XVII
H.R.H.PRINCESS BEATRICE, THE HON. LADY LAWLEY. G.B.E., AND THE COUNTESS OF GOSFORD
Women’sshare has indeed been magnificent in the work of equipping the hospitals with bandages, garments, stores, and comforts of all descriptions. In the first week of war it is no exaggeration to say that there was hardly a woman in the kingdom who was not making something for the sick and wounded. But organisation stepped in at once to direct and systematise their efforts, and the main work has been carried on under the auspices of Queen Mary’s Needlework Guild, and the Joint Societies of the British Red Cross and the Order of St. John.
Queen Mary’s Needlework Guild was inaugurated the day after war was declared, and, in response to an appeal by Her Majesty the Queen to the women of England, consignments of garments and comforts soon began to flow in. The headquarters of the Guild were established at Friary Court,St.James’s Palace, under the direction of the Hon. Lady Lawley, who has acted as honorary organising secretary throughout. In the rooms of the old Palace, which formerly glittered with all the splendour of the King’s State levées, mountains of garments and hospital necessaries were soon piled up. The organisation hasdeveloped until now it stretches round the world, and the stream of supplies has continued with an ever-increasing volume. In the United Kingdom 470 branches have been formed since the work of the Guild was initiated. From overseas the response to Her Majesty’s appeal has been even more remarkable. Seventy branches and many sub-branches have been established even in the remotest corners of the earth, and the work which they have done, and the number of garments which they have sent in to Friary Court, have been no less even than the vast quantities which have been supplied by the workers in the United Kingdom. The number of garments received at headquarters is now approaching five and a half millions, of which over five and a quarter millions have been despatched. A record was established when, in one specially busy week, a quarter of a million garments were sent off. These figures do not include the enormous consignments received at and despatched from many of the branches working on independent lines.
Hospitals at home and abroad, convalescent homes, British military and medical units in Europe, Africa, and Mesopotamia, the Navy, the Allied forces, the Belgian refugees, the Prisoners of War, are some of the recipients of gifts from this great distributing centre at Friary Court, for the sympathies of the Guild are as catholic as its friends and supporters are widespread.
Daily reports of the work are submitted to Her Majesty the Queen, who has thus kept in close touch with all the details of the organisation. Lady Lawley and a large staff of voluntary workers have laboured unsparingly throughout, and are responsiblein a great measure for the ready help which has been granted on so many sides. The following extract from a letter from a high authority in France is a typical tribute: “In this past fortnight the demand has been unprecedented, and I have been able to meet every requirement. I can never be grateful enough to the Guild.... I don’t think any of us can ever thank the work parties half enough for their very useful help.”
The largest surgical branch of Queen Mary’s Needlework Guild is at the Central War Hospital Supply Depôt, where truly inspiring work is being done in the making of hospital requirements. The depôt was founded in April, 1915, by Miss Ethel M’Caul, R.R.C., who originated and developed the system of work. When at the end of that year Miss M’Caul resigned, H.R.H. Princess Beatrice graciously undertook to carry on the work of the depôt, and appointed Mrs. E. H. Gibson as her general manager.
The workers attached to this depôt number 3500, and their service is entirely voluntary. There is no obligation to work for any stated time, but each worker is free to come for as long and as often as possible. Though the majority are part-time workers, there is a nucleus of “steady plodders” who come all day and every day. With woman’s infallible instinct of dressing for her part, an optional but universally adopted uniform is worn in the depôt—a white linen overall and a flowing white coif, which give the workrooms a charming and picturesque aspect. Each worker pays a subscription of 1s. a week, which, besides covering the house expenses of the depôt, makes a considerable contribution towardsthe cost of materials and packing. Apart from this maintenance fund, money for the work has been entirely provided by voluntary gifts.
THE STERILIZING ROOM AT THE CENTRAL WAR HOSPITAL SUPPLY DEPÔTTo face page94
THE STERILIZING ROOM AT THE CENTRAL WAR HOSPITAL SUPPLY DEPÔT
To face page94
This Central Depôt has been the parent of a great organisation, which has spread throughout the country till now 220 branches have been established in the United Kingdom. Thus the work has grown and extended till there is hardly a town of importance where the host of women who have too many home ties to give themselves entirely to war work may yet devote whatever time they can to making hospital requisites under skilled instruction. The Central Depôt issues patterns to its branches, and only work up to a high standard is passed for the hospitals. Marvels of ingenuity have been evolved in the way of bandages; the modern bandage is constructed with a view to making dressings as easy and painless as possible, and it can be put on with the minimum of movement for the patient. Sterilisation of dressings is a great feature, and all sterilised goods are carefully packed in paper, afterwards hermetically sealed in waterproof cases actually in the sterilising room, thus rendering them ready for immediate use on being unpacked. Visitors cannot help being struck by the professional aspect of the work, whether they are looking at the complicated and beautifully sewn bandages, the well-made garments, or the perfectly packed parcels. Though the workers are volunteers, there is none of that amateur aspect which is apt to be associated with voluntary work.
Altogether many hundred hospitals have been supplied, most of which are in receipt of regular consignments. The branch depôts are encouraged to send their products to local hospitals, but theyalso forward a certain amount to the Central Depôt. The output from this depôt last year reached over three million articles, such as bandages, surgical dressings, splints, clothing, and slippers.
Such a successful and invaluable organisation is one of which all the women concerned may be justly proud. The practical assistance of H.R.H. Princess Beatrice, which entails her almost daily presence at the depôt, and actual work in the bandage department, has added greatly to the satisfactory results. The general manager has given silent proof of her own capacity in the achievements of the entire organisation; such work can only be carried on if it is managed with infinite tact, foresight, and energy.
At Mulberry Walk, Chelsea, another depôt is doing particularly helpful work. The special feature of this branch is the department for light splints and supports, made in papier-mâché, to fit exactly the casts of individual patients’ limbs, taken by the workers. Some of these women are sculptresses, whose experience in their own profession has accustomed them to the handling of plaster for the casts and the subsequent modelling of the splints. The lightness and perfect fit of these splints make them of the greatest comfort to the wearers, and their beneficial effect has been remarkable.
Under the Joint Societies of the British Red Cross and the Order ofSt.John another great organisation has been established which has its headquarters at the Central Workrooms at Burlington House, where work is carried on under the presidency of the Countess of Gosford. The organisation is divided into four main branches, which include the work carried on actuallyat the Central Workrooms, the work of the branch depôts and working parties, the home workers, and the department for supplying patterns.
At the Central Workrooms nearly a thousand voluntary workers have been enrolled, who have produced a total of over 350,000 articles, which include a large proportion of bandages, besides hospital garments. In addition to this, a large number of garments and bandages have been made and supplied as patterns to the working parties; the pattern department has also issued thousands of paper patterns, books, and directions.
Asked to register at the Central Workrooms, and so to form a part of this great national organisation, these working parties, which number over 2000, have established a truly wonderful record. It is impossible to give even an approximate idea of the total of the vast supplies of hospital necessaries which they have produced, but recent returns from only 975 of the working parties over a period of about eighteen months show the astonishing output of nearly five and a half millions of articles for hospital use. Such figures show that women of the country, to whom more conspicuous service has been denied, have indeed achieved miracles of devoted industry. In recognition of their work, the Central Workrooms issues special certificates, and also distributes Government badges, on application by the responsible heads, to members of these working parties who have produced a specified output, and there are to-day close on 40,000 workers who may be justified in showing with pride these tributes of recognition. The scope of these registered working parties is world-wide, and stretches from Portugal tothe West Indies, from Sierra Leone to California, from New Zealand to Panama.
Other contributors to the supplies of the Central Workrooms are the registered home workers, who have produced a great output of needlework, besides innumerable contributions for hospital use of games, books, stationery, musical instruments, etc. Lady Gosford is controlling a department of which she and her helpers may well feel proud, and it is largely owing to the fine stimulus from headquarters that the total records have been so satisfactory.
In a great department in the British Red Cross Society’s buildings, weekly deliveries of all the work made and collected by the Central Workrooms are received, together with countless other gifts of hospital comforts from all over the world. Here the miscellaneous collection is sorted and despatched according to the requests from the hospitals by a voluntary staff who have been working under Lady Sophie Scott for nearly three years. The goods are packed and sent not only to the hospitals in Britain and in France, but to all the remoter theatres of war—Malta, Egypt, Salonika, Mesopotamia, Palestine. Besides sending to British hospitals, large gifts have been made to the sick and wounded of the Allies.
At a similar depôt for the receiving and despatch of hospital equipment and comforts, another devoted group of workers under Lady Jekyll has worked at this labour of love since the earliest days of the war, near the ancient buildings of St. John’s Gate. Here the St. John workers of the country send their contributions, and goods of all sorts are despatched to hospitals at home and abroad. The neat shelvesand cupboards contain everything that the sick soldiers may want, from warm bed-jackets and sleeping-suits to tooth-brushes and soap, while extras such as writing materials and games are frequently among the gifts. The Red Cross and St. John Depôts each supply a separate group of hospitals, and it is indeed a proud achievement that they have been able throughout the war to keep pace with requirements on such an enormous scale.
If the complete history ever comes to be written of the work of women with their needles during the war, it will reveal an astounding record of patient, loyal, skilful achievement, and an output of which the figures can only be described as phenomenal.