Medical

Christmas Eve at the Front

An interesting letter has just been received by Mrs Packer, of Broadclyst, from her husband, Corpl Packer of A Company, 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, who is serving with the Expeditionary Force in Northern France. In the course of a letter he describes a remarkable incident which occurred on Christmas Eve between the British and German trenches.

Gifts to Bideford Hospital

Mr C H Stanbury, Mrs L Taylor, Sister Martin, Mrs Stanbury, Mr M J Pearce, Sister Squance, Mrs Arnold, Miss E M Botting and Mrs Martin

Last year, in its first year of operation, the Health Amenities Fund, sponsored by the Exeter and Western Counties Hospital Aid Society, raised £70 in this area and this is being distributed to local hospitals in the form of gifts to meet patients' needs.

Two Parker Knoll armchairs and an electric hair drier, to the value of £20, were presented to Bideford and District Hospital at a ceremony on Friday afternoon. Items valued at £40 are to be given to the Torridge Hospital and value £10 to the Torrington Cottage Hospital. The money has been raised by voluntary efforts, including jumble sales and competitions, and this year the area committee have set themselves a target of at least £100. A flag day is being held at the end of August to augment other efforts.

At Friday's presentation at Bideford Hospital, the gifts were handed over in the presence of members of the local committee by Mr M J Pearce, of Westleigh, the area chairman, and Mr C H Stanbury, of Bideford, area secretary. The armchairs are for use in the men's ward and the hair drier for use in the women's ward. The gifts were received on behalf of the hospital by the Matron,

Miss E M Botting, who thanked all associated with the fund for their generous and kindly gesture.

Gazette article dated 29 April 1955

Torrington Hospital Appointment

Miss A Faulkener has been appointed matron of Torrington Cottage Hospital

and has taken up her duties.

In the three months the hospital has been without a matron, Sister B Atchison has been in charge. She has now taken charge of the hospital’s maternity ward which re-opened last week.

Miss Faulkener, who comes to Torrington from Elgin (Morayshire) Maternity Hospital, trained at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and later worked at Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital.

Gazette article dated 14 January 1955

Instow Retirement

Retiring on March 17th after 43 of nursing,

the last 16 at Instow, is Miss E Rees, a Queen’s Nursing Sister of 10 Venn Close, Instow.

She has helped to bring well over 2,000 babies into the world, and herself legally adopted two babies, Peter, now a police constable, and Rosemary (who died at the age of 17 two years ago).

Miss Rees, originally from Yorkshire, has never been out of nursing work throughout her busy life except for a few weeks sickness. She received a long service medal at a gathering at St James’ Palace. In retirement she will live with her sister in a caravan at Westward Ho!

Her colleagues are planning to mark her retirement with a party and a presentation.

Gazette article dated 5 March 1965