Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1847-1962 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
3.7 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Saint John's House was founded in 1848 as a 'Training Institution for Nurses for Hospitals, Families and the Poor'. It was a religious community run by a Master, who was a clergyman, and a Lady Superintendent. The aim was to improve the qualifications and raise the character of nurses by providing moral and religious instruction. There were three classes of members:-
1) Probationers, who were to have two years training in hospitals before becoming Nurses.
2) Nurses, who were to nurse the sick either in hospitals or private homes, and who received wages. Certificates of competency were issued to Nurses after a period of five years.
3) Sisters, who were to instruct the Probationers and undertake the nursing in private houses. None of the members took any religious vows.
The Institution opened at 36 Fitzroy Street, St Pancras, and was named Saint John's House because it was in the parish of Saint John the Evangelist. In 1852 it moved to 5 Queen Square, Westminster, and in 1859 to 6-8 Norfolk Street, Strand. It remained in these premises until 1907 when a new house was built at 12 Queen Square, Bloomsbury. The chapel from Norfolk Street was re-erected in this building.
In 1854 six nurses from the Institution went out to the Crimea with Florence Nightingale, since Saint John's House was at that time one of the few sources for trained nurses. In 1856 the sisters took over the nursing of King's College Hospital and from 1862 to 1868 a six-month training in midwifery nursing was given there, with the help of a grant from the newly founded Nightingale Fund Council. The 1860s saw a further expansion of work. In 1865 the nursing of the Galigani Hospital, Paris, was undertaken, and in 1866 Charing Cross Hospital. In 1877 a Saint John's House Maternity Home was opened at Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, later moving to Queen Anne Terrace, Battersea in 1883.
Difficulties arose, however, from an early date over the organisation of the house, and there was considerable dissension between the Master and Lady Superintendent. Although the rules were changed in 1865, the Master being renamed the Chaplain, and the Lady Superintendent renamed Lady Superior, there was no basic change in organisation. The crisis came in 1867 when the lady Superintendent and six sisters resigned on the rejection of their nominee for Chaplain. The arrangements of the nursing at King's College Hospital also provoked considerable conflict. A bitter disagreement in 1874 was patched up but there was further trouble in 1883. This time, the quarrel between the Sister-Matron and the Medical Staff led to the resignation of all the Sisters and most of the nurses of Saint John's House. They remained together, however, and founded the Community of Nursing Sisters of Saint John the Divine, which continues to work today in Hastings and Poplar. The Council of Saint John's House recruited new staff and the nursing service for King's College and Charing Cross Hospitals was maintained.
In 1886 the Community of All Saints took over the entire management of Saint John's House, until 1892 when the Community of Saint Peter's, Kilburn, took over. There were increasing difficulties of recruitment, however, and as hospitals began to undertake the organisation and training of their own nursing staff, Saint John's House withdrew from many of its commitments. In 1911 the superintendence of the House was taken by the Community of Saint Margaret's, East Grinstead. Finally the Institution was given to Saint Thomas' Hospital and was renamed Saint John's and Saint Thomas' House. Two Sisters from the Hospital took charge in April 1919 although the agreement was not completed until May 1920. The house was used as a centre for nurses who had been trained at Saint Thomas' Hospital and who wished to take up private nursing. Many of the Saint John's House nurses stayed on under this arrangement.
Repository
Archival history
H01/ST/SJ 1847-1962 subfonds 3.7 linear metres Saint John's House x Saint John's and Saint Thomas' House
Saint John's House was founded in 1848 as a 'Training Institution for Nurses for Hospitals, Families and the Poor'. It was a religious community run by a Master, who was a clergyman, and a Lady Superintendent. The aim was to improve the qualifications and raise the character of nurses by providing moral and religious instruction. There were three classes of members:-
1) Probationers, who were to have two years training in hospitals before becoming Nurses.
2) Nurses, who were to nurse the sick either in hospitals or private homes, and who received wages. Certificates of competency were issued to Nurses after a period of five years.
3) Sisters, who were to instruct the Probationers and undertake the nursing in private houses. None of the members took any religious vows.
The Institution opened at 36 Fitzroy Street, St Pancras, and was named Saint John's House because it was in the parish of Saint John the Evangelist. In 1852 it moved to 5 Queen Square, Westminster, and in 1859 to 6-8 Norfolk Street, Strand. It remained in these premises until 1907 when a new house was built at 12 Queen Square, Bloomsbury. The chapel from Norfolk Street was re-erected in this building.
In 1854 six nurses from the Institution went out to the Crimea with Florence Nightingale, since Saint John's House was at that time one of the few sources for trained nurses. In 1856 the sisters took over the nursing of King's College Hospital and from 1862 to 1868 a six-month training in midwifery nursing was given there, with the help of a grant from the newly founded Nightingale Fund Council. The 1860s saw a further expansion of work. In 1865 the nursing of the Galigani Hospital, Paris, was undertaken, and in 1866 Charing Cross Hospital. In 1877 a Saint John's House Maternity Home was opened at Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, later moving to Queen Anne Terrace, Battersea in 1883.
Difficulties arose, however, from an early date over the organisation of the house, and there was considerable dissension between the Master and Lady Superintendent. Although the rules were changed in 1865, the Master being renamed the Chaplain, and the Lady Superintendent renamed Lady Superior, there was no basic change in organisation. The crisis came in 1867 when the lady Superintendent and six sisters resigned on the rejection of their nominee for Chaplain. The arrangements of the nursing at King's College Hospital also provoked considerable conflict. A bitter disagreement in 1874 was patched up but there was further trouble in 1883. This time, the quarrel between the Sister-Matron and the Medical Staff led to the resignation of all the Sisters and most of the nurses of Saint John's House. They remained together, however, and founded the Community of Nursing Sisters of Saint John the Divine, which continues to work today in Hastings and Poplar. The Council of Saint John's House recruited new staff and the nursing service for King's College and Charing Cross Hospitals was maintained.
In 1886 the Community of All Saints took over the entire management of Saint John's House, until 1892 when the Community of Saint Peter's, Kilburn, took over. There were increasing difficulties of recruitment, however, and as hospitals began to undertake the organisation and training of their own nursing staff, Saint John's House withdrew from many of its commitments. In 1911 the superintendence of the House was taken by the Community of Saint Margaret's, East Grinstead. Finally the Institution was given to Saint Thomas' Hospital and was renamed Saint John's and Saint Thomas' House. Two Sisters from the Hospital took charge in April 1919 although the agreement was not completed until May 1920. The house was used as a centre for nurses who had been trained at Saint Thomas' Hospital and who wished to take up private nursing. Many of the Saint John's House nurses stayed on under this arrangement.
ACC/1870, ACC/2170
Records of St John's House nursing training school, Saint Thomas' Hospital, including minutes and agendas, 1847-1920, particularly for the House Committee; rules and regulations, 1849-1904; Lady Superintendent's reports and diaries, 1849-1885; general reports, 1848-1959; annual reports, 1850-1918; correspondence, 1849-1908; papers concerning agreements with other hospitals, 1856-1893, including King's College Hospital, Charing Cross Hospital and the Metropolitan Hospital; papers relating to properties, 1849-1907; baptism register for the maternity home in Battersea, 1886 - 1892; staff records, 1849-1953; financial accounts, 1848-1945; newspaper cuttings, 1871-1884; issues of 'Saint John's House News', published by the League of Saint John's House Nurses, 1901-1917; nurses medals and badges, 1901; histories, 1867-1919; papers regarding the community of the Nursing Sisters of Saint John the Divine, 1930-1985; papers regarding the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, 1873-1878; instructions for the laying out of the dead, 1912; photographs of buildings and staff, 1854-1908.
In sections according to catalogue.
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Copyright: Depositor
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Records of Saint John's and Saint Thomas' House are at the LMA, reference H01/ST/SJ.
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. February 2009 Metropolitan Hospital , 1886-1976 x Metropolitan Free Hospital , 1836-1886 Charing Cross Hospital King's College Hospital Saint John's House x Saint John's and Saint Thomas' House Nurses Paramedical personnel Medical sciences Hospitals Nursing Midwifery Higher science education Medical education Nursing education Health services Medical institutions History Personal history Medical history Training Vocational training Medical training Wars (events) Crimean War (1853-1856) League of Saint John's House Nurses Nursing Sisters of Saint John the Divine Order of Saint John of Jerusalem Wandsworth London England UK Western Europe Camden City of Westminster Hertfordshire Battersea St Pancras Westminster Bloomsbury Europe Medical personnel Personnel People by occupation People
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
ACC/1870, ACC/2170
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of St John's House nursing training school, Saint Thomas' Hospital, including minutes and agendas, 1847-1920, particularly for the House Committee; rules and regulations, 1849-1904; Lady Superintendent's reports and diaries, 1849-1885; general reports, 1848-1959; annual reports, 1850-1918; correspondence, 1849-1908; papers concerning agreements with other hospitals, 1856-1893, including King's College Hospital, Charing Cross Hospital and the Metropolitan Hospital; papers relating to properties, 1849-1907; baptism register for the maternity home in Battersea, 1886 - 1892; staff records, 1849-1953; financial accounts, 1848-1945; newspaper cuttings, 1871-1884; issues of 'Saint John's House News', published by the League of Saint John's House Nurses, 1901-1917; nurses medals and badges, 1901; histories, 1867-1919; papers regarding the community of the Nursing Sisters of Saint John the Divine, 1930-1985; papers regarding the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, 1873-1878; instructions for the laying out of the dead, 1912; photographs of buildings and staff, 1854-1908.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
In sections according to catalogue.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright: Depositor
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Records of Saint John's and Saint Thomas' House are at the LMA, reference H01/ST/SJ.
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
Publication note
Notes area
Note
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