Molly was sat on the top deck of the tram though the east end, she was heading towards the laundry where she worked. It was a job she hated washing posh peoples clothing and they were always so snobbish and it was always hot humid in the wash room, but it was the only job she could get after leaving school, she had anted to train as a nurse but her farther had told her that she wasn't allowed and the family needed money , more like he needed drinking money so washing cloths was her only choice
It was 1916 and war had been raging across Europe for almost 2 years men traipsing off to war and marching through the streets were a common sight most days now as well as the woman handing out white feathers to those they considered cowards, molly's farther had been given several since the war started as he hadn't gone off to fight.
There was a copy of the times that someone had accidently left on the seat next to her. There was a advertisement on the back pages calling for young woman to volunteer for the war effort in many different roles including a cry for nurses. Molly took the page out of the paper and folded it up and put it in her pocket
10 hours later molly arrived back at her family's 2 rooms in the tenement building that they had to shear with 6 other family's and it only had one toilet they all had to share and the only way for a bath was the old chipped tin bath to be filled with water heated on the range in the main room which also doubled up as her parents bedroom and the youngest 2 children slept. Bella and jade had been sent off to work as maids of all work last month so molly was in the smallest room with the middle children all 3 of them crammed in like sardines
Her farther as usual was at the pub and her mother was up to her elbows in ironing and washing and lots of other housework that she couldn't be bothered to do.
"hello molly, how was it at the laundry today"
"the normal really hot sweaty and smelly"
Molly left her mum to the washing and started preparing the dinner for her and the children which was boiled meet and potatoes, and after dinner she put the children to bed and her fathers plate to keep warm at the side of the range. That night when everyone was asleep she pulled out the advertisement and wrote a letter to the address asking what she needed to become a nurse and what was required of her. She placed it in the post the following day and waited.
It was a few days before she got a reply saying that they would gladly take her on to the course and as she was over 21 the she didn't need the parental consent form. And that her training would start in three days. She took her parents out to the local pie and mash shop to tell them what she was doing.
"mother Farther I need to talk to you about something,,,!"
"its okay molly" her mother replied cutting in to her pie.
"one more mouth aint going to matter... well two as you will have to marry him"
"Whhat are you talking about... I aint pregnant" molly replied horrified
"well what is it then " her parents said together
"I am becoming a nurse with the voluntary aid detachment"
"you are not" her father erupted "what about the family we need the money you bring in. The children will end up in the workhouse. And what about mother eh how will she cope not being with the baby"
"Jade and Bella both send money and I will still be earning and be able to send a bit and you could get a job as well. Anyway I am 21 so I don't need your permission any more and I wont be staying at the house so more room for the children" molly cried "and I want to help and make a difference with the war."
Molly left 6 weeks later she had made all of her uniform dresses as instructed and put on her Sunday best, as this was the smartest thing she owned. The Red cross had paid for her third class ticket to Bristol where she would complete her training which would last 6 weeks and consist of basic first aid and other important thing she would need to know then a months trial in a hospital treating the wounded followed by 3 months hard work and then she would be a nurse
She sat outside the matrons office feeling slightly sick with nerves feeling like she was at school and about to get the cane. The matron called her in and explained her duties and what was expected of her . she then called one of the trained nurses to show molly where the nurses home was and told her she had 30 minuets to get change and then report to the classrooms on the top floor of the hospital where she would take her first days of lesions
N.B Thanks for reading the first chapter and I would also like to apologise if there are some inaccuracies regarding nurse training dureing the early 20th century I am not a historian and don't know much about the period. the information I have found and used is from the british red cross website and the educational resources they have produced. I hope you enjoy it non the less
let me know what you think
Duck mad Girl x