Mystery Of The Black Nurse At WWI Convalescent Home, Newlands Corner

Published on: 15 Oct, 2019
Updated on: 15 Oct, 2019

A new edition of a history book includes an additional photo of a black nurse pictured at a house in Newlands Corner, Guildford in 1915, but who is she?

Picture taken at the First World War convalescent home at Newlands Corner in 1915 by Albury photographer Percy Lloyd. It features in the new edition of the book Black Poppies – Britain’s Black Community and the Great War by Stephen Bourne. Picture courtesy of Albury History Society. Click to enlarge image in a new window.

Black Poppies – Britain’s Black Community and the Great War by Stephen Bourne features this unique photograph which was identified recently by Albury History Society of a First World War black nurse (seen second from the left) at John St Loe Strachey’s Newlands Corner home.

A close-up view of the black nurse.

The house was sold in 1925 to become the hotel that is there today.

Trevor Brook, the honorary treasurer and website editor of Albury History Society, said: The book had gone to press but the publisher decided this was so important it just had to be included.

“We know men came from the Caribbean to fight in the First World War. Did some women come with them to help? Was she living here anyway? Who is she?

“Can we name any of the locals serving as nurses? A compiled list of VADs [Voluntary Aid Detachment nurses] at Newlands Auxiliary Hospital (including Botting, Bray and Coe) is on the Albury History Society’s website.” Click here to view.

The second edition of Black Poppies – Britain’s Black Community and the Great War, published by The History Press, costs £12. It includes new life stories and previously unpublished photograph, including the one of the nurse.