Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1934-1973 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
0.15m
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Members of the Grand Priory of the Hospital Order of St John of Jerusalem in England saw a need to find a way to assist accident victims quickly since untreated injuries often led to death or disability. They decided to train ordinary people in first aid so accident victims could be treated quickly and on the spot and, in 1887, they set up St John Ambulance to do this. Classes were set up across the country, particularly in workplaces and areas of heavy industry but also in villages, seaside towns and middle class suburbs.
In 1887, trained volunteers were organised into a uniformed Brigade to provide a first aid and ambulance service at public events. In many parts of Britain, St John was the first and only provider of an ambulance service right up to the middle of the 20th century, when the National Health Service was founded. When there were far fewer doctors and hospital beds than today, St John nurses looked after the sick and injured in their own homes.
There were originally three charitable Foundations of the modern Order. One, which became The St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Foundation, was established in 1882. The St John Ambulance Association, which was concerned with training the public in first aid, was established in 1877. The third was The St John Ambulance Brigade, which provided first aid care to the public. It had its origins in 1873 and became a Foundation in 1887. The St John Ambulance Association and The St John Ambulance Brigade were amalgamated in 1974 to form the present St John Ambulance Foundation.
St John Ambulance was originally divided into two fields, teaching first aid to workplace employees via the St. John Ambulance Association and providing uniformed medical volunteers to cover public and private events via the St. John Ambulance Brigade. However, these two entities merged in 1968 to form a single unified St. John Ambulance, providing both training and first-aid cover.
For further details please see the website www.sja.org.uk
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 LMA/4651 1934-1973 Collection 0.15m Saint John's Ambulance Brigade
Members of the Grand Priory of the Hospital Order of St John of Jerusalem in England saw a need to find a way to assist accident victims quickly since untreated injuries often led to death or disability. They decided to train ordinary people in first aid so accident victims could be treated quickly and on the spot and, in 1887, they set up St John Ambulance to do this. Classes were set up across the country, particularly in workplaces and areas of heavy industry but also in villages, seaside towns and middle class suburbs.
In 1887, trained volunteers were organised into a uniformed Brigade to provide a first aid and ambulance service at public events. In many parts of Britain, St John was the first and only provider of an ambulance service right up to the middle of the 20th century, when the National Health Service was founded. When there were far fewer doctors and hospital beds than today, St John nurses looked after the sick and injured in their own homes.
There were originally three charitable Foundations of the modern Order. One, which became The St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Foundation, was established in 1882. The St John Ambulance Association, which was concerned with training the public in first aid, was established in 1877. The third was The St John Ambulance Brigade, which provided first aid care to the public. It had its origins in 1873 and became a Foundation in 1887. The St John Ambulance Association and The St John Ambulance Brigade were amalgamated in 1974 to form the present St John Ambulance Foundation.
St John Ambulance was originally divided into two fields, teaching first aid to workplace employees via the St. John Ambulance Association and providing uniformed medical volunteers to cover public and private events via the St. John Ambulance Brigade. However, these two entities merged in 1968 to form a single unified St. John Ambulance, providing both training and first-aid cover.
For further details please see the website www.sja.org.uk
Deposited in December 2013.
Records of the Saint John's Ambulance Brigade including Minute Book No. 76 (East London) Nursing Brigade.
1 item.
Available for general access.
Copyright is held by the City of London.
English
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Added February 2014 Paramedical personnel Ambulance services Charitable organisations Saint John's Ambulance Brigade Associations Medical personnel Emergency services Organizations Personnel People by occupation People
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Deposited in December 2013.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of the Saint John's Ambulance Brigade including Minute Book No. 76 (East London) Nursing Brigade.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
1 item.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Available for general access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright is held by the City of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English