Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing, Class of 1912

Annie Hamilton, Class of 1912

Annie Bertha Hamilton was born on August 17, 1888 in Whitewood, Saskatchewan. She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1912 and accepted a nursing position in Revelstoke, British Columbia in 1914.

She was part of the British Columbia Unit for overseas service and enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) in Taplow, Buckinghamshire on September 14, 1915. During the war, nursing sister Hamilton served in England and Salonika with the No. 5 Canadian General Hospital, Duchess of Connaught’s Red Cross Hospital and No. 4 Canadian General Hospital. She married Hugh Baker, a member of the Canadian Army, on September 22, 1917. She was discharged in July 1918 and returned to Esquimalt, British Columbia.

Annie Hood, Class of 1912

Annie Julia Hood was born on August 17, 1887 in Shadeland, Manitoba. She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1912 and enlisted with the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) in May 1917. Nursing sister Hood served in both England and France during the war and was first posted at Moore Barracks Hospital (No. 11 Canadian General Hospital) in 1917 before postings at No. 10 Canadian Special Hospital, No. 2 Canadian General Hospital and No 7 Canadian General Hospital in France.

She married W.J. Moorehead in Shorncliffe, England in May 1919 before returning to Canada. She passed away on February 28, 1979 in Ontario.

Clara Gillies, Class of 1912

Clara Sophia Gillies was born on September 22, 1889 in Selkirk, Manitoba. She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1912 and accepted a position at the King George Hospital in Winnipeg in 1914. In 1916, Clara Gillies was appointed Lady Superintendent of the King George – a position she held until enlisting with the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) in April 1917.

During the war, nursing sister Gillies served in England and was posted to the No. 10 Canadian General Hospital, Granville Canadian Special Hospital and No.15 Canadian General Hospital. She was discharged in April 1919 and returned to her position on staff at the King George Hospital in Winnipeg.

In 1920, she accepted a position on staff of the City of Winnipeg Anti-Tuberculosis Department and in 1926, she moved to New York City to do special nursing. She also nursed in Washington and Virginia. She died on May 5, 1971 in Winnipeg.

Evelyn Hall, Class of 1912

Evelyn Emily Hall was born on August 29, 1888 in Indian Head, Saskatchewan. She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1912.

During the war, she joined the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) and went overseas in late 1916 where she served for one year at Malta. She then enlisted with the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) in November 1917 and was posted to No. 10 Canadian General Hospital, Brighton where she served until discharged in April 1919.

In 1922, she joined the staff of the Social Service Department of Winnipeg General Hospital. According to the Nurses’ Alumnae Journal, she returned to Indian Head, Saskatchewan with her husband, W.R. Patterson, prior to 1937. She passed away on January 25, 1977 in British Columbia.

Jean Cowie, Class of 1912

Jean Cowie was born on June 9, 1888 at Fort McMurray, Alberta (at that time part of the Northwest Territories). She graduated from the the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1912.

In 1913, she accepted the position of Night Supervisor at the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, British Columbia. She resigned in 1913 and took on a position in the Operating Room at Winnipeg General Hospital in 1914. In 1916, she accepted a position on staff at the King George Hospital in Winnipeg.

She joined the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) in 1916 and served until 1918; however, she stayed overseas because her husband, Lieutenant W. Earl Harry remained in the service.

After the war, she was a teaching supervisor at Winnipeg General Hospital from 1928-1932 and also served as President of the Nurses’ Alumnae Association (1932). Between 1932-1959, she served as a Superintendent of both Administration and the School of Nursing of Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. During her career, she received the George V Jubilee Medal.

She died on February 11, 1982 in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan.

Jean MacDonald, Class of 1912

Jean Alexandrina MacDonald was born on March 11, 1888 in Conon Bridge, Scotland. She immigrated to Canada in 1908 and enrolled in the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1912.

After graduation, she engaged in private duty nursing in Winnipeg, before accepted a position as charge nurse of an operating room in Edmonton, Alberta. She enlisted with the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) in January 1916 as part of the Queen’s University Unit and served in both England and France. While overseas, nursing sister MacDonald was first posted at Granville Stationary Hospital, Ramsgate and then spent the remainder of her service at No. 7 Canadian General Hospital in France. In March 1919, she received the Medaille des Epidemies “en argent” – an award granted to nursing sisters for attending wounded civilians under fire.

She returned to Canada in June 1919 and nursed at No. 10 Manitoba Military Hospital (Tuxedo Park) until accepting a position in 1922 as a member of the staff of a City Hospital in Mexico. In 1933, she was involved in special duty nursing in New York. She retired to Roblin, Manitoba and passed away on November 23, 1969.

Janet McClung, Class of 1912

Janet McClung was born on July 29, 1885 in Ripley, Ontario. She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1912 and began private duty nursing in Winnipeg before joining the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) in 1915. She was appointed to the position of Assistant Matron at Sewell Camp (Camp Hughes) – a Canadian military training camp located near Carberry, Manitoba.

In 1916, McClung was discharged from the CAMC and joined the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS), where she served for one year before e-enlisting with the CAMC in November 1917. Nursing sister was posted to No. 15 Canadian General Hospital, Taplow and returned to Canada in September 1919.

In 1922, McClung went to Los Angeles, California and did private duty nursing for a short time before accepting a position on staff at St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg later that year. She relocated to Vancouver in 1923 where she lived until passing away on March 24, 1962.

Lenora Herrington, Class of 1912

Lenora Herrington was born on July 3, 1875 in Prince Edward County, Ontario.

She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1912 and enlisted with the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) in May 1915. Nursing sister Herrington served in England and France and spent the majority service posted at the No. 1 Canadian General Hospital in France. She was mentioned in despatches in 1917 and was awarded a Military Medal in 1918.

In 1919, Herrington returned to Canada and accepted a position at Sydenham Hospital in Kingston, Ontario. She lived in Napanee, Ontario until her death in November 1960.

Lizzie Ramsay Aikman, Class of 1912

Lizzie Ramsay Aikman was born on October 20, 1883 in Whitburn, Scotland. It was there she decided to become a nurse and enrolled in a training course at Craig House Private Nursing Home in Edinburgh.

She immigrated to Canada in 1909 and enrolled in the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1912. Following her graduation she was an operating room nurse in Dr. Blanchard’s hospital and in 1914, became an assistant Operating Room nurse at Winnipeg General Hospital.

With the outbreak of World War I, she was one of three nurses chosen to represent Manitoba in the British Red Cross. On April 21, 1915 she sailed for London, England and soon after arriving sailed to Malta where she served for over a year at Hamrun, the private residence of the governor.

After completing her service in Malta, she returned to London for a short time before being posted to the No. 12 Canadian General Hospital in France and later to No. 10 Casualty Clearing Station in England where she remained until 1918.

She enlisted with the Canadian Army Medical Corps in June 1918 and was stationed at Shorncliffe when the armistice was signed. Upon returning to Canada, nursing sister Aikman continued to serve at No. 10 Manitoba Military Hospital (Tuxedo Park) and Deer Lodge Hospital until she was discharged in 1923.

After completion of her military service, she became Matron of Brandon Mental Hospital and later engaged in private duty nursing.

She passed away at the age of 49 years on December 3, 1931.

Margaret Rinn, Class of 1912

There is very little known about Margaret Rinn other than she graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1912 and during World War I she served with the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) in 1917.

It is not known how long she served with the QAIMNS, but after the war she returned to Winnipeg.

Sadie Ferguson, Class of 1912

Sadie Ferguson was born on December 30, 1888 in Belfast, Ireland. She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1912 and joined the staff of the Regina General Hospital in 1914.

In February 1915, Sadie Ferguson joined the Canadian Army Medical Corps and served in England, France and Salonika. Nursing sister Ferguson was posted at No 2 Canadian General Hospital, Le Treport, France and No. 5 Canadian General Hospital, Salonika, however due to poor health was discharged from overseas service and returned to Manitoba in 1917.

After spending time recuperating, she worked for a summer at Keewatin Beach in charge of the convalescent cottage for returned soldiers, before accepting the position of Assistant Matron at No. 10 Manitoba Military Hospital (Tuxedo Park) – a position she held until 1920. She was awarded the Royal Red Cross Second Class for her service.

After the war, she married John Hook and they lived in California and later British Columbia.  She died on January 6, 1965 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Notes from a Nursing Sister, A.M.C

Here I am in France and realize that we are on active service. We came across the channel in three hours and considered ourselves lucky, as it took some boats three days. We landed at Boulogne and stayed over night. A number of our girls are there. Saw Miss Attrill the day we left. She motored in 22 miles to see us. She had been on duty all night previous. We had not much time together, as we left shortly afterwards. There is nothing too good for our “Tommies” these days. I was on duty with the English sisters for two weeks and I liked it very much. They were extremely busy. Our hospital is under canvas, and is very well fitted up. I have just been in my tent a couple of days with 32 beds. We never know when there will be a rush of patients. Most of our girls have brothers or friends at the front. A brother of one, a Canadian officer, was killed. She feels it keenly, but is just as bright with her patients as if nothing had happened. Have just heard that the Canadian casualties are very heavy at the engagement at Hill 60. Heard too, that the Germans had got the hill back. It was depressing news but it is contradicted. Our patients are coming in by the hundreds. Two hundred and seventy-five was the number we got last night and they are still coming in by the train load.

S.F. [Sadie Ferguson]

[Published in Nurses’ Alumnae Journal, July 1915]

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