Phyllis Blakey
Nursing member, Assistant Nurse
Phyllis was born on 7th November 1887 in Keighley, to John and Alice Maude Blakey, nee Summerscales. They had married in 1884 and had an older daughter, Sara, born in 1885. Phyllis was baptised on 23rd December 1887 at St. Andrew’s Church. They had no other children. John Blakey was a corn miller throughout his adult life.
In 1891 the family is living at Leylands House, Keighley. Sara and Phyllis are five and three years old. As well as the family, a 20 year old servant by the name of Ellen Crow from Bingley lives there.
In 1901 the family have moved to Thornleigh in Riddlesden, and by 1911 lived at Applegarth, Riddlesden. By this time, 50 year old John had retired. Although 25 and 23 years old, neither Sara or Phyllis has an occupation documented.
Phyllis began her service on 12th July 1916 and worked at Morton Banks Hospital until 3rd June 1919, where she worked part time as an Assistant Nurse. The VAD record indicates that she received a mention in despatches, though I have not been able to locate this so far.
I have also not been able to locate any further information on Phyllis until her death at her home in Bridlington on her 49th birthday, 7th November 1936. Her probate records state she was a spinster, and her estate passed to her sister Sara, also a spinster.
It can be assumed that the whole family moved to Bridlington some time after 1919 (the last electoral roll shows John and Alice at Applegarth). Alice died in 1928 and John in 1933, both in Bridlington. Sara is shown on the 1939 Register living at the same address as Phyllis at her death – Sara has given her date of birth as five years younger than she actually was! She died in 1959, having never married.
Source information:
Birth, Marriage and Death records
1891 Census
1901 Census
1911 Census
1939 Register
Red Cross VAD card
This research has been carried out by volunteer Carole Hodge.
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