaiLacir

Entertainmentforpatients

Fountainatdonaratz
Mendingsoldiersuniforms.
4women
Blank
PoplarAvenue,Royaumont.
LAvenuedepaupiers.
Frmontedit
McIlroyandDrSanderson.
Troyes
?BritishandFrench
officers.Flag.Camera+
tripod
WoundedSerbsin
marketplace.
Villagesmithy[Serbia]
Serbianofficers

6
7
8
9
10

11
12

13
14
15
16

Serbianpatientsdancing.
SWHSalonika

PhotographicCo.

J.B.Watson,
Edinburgh

J.Lizars,
Optician,
Edinburgh

Watson
202HopeStreet
[Glasgow]

AbbayedeRoyaumont

Watson.202
HopeSt
202HopeSt

BeaumontsurOise

202HopeStreet

JBWatson.202
HopeSt

Watson,202
HopeSt
Newton,37King
St.,Covent
Garden

Cracked

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17
18
19

20
21
22
23
24

25
26
27
28

29
30

31

32
33
34
35
36
37

BritishcornerofSerbian
cemetery
DoctorsatRoyaumont

TroyesScneVques
pendantlaguerrede1914
1915.SWH
OriginalUnitSerbia1914
Orderlies+nursesat
(Kragentz?)
Viewofhospitalgrounds
(Corsica?)
Cloisters,Royaumont
Patients,Troyeshospital
TroyesScneVques
pendantlaguerrede1914
1915
HpitalauxilaireBenevole
301,installconsle
domainedeChateloup
SaintonAnne
InteriorduntenteHpital
Grecianbodyguardofking
10AbbayedeRoyaumont
Turkish(?)womanandchild
Zeppelinbroughtdown
nearSalonique196

GroupdemaladiesetblessssoignsalHpital

JBWatson,202
HopeSt.

Cracked

202HopeSt.
202HopeSt.

JBWatson

2(?)stretcherbearers+wounded

22HopeSt.

Glassonly,nocover

202HopeSt.
Newton,King
St.,Covent
Garden

Glassonly,nocover

Badlycrackedesp.toprighthandcorner.
Calendar+mapinofficewithorderliesandfield
soldier

JBWatson,202
HopeSt.
202HopeSt.

Cracktoplefthandside

202HopeSt.
202HopeSt.

ReedhutinhabitedonLake
Tangaza(?)
Nolegend.2Frenchclergy.
SWHdoctor?Civilianman.
Tents+bedbackground
(Troyes?)
Delaguerrede19141915
SWH
Vieuxdebureaude
MadamelaDirector
HpitalauxilaireBenevole
301,installdansde
ChanteloupSaintSavise
Womensward,Corsica
2patients,1nurse
Staffofnurses,Royaumont
(10intotal)
BodyguardkinginGreece
Uskub(?)Turkishchildren
Villerscotleret(?)
6nurses
DrElsieInglisandapatient
atReins(?)

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38

39
40

41

42

DecorationofFrench
soldier
TroyesScneVques
pendantlaguerrede1914
1915
SWH
HpitalauxilaireBenevole
301,installdansde
ChanteloupSaintSavise
Unecrmonieimposante
danssasimplicit
LeGnralXdecoredel.
[CroixdeGuerre?]

Xray.Wristshowingsafety
pin.
Dr.Ivensreceivingvisitors
(3Frenchofficers,3
civilians)
Nomarkings.2orderlies,12
civilianmen.Possibly
outdoorkitcheninFrance.
KingofSerbia

202HopeSt.

Glassonlynomount

202HopeSt.

202HopeSt.

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GD/100/1Albums,lettersandjournalfromtheScottishWomen'sHostel,Salonika

Thejournal,albumandotheritemsgiveinsightinto
thelivesofthesebraveanddeterminedwomen

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