The original caption may contain language which is historic and which may no longer be considered appropriate. It has been retained in the record in the interest of historical accuracy.
The caption on the reverse of the photograph reads: “A male charge nurse on duty. Picture shows Norman Bowe, who play the drums in the hospital band, rehersing (sic) with other male nurses from the hospital.”
The Ewell Epileptic Colony, opened in 1903, was the third of the ‘Epsom Hospital Cluster’ – a group of five large psychiatric hospitals west of Epsom. It was built in a ‘dispersed colony’ format with villas around the site for patients and staff, and in 1938 had 933 beds. In that year it was renamed St Ebba’s hospital and in the 1940s was described as treating “nervous and mental disorders”. In England and Wales at the beginning of the 20th century there were approximately 5,700 male nurses, primarily working in psychiatric hospitals such as St Ebba’s. Because men were not admitted to nurse training schools, and because they received very little training, male nurses were regarded as less qualified than female nurses. A gender stereotype was therefore established within the profession, and it was widely thought that it would be inappropriate for men to nurse female patients. The National Society of Male Nurses was established in the 1930s and merged with the Royal College of Nurses in 1941. During and after the Second World War, demobilised servicemen with medical experience joined the profession, and the number of male nurses increased. The Ministry of Health encouraged the employment of male nurses, due to a nursing shortage, and established a one-year training course for men leaving the military, in order to quickly qualify them for nursing. See also MED01/01/1977-1978 and MED01/01/1980-1987. High-resolution copies of this image are available for free for non-commercial use. Please Enquire to place an order.
This is part of the Series: MED01/01 Series of prints; within the Collection: MED01 Topical Press Agency Medical Collection
Source: Historic England Archive
Photographer: Topical Press Agency Limited
Photographer: Harrison, Norman Kingsley
Recreational Hall, Psychiatric Hospital, Music And Dance
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