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Answering the Call
Uncovering Hidden Histories: The Story of Commonwealth Nurses in the NHS
The history of commonwealth nurses and their contribution to the NHS is one that is often overlooked. Discover this hidden history at Glenside Hospital through the exhibition ‘Answering the Call’ which showcases the triumphs and challenges faced by these nurses.
The exhibition uses textiles, ceramics, and sculpture as well the Museum’s mental health care collections to capture their histories. This was a collaboration of ex-nurses, artists and members of the local community. Supported by Historic England.
Art from the exhibition by local textile artist Teresa Searle of the journey of nurse Mrs Rachel Obi (Photograph Ella Tranter)
Advert from Jamaican newspaper 1966
Addressing the staff shortage: 54,000 vacancies
The government faced a staff shortage when it took over 2,688 hospitals on the 5th of July 1948. The 54,000 vacancies were compounded by post-war losses, low wages, and other barriers such as the marriage bar for women. The answer to this shortfall was to call on people to come to Britain. Health minister Aneurin Bevin (1945-1951), the chief architect of the NHS, planned to recruit nurses and student nurses from both Europe and the Commonwealth.
Documenting the experiences of Commonwealth Nurses
The exhibition showcases personal stories from brave nurses who came from Commonwealth countries to join the new NHS. A group of former nurses, students and community members recorded the stories of these nurses and then took part in using needlework, printmaking and sculpture to produce a display of work that reveals their role in mental health hospital care.
Eulinda Antonette Clarke Akalanne meeting with the priest with a group of Irish nurses 1960-1964
The Exhibition
ANSWERING THE CALL
Our talented artists have created many poignant and creative pieces celebrating and recognising the stories of Commonwealth Nurses at Glenside Hospital. Utilising techniques like stitching, printing, writing poetry and prose, and sculpting, they've offered perspectives on care in psychiatric hospitals.
Nurses Aprons inspired Mrs Rachel Obi (Teresa Searle)
The apron pattern is taken from an original 1960s nurse’s apron in the Glenside Hospital Museum collection. Machine and hand embroidery on vintage cotton sheet base (some marks are present from the sheet, used at Frenchay Hospital), hand dyed and salvaged silk appliqué, viscose embroidery threads.
The yellow flowers represent Rachel’s place of birth as they are the national flower of Nigeria, Costus spectabili. The hand embroidered silver buckle is that awarded to nurses as they qualify. The swallows celebrate migration, they travel from Africa via Nigeria to the UK are guided by the sun and stars.
The hand dyed indigo fabrics have been used to echo the traditional textile culture of Nigeria. Indigo itself, has migrated around the world and is used in many textile cultures.
Hands feature making connections between nursing and making. They also represent the connection between us, the patients and the humanity and care of nurses.
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- Aprons by Teresa Searle on the altar at the museum
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- May Tanner, Nurses Apron by Teresa Searle
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- The Language of Kindness, Nurses Apron by Teresa Searle
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- Mrs Rachel Obi, Nurses Apron by Teresa Searle
Helping hands (various artists)
Our exhibition showcases the results of many creative endeavours including our 2023 sewing workshops at the museum. Helping Hands was a collaborative project under the expert guidance of Teresa Searle.
Hands are a central part of thinking about nurses and of the nobility and heart of the people who came to Britain to ‘Answer the Call.’ We see the human brain as our most defining feature but without hands what would our civilisation be? The touch of a hand to express care and empathy; the foundation of nursing.
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- Helping Hands collaborative project at the exhibition
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- Helping Hands sewing from Clair Cameron
‘It was really exciting, everyone produced lots of varied work, such creative stitchers. It's interesting how everyone has been inspired by different aspects of the stories that we collected from the NHS nurses. The stories of the courageous women who travelled so for on their own, these focused and ambition women that have fulfilled their ambitions with verve’
Anwyl Cooper-Willis, Artist and Trustee Glenside Hospital Museum
Nurse Uniforms inspired by Celestine Lewis (various artists)
As part of the project we captured Nursing Auxiliary Celestine Lewis’ oral history describing her long career at Glenside Hospital.
Our artists used her words to inspire pieces utilising hand stitching, knitting and print on an original 1980s Glenside Hospital Nursing Auxiliary uniform.
‘I think an amazing woman that worked so hard to do the best she could to provide for her children. She was kind, as kind at work as she was at home in a time when many weren't, although she herself experienced racism herself she maintained that kindness and she took enormous pride in her work’.
Moira Gavin, who produced work inspired by the oral history of Celestine Lewis
