Photographs

The source of the photos below are either Edith Oliver (EO) or Frances Isabel Blencowe (FIB) both of whom nursed at Hickwells in 1915 and 1916.

 

 

Unidentified Scottish soldier from group below. EO.

 

Unknown location. From left to right: Private Hart, unknown, unknown, Rifleman R Nicholson, Trooper George Hicks, Bedfordshire Yeomanry. Date unknown. EO.

 

"An entertainment". The house in the background is most definitely Hickwells which dates this photo to between March 1915 and June 1916. FIB.

 

Beechlands 1916. Corporal John Frederick Denton MM of the 9th Essex Regiment sits middle row, second left, arms folded. The soldier sitting crossed legged far left is probably 57941 Lance Corporal Albert Edward Smith, 20th Canadians. EO.

 

Mostly unidentified soldier patients. Trooper George Hicks lies front left. EO.

 

Hickwells 1915. Nurse Edith Oliver, far left sitting next to the Matron, Emily Morris Marshall. Commandant Margaret Cotesworth stands at the back and in front of her, nurse A Gander. FIB.

 

Unknown soldier group. Possibly Hickwells 1915. FIB

 

 

Hickwells 1915. FIB.

 

Hickwells 1915. The soldier on the right (also pictured below far right) shows possible signs of frostbitten feet, testimony to the harsh winter of 1914/15. FIB.

 

Hickwells 1915. Unidentified soldier patients at Hickwells. Note that all four seated men are wearing slippers and possibly suffering from frostbite or trench foot. FIB.

 

Hickwells 1915. Frances Isabel Blencowe, far left; Commandant Margaret Cotesworth, centre; Matron Emily Morris Marshall, front right, Jessie Fenn and Alice Fenn complete the nursing personnel. Same footsore soldier who appears in previous two photos  sits far right. FIB.

 

Hickwells 1915. A one-armed billiards player. FIB.

 

Hickwells 1915. FIB.

 

Hickwells fancy dress. FIB

 

Hickwells fancy dress. FIB

 

 

Hickwells fancy dress. I have often wondered what the occasion was. Was it a mummers' event? Or a Hickwells take on Gilbert & Sullivan's The Gondoliers? Frances Isabel Blencowe stands far right, Margaret Blencowe to her right. Charles Sabourin of the East Surrey Regiment who lost his right leg at Mons on the first day of fighting, occupies the wheelchair.

Hickwells. Unidentified soldiers. FIB.

 

Hickwells. Frances Isabel Blencowe. FIB.

 

Hickwells. FIB.

Hickwells. FIB.

 

 

Hickwells. Pte Charles Sabourin, East Surrey Regt, far right. FIB.

 

Hickwells. Pte Charles Sabourin, East Surrey Regt, far right. FIB.

 

Hickwells. Charles Sabourin, middle row far left. William Butters, 20th London Regt, front left. FIB.

 

 

This photograph, sent to me by William Butters' relative, is almost identical to the one above. In this version, Frances Blencowe, turning away from the camera, has replaced the lady in the hat.

 

 

Hickwells. Same location, same men, another date. EO.

 

 

 

Hickwells. FIB.

 

Hickwells. Charles Sabourin, East Surrey Regt, and unidentified pal. FIB.

Charles Sabourin, East Surrey Regiment. Severely wounded by shrapnel on the 23rd August 1914, he was captured by the Germans and repatriated to England in February 1915. FIB.

 

Hickwells garden party. Charles Sabourin, fifth left. FIB.

 

Hickwells, Chailey. FIB

 

 

Beechlands, date unknown. EO

Beechlands fancy dress. EO.



  

 

The best of a series of badly faded photos in Nurse Oliver's album. Undated, but the men are named as follows: back row, left to right: Sergeant Milne, Private Hilton, Sergeant Richey. Middle row: Trooper Hicks, Private Foster, Rifleman Deers, Private Hart, Bombardier Garland. Front row: Rifleman Hardcastle, Private Dorchester, Rifleman R Nicholson. EO.