Jane Baker
Surgical Nursing Duties
Born on 15th October 1883, Jane Elizabeth Baker was the daughter of William and Jane Baker nee Silverwood. She was baptised on 18th November that year at St. Peter's Church in Keighley.
Jane Elizabeth Baker's baptism record
William was a stonemason, originally from Goathland, near Scarborough and Jane was from Wakefield and they had married in 1881 in Keighley. Jane was one of eight children, sadly three of them died in infancy - Harry (1882-1883), Albert (1888-1889) and Annie Maud (1892-1892).
In 1881 the family lived at 8 Kensington Street. Jane was seven years old, and her younger sisters were Martha (four) and Sarah (one). By 1901 they had moved to 36 Gladstone Street. William's occupation was now a stonemason contractor. Jane and her sisters had been joined by two little brothers, Thomas (five) and William Arthur (one month).
The Baker family shown on the 1901 Census
By 1911 Martha was no longer in the family home, having married an Albert Ernst Greaves in 1906, and there were two visitors - Doris Greaves, a two year old granddaughter, and John William Parker, a farmer. Jane was working as a confectioner shopkeeper with her own account, as was her sister Sarah. Their father was now described as a furniture removal contractor, and 15 year old Thomas was assisting him. Their business was based on Goulbourne Street in Keighley.
Jane worked full time at a Spencer Street Auxiliary Hospital undertaking surgical nursing duties from 18th December 1916 until 3rd June 1919. She went on to become a trained nurse following the conclusion of the war.
Following the deaths of her parents in 1923 and 1928, Jane continued to live at Gladstone Street, but moved around a little later. Electoral registers show her living for some time at 35 Barlow Road with two ladies by the name of Eileen Marjorie and Harriet Elizabeth Kaye (incidentally this was next door to her fellow VAD Annie Collingham).
In 1939 she lived at 50 Highfield Lane, working as a private nurse, and she lived with a lady called Marjorie Emmott who was a confectioner.
The 1939 Register
She later lived at 71 Ashleigh Street.
Jane never married. She died in the last quarter of 1967 at the age of 84, and is buried at Utley Cemetery with her parents and siblings who died in infancy.
Sources:
England and Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915
England and Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1935
1891 England Census
1901 England Census
1911 England Census
West Yorkshire, England, Electoral Registers, 1840-1962
1939 England and Wales Register
UK and Ireland, Nursing Registers, 1898-1968
England and Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
findagrave.com
UK, City and County Directories, 1766-1946
