[NV026] : Jacquie at St George's 1948-56 & 61-66


Jacquie, St George's 1948-56 & 1961-66 Click photo to read and listen to her story

Jacquie was born in February 1928, and remembers wanting to be a nurse from a very young age. She was inspired by her Father who had been in the Medical Corp in World War 1.

Her desire to become a nurse remained with Jacquie throughout school and, despite having to move schools several times, due to the war, she began a pre-nursing course whilst in sixth form, and began to train at West Middlesex Hospital.

After her school experience of nursing, Jacquie began further training, aged 17, at the Samaritans Hospital in Marylebone Road. After a year she had to return home to help look after her seriously ill Mother.

Jacquie later returned to the Samaritans Hospital and passed her exams. At this point a Consultant at the hospital suggested she take on full nursing training, and directed her to St Georges.

Jacquie came to visit St Georges and thought the nursing staff looked very glamorous, so after passing a exam and meeting Miss Muriel Powell, a figure she sites as been kind and supportive throughout her career, she began training at St Georges.

Due to her previous nursing experience Jacquie began as a second year student nurse, and begun training within the block system in October 1948. She was first put to work at Hyde Park Corner, and lived at the Nursing home on Montpellier Street in Knightsbridge.

After Hyde Park Corner Jacquie moved down to Atkinson Morley; despite the challenging nature of the work and the long hours, Jacquie enjoyed her time at Atkinson Morley immensely, and felt very much at home within the close community and staff group at AMH.

After completing her training at AMH and Hyde Park Corner Jacquie did some work as a Staff Nurse on Williams Ward, before being given the opportunity to work in Canada and the USA. She worked out there for 18 months, before returning to England to take care of some family difficulties.

Jacquie was welcomed back to St Georges by Miss Powell and worked as an Administrative Sister for the group; from this position she moved to cover a sabbatical, in this capacity she was responsible for nursing within Hyde Park and AMH. After which, in 1963, Jacquie moved to Tooting to become Night Superintendent. At Tooting she met a Medical student, named Robin, who came from a St George’s family, his Father had been a Doctor there and his Mother a nurse. In 1966 Jacquie left St Georges to marry Robin.

To read & listen to Jacquie's experiences whilst at St George's please click on Jacquie's Story