May Tanner Psychiatric nurse at Glenside Hospital and Sister at the BRI
Answering the Call – Commonwealth Nurses in the NHS
Celestine Lewis is one of many who came to work in hospitals as they became part of the NHS.
She came from Jamaica and worked at Glenside Hospital for her whole career as an Auxiliary Nurse. Many people from the Caribbean, ‘Answered the Call’ of the British Government to come to the UK to address short falls in the work force in the aftermath of the Second World War.
Celestina Lewis was born in Jamaica in 1933. She came to Bristol, aged 18 in 1951. She followed her husband Joe. Eventually Celestina worked night shifts as a nurse at Glenside. In this extract she tells about her life in Jamaica, meeting Joe and how they decided to come to England.
Excerpt One: Coming to the UK
Excerpt Two: A day on the ward
The full interview (20mins)
Contact us about the museum
