Page 25 - Thrapston Life September 2023

GLANCE
AT THE
PAST
Eric Franklin looks back
St John Ambulance can trace its history back to 1877 when the St John Ambulance Association was formed, whilst in 1887 the St John Ambulance Brigade was founded to provide uniformed medics at public events. The Thrapston
and District Nursing
Association appointed nurse Edith Margery Mansbridge as District Nurse and Midwife in 1916, a post she held until responsibility for the service was taken over by the Northants County association. This picture of her picture is from the “Gainer Archive”.
The Ancillary nurses (above) were photographed during World War 2 and are shown outside the council offices. If you can
During the Great War many flag days were held raising money for various organisations. A rare surviving paper flag sold for St John Ambulance in my archives is shown top left.
Many communities had their own branch of the brigade
help with any of the names, I would be pleased to hear from you.
The Thrapston Brigade men’s section is shown in 1948 beside their old hall which was replaced with a new one which opened on 7th October 1950 (image on next page). The men are: Back Row: George Cooper; Perce Clarke; Reg Swan. Middle Row: Chris
Many communities had their own
branch of the brigade during the 1930’s; Twywell had both a men’s division and
a nursing class, both shown above right
(from the Barbara Knight archive held by EDF) whilst those in Islip and Titchmarsh joined in the annual Thrapston Hospital Parade in May 1938 raising £15 for the cause.
Holman; Ben Barber; George Allen; Fred Cobley; Ernie Sharpe; John Robinson; Eric Stubbs. Front Row: Ted Richardson; Roland Slater; Bert Tiney; Walter Ross; Arthur Knibbs:
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