The Red Cross have made available all of their archive of V.A.D. cards for those people who had joined the Voluntary Aid Detachment during the Great War:
This searchable database has enabled us to download all of the card images and records for Keighley and the Worth Valley. The details have been carefully transcribed by one of our own volunteers Christine Hudson and we have made available a list of people whom we know served locally with the Keighley War Hospital cluster either as nurses or doctors, ambulance drivers or support staff.
It's exciting because it's concrete evidence that a local person served their country in this field and even more exciting, they're mainly women - as women's war records are not as commonly found as men's records, making the research on them so much more difficult.
Some are with the Red Cross, some are with the St. John Ambulance Brigade and some are Royal Army Medical Corps soldiers who were posted to work in the hospitals here.
If you see a name of someone you think may be a relative, please send details to us via our Website Submission Page and we'll get back to you.
Here is the list of names of people who were V.A.D.s.
Ones in bold text are in the process of being researched.
Completed biographies are the ones in bold text with a link to their page.
Haworth:
Holmes, George - Orderly duties, Transport of wounded
Hudson, Fred - Ward Master, Convoy duty and night orderly
Nicholson, John - Motor ambulance orderly, convoys and dressing stations, air raids
Parker, Fred - Convoy and orderly duties
Rogerson, Emma - Surgical nursing duties
Thorpe, George - Convoy stretcher bearer and hospital orderly duties
Haworth and District Ambulance and Nursing Divisions 1919
In 2022, Stephanie Toothill kindly allowed us to scan these images of the Haworth and District Ambulance and Nursing Division.
Haworth Ambulance and Nursing Divisions 1919
The location of this photograph was identified for us by the Haworth historian Steven Wood, who identified the buildings as Lees Methodist Sunday School and Church. The church was demolished many years ago and the sunday school (on the left) is now used as the church. We are very grateful to Steven for helping us to understand this photograph.
The photos are from the personal photo collection of Frank and Norah Toothill née Haigh. Norah served as a nurse during the Great War and this is her photograph in uniform, which was taken at the Shuttleworth photographic studio, on West Lane in Haworth:
Norah Haigh in her nursing uniform, probably taken in 1919. Photographer: Shuttleworth
Norah also had this photograph of a friend, also a nurse, but we don't know her name (Do you?)
Norah Haigh's friend, also a nurse in 1919. Photographer: Shuttleworth.
We'd like to find out who all these people were but it will be an uphill task as we have very little to go on. If you recognise any of them, please get in touch with us.
In the meantime, we'll begin our list of names with Norah.
Haworth and District Ambulance and Nursing members:
Haigh, Norah (later Toothill)
Oakworth:
Andrews, Isabella Whittingham - Nurse
Creek, Susan - Nurse and egg collector
Earnshaw, Martha - Nurse
Field, Amyl Jennie - Ambulance driver
Housley, John - Transport of wounded soldiers and hospital duties
Powell, Annie - Nursing. Principally night duty
Keighley district:
Ackroyd, Percy Andrew - Hospital Orderly Sick Nursing & Convoy Duties
Allen, Charles Henry - Transport of wounded & Hospital Orderly Duties
Alred, F - Staff nurse - Staff list
Anderson, Clara - Nursing
Anderton, Lily - Nursing
Anderton, William - Convoy work, Air Raids, Hospital Work
Andrews, Annie Louisa - Nursing (some night duty)
Andrews, George Richard - Hospital Orderly duties & transport of wounded
Angus, Dr - Physician - Staff list
Atkinson, Edith - Nursing (some night duty)
Atkinson, Mary Emily - Nursing (some night duty)
Atkinson, Mary Emily - Nursing (some night duty)
Bacon, R - Ward sister - Staff list
Baker, Jane - Surgical Nursing Duties. Probationer - Staff list
Balls, John Vincent - Hospital, Convoy & Air Raids
Barras, Herbert - Transport of wounded. Air Raids,. Hospital Orderly
Barugh, E - Staff nurse - Staff list
Bauer, Emily - Surgical Nursing Duties
Baxter, Arthur - Hospital Convoys & Air Raids
Beck, Dorothy Margaret- Nurse
Beck, H A - Lt. RAMC - Temporary surgeon, Staff list
Beckley, Sidney - Unloading & Reloading into Motor Vehicles 50 Convoys
Bell, M - Ward sister - Staff list
Bennett, Harry - Transport of wounded soldiers. Railway Station to Hospital and Hospital duty
Bilton, L - Ward sister - Staff list
Binns, Allan - Convoy Work & Hospital Orderly
Binns, Sarah - Nurse
Binns, Tim - Convoy & Hospital Duties
Binns, Walter - Convoy & Hospital Duties
Bird, Harold - Hospital Orderly & Transport of wounded
Blackwell, Arthur - Transport of wounded & Hospital Duties
Blakey, Phyllis - Surgical Nursing Duties. Probationer - Staff list
Bower, E - Probationer - Staff list
Boyle, Mehala Mary - Nursing
Bracewell, William Holland - Assistant in Medical Stores, Dispenser, Stretcher Bearer
Brander, Dr. Hugh Stewart - Surgeon
Brayshaw, Mary Ann - Bed making & ward duties
Brook, Ethel - Surgical Nursing Duties
Brooksbank, Samuel - Transfer of wounded from trains to hospital
Brown, Esther - Clerk
Buckle, Dorothy - Surgical Nursing Duties
Burden, George - Transport of wounded soldiers, Railway station to Hospital & hospital orderly
Butterfield, Herbert - Hospital, Convoys & Air Raids
Butterfield, John - Hospital Orderly & Motor Tractor Driver
Campbell, Jean - Surgical Nursing Duties
Carradice, Arthur - Hospital, Convoys & Air Raids
Cherry, Alice - Nursing
Clad, Marie - Surgical Nursing Duties
Clark, Rose - Nurse V.A.D.
Clarke, John - Hospital, Convoys & Air Raids
Clough, Fanny - Surgical Nursing Duties
Clough, Martha M - General Service & Donor
Clough, Samuel - Convoy & Hospital Work
Collingham, Annie Louisa - Nurse
Collins, Dorothy - Surgical Nursing Duties
Clymo, Annie - Nursing overseas in France for four years
Cooper, Joseph - Convoys & Hospital Duties
Corban, Hannah - Nurse V.A.D.
Cowling, Edith - Probationer Nurse
Crouch, Norman J M - Ward Orderly, Transport of wounded, Air Raid & Sick Nursing Etc
Crowther, William - Convoy & Hospital duties, Ward Master
Dawes, Mary - Nursing
Dawson, Mary - Probationer Nurse
Dean, Elizabeth A - Probationer Nurse
Dearnley, Lucy - Nursing (some night duty)
Dixon, Frank - Ward Duties & Convoys
Dobie, John Nicholson - Surgeon
Dobson, Jean - Surgical Nursing Duties
Drake, Abraham Mitchell - Convoy Work & Air Raid Hospital
Duckett, Reubin - Hospital Duties. Transporting wounded
Feather, Joseph - Hospital, Convoys & Air Raids
Feather, Morris - Transport of wounded soldiers & Orderly duties
Feather, Percy - Ward Orderly - convoy work
Fisher, Winifred - Surgical Nursing Duties
Fitzpatrick, Frank St John Ernest William - Transport of wounded & hospital duties
Fleming, Gladys - Surgical Nursing Duties
Fletcher, Ethel - Nursing V.A.D. Military Hospital
Fort, Dorris - Bead Making & any Ward duties
Foster, Alice - Probationer Nurse
Foster, Mary Jane - Probationer Nurse
Foster, Nellie - Clerk
Fox, Betty - Ordinary Nursing Duties
Frankland, Mildred - General service & nurse
Gidleigh, Grace - Surgical Nursing Duties
Glew, Margaret C - Junior nurse
Gott, James Arthur - Transport of wounded, air raids & sick nursing etc, Ward Orderly
Graham, Esther Evelyn - General service, Nursing (some night duty)
Greensmith, Arnold - Transport of wounded & hospital duties
Greenwood, George William - Hospital. Convoy. Air Raids
Greenwood, Harry - Night orderly & convoy work
Greenwood, Percy - Convoy work, Air Raids, Hospital Work
Greer, Emma - Surgical & medical nursing
Haggas, Betty - Nurse V.A.D.
Haggas, Edyth Gladys and Evelyn Mary - Red Cross canteen workers
Haigh, Richard O. - Transport & Hospital Duties
Hale, Harry - Ward Orderly
Hale, Henry - Orderly duties at VAD Hospital Spencer Street Keighley assisting with Convoys at Keighley Station
Harding, John - Ward Master, Transport duties. In charge of Ambulance Van loading at Railway station & Hospital duties
Harrison, John William - Hospital duty & transport of wounded
Harrison, William Edward - Transport of wounded & Hospital work
Hartley, Alice Janet -
Hartley, Annie - Clerk
Heaps, Iveson - Transport of wounded, Hospital duties
Hebblethwaite, Alfred George - Medical Personnel - Surgeon
Henderson, Jessie - Surgical & Nursing Duties
Hey, Ethel - Nurse
Hill, Annie - Matron & Commandant
Holmes, Ezra - Convoy Work & Hospital Work
Holmes, George William - Orderly Duties at Hospital and Transporting Wounded
Holmes, James - Hospital, Convoys & Air Raids
Holmes, John - Orderly Duties at Spencer Street & Morton Banks & Transporting Wounded
Horsfall, Kathleen - General Service
Housley, John - Transport of Wounded and Ambulance Duty
Howell-Harries, Phyllis Margaret - Nursing Duties
Hudson, Fred - Superintendent, Ward Master; Section Leader, Convoy Work and Night Orderly
Hudson, Smith - Transport Wounded from Railway Station to Hospitals & Orderly Work at Hospital, Air Raid
Hunter, B.V. - General service nursing
Jack, James - Ward Orderly, Transport duties, Hospital duties, Keighley. Was 6 months in France also. YMCA & general work among troop
Jones, Clara - Nurse V.A.D.
Jowett, Ada - Nursing
Jowett, Joseph Albert - Secretary & Treasurer
Jowitt, Dorothy - Air Raids, Convoys, transport of wounded from central to auxiliary hospitals & secretary for Spencer Street Auxiliary Hospital
Judson, John Thomas - Surgical Nursing Duties
Keighley, Janet - Convoy & Hospital Duties, Relief Nurse V.A.D
Kiddy, William - Hospital Duties & convoy
King, Harriet - Housekeeper
Lambert, Barbara - Nurse V.A.D.
Laycock, Annie - Nurse V.A.D.
Laycock, Edith - Surgical Nursing Duties
Leneghan, Mary - Trainee nurse
Lister, Mary - Surgical Nursing Duties
Lister, William Herbert - District Messenger, Bearer, Orderly
Little, George - Hospital duties & Transport
Littlewood, Harry - Transport of Wounded & Hospital Duties
Logan, Walter - Convoys & Hospital Duties
Longsden, Mary - Surgical Nursing Duties (Typo on card)
Lovell, George - Unloading & Loading of Wounded from train to Hospital. Hospital Orderly
Lowcock, Martha Ann - Bed Making & any Ward Duties
MacKay, Maude - Surgical Nursing Duties
Manterfield, Abraham - Hospital duties (Nurse & Assistant Steward)
Marriott-Watson, Hannah Margaret - Nursing Member
Masker, Ethel - General Service
Maynard, Frances - Surgical Nursing Duties
Merrall, Gladys W. - General Service
Metcalfe, Mary - Surgical Nursing Duties
Midgley, Rose A - General Service
Midgley, Walter - Hospital Duties & Convoys
Miller, Ada - Nursing (some night duty)
Milnes, Samuel - Transport Duty & Hospital Duty
Moss, William - Attending Convoys
Myers, Emily - Sewing & Mending
Naylor, Elizabeth Ellen - Nursing. Principally night duty
Newman, Joseph - Spencer Street Hospital Orderly & Convoy duties loading from station to hospital
Noble, Tom - Ward Master
Noble, Thomas - Hospital & Convoy Duties
O' Dwyer, Marjorie - Dispensing
Oates, Norah - Nursing (some night duty)
Ogden, Edith - Surgical Nursing Duties
Ogston, Phyllis - General Service
Oughterson, Annie B - Trained nurse
Pagdin, Sarah - Nursing
Parker, Hannah Louisa - Surgical nursing duties
Payne, William Herbert - Transport of Wounded, Air Raid, Sick Nursing
Petty, Mary Ann - (a) Nursing (b) Sewing (Bed Linen & Repairs)
Pickles, Arthur - Hospital. Convoy. Air Raids
Pickles, Beatrice - Surgical Nursing Duties
Pigott, Lucy Mael - Housekeeping
Preston, Frank - Hospital. Convoy. Air Raids
Proctor, Minnie - Surgical Nursing Duties
Quinn, Agnes - Sister in charge of patients
Rawnsley, Susannah - Nursing (some night duty)
Rayner, Ethel - Clerk
Read, Jean - Surgical Nursing Duties
Redman, Arthur - Hospital Duties & Convoys
Redman, H.E. - Nursing (some night duty)
Reece, Maude - Cooking & Nursing at Brabyns Auxiliary Hospital
Reid, Annie Evelyn - Surgical Nursing Duties
Rhodes, Fred - Orderly duties at War Hospital & Convoys
Rich, Frank Clayton - Convoys & Hospital Duties
Richards, Thomas William - Hospital Duty & Transport of Wounded
Riddiough, Alice - Cook
Rishworth, Isabel - Surgical Nursing Duties
Roberts, Fanny - Bed making & any Ward Duties
Roberts, Percy - Transport of wounded soldiers & Hospital duty
Robinson, Arthur - Convoys, Air Raids & Hospital Work
Robinson, Gwendoline - Surgical Nursing Duties
Robinson, Hiram - Transport of wounded from Station to Hospital, Nursing, Air Raids
Robinson, Wilfred Harold - Messenger, Convoy & Hospital Duties
Roe, Hannah Maud (née Sillitoe) - Cook, later carried out Surgical Nursing Duties
Rourke, Harold - Transport of wounded, Air Raids & Sick Nursing etc
Sant, Mary Alice - Probationer Nurse
Scaife, Emma - Bed Making & any Ward Duties
Scatterty family:
Scatterty, Agnes - General Supervision
Scatterty, Amy - General Service, Surgical Nursing Duties
Scatterty, Bessie - Nurse
Scatterty, William - General Supervision
Scott, Samuel Thomas - For Air Raids, Convoys & Hospital Duties
Scott, Violet - Surgical Nursing Duties
Shackleton, Edith - General Service
Shackleton, Rhoda - Nursing
Shepherd, Edith - Surgical Nursing Duties
Skinner, Margaret Brown - Assistant cook
Slee, Fred - Hospital duties & convoys
Sloan, Mary Violet - Surgical Nursing Duties
Smith, Beatrice - Probationary Nurse
Smith, Doris - Surgical Nursing Duties, General Service
Smith, Edgar - Transfer of Wounded from Trains to Hospital
Smith, James Henry - Ward Orderly, Hospital Orderly
Smith, John Heaton - Transport of Wounded Soldiers to Hospital from Railway Station & other Hospital Duties
Smith, John William - Convoys & Ward Duties & Air Raid
Smith, Louie - Surgical Nursing Duties
Smith, Maude -
Smith, Sam - Convoy & Hospital Duties
Southwell, Annie - a. Nursing - large part night duty b. Cooking
Southwell, Lena - Bed making & any Ward Duties
Spencer, Polly - Nursing
Stafford, Francis Jos. - Convoys & Hospital Orderly
Stell, Cissie - Surgical Nursing Duties
Stell, C.I.S. - General Service
Stocks, Lewis - Hospital Duties. Transport Wounded
Summers, William - Ward Orderly, Transport of wounded after raid. Hospital orderly
Sunderland, Maud - Nurse V.A.D.
Talbot, Mary - General Service
Taylor, Ernest Edward - Transport of Wounded Air Raids & Hospital Duties, Ward Orderly
Taylor, Jessie - Surgical Nursing Duties
Taylor, Walter Taylor - Transport of Wounded, Air Raids, Hospital Duties
Taylor, Walter Horace - Ward Orderly
Thomas, Cissy - Bed making & any Ward Duties
Thompson, Greta - Surgical Nursing Duties
Thompson, Joseph - Hospital Duties, Transporting woundedThwaites, Margaret - Cook
Unwin, Dora J. - Trained nurse
Varley, Doris - Nurse V.A.D. (Relief)
Walbank, Harry - Convoy & Hospital Work
Wallace, Emily - Surgical Nursing Duties
Walton, John Greenwood - Transport of Wounded & Hospital Duties
Waterworth, Alfred - Transport of wounded from train to Hospital. Hospital duties, air raids etc
Watkinson, Edith - Surgical Nursing Duties
West, Archibald Raymond - Convoys & sick nursing. Air Raids
Westerdale, Frank - Transport of wounded, air raids or hospital duties
Whitehead, Agnes - Nursing (some night duty)
Whitehead, Sarah - Clerk
Widdop, Edith - Surgical Nursing Duties
Wilcock, Clarice - Surgical Nursing Duties
Wildman, Tom Bastow - Hospital Duty & Transport Worker
Wilkinson, Frederick S - Convoy & Hospital Duties
Wilkinson, Harry - Transport & hospital duties
Wilkinson, Herbert - Hospital Duties & Transport of Wounded
Wilkinson, James - Transport & Hospital Duties
Wilson, Emily - Nursing (some night duty)
Windel, John Richard - Transport of wounded from Train to Hospital
Woodward, Ethel - Surgical Nursing Duties
Wrathall, Charles Coulton - Transfer of Wounded from Trains to Hospital
Young, Joseph - Ward Orderly, Spencer Street Hospital Orderly & Convoy Duties, Hospital & Morton Banks
Young, William Peter - Physician
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