Ok, I know this is going to be a bit of "blowing my own trumpet" but all in a good cause, so please do read on!
For my Postgraduate project, I chose to research and index the patient registers for the St. Peter's Memorial Home in Woking, dating from 1885. These original documents, deposited at the Surrey History Centre, give you an unique glimpse into the stories of Victorian women from all walks of life, above and below stairs and from all over the South East of England.
The nuns who ran the nursing home recorded details of each patient admitted, their next of kin, health, piety, character, family circumstances and working lives. There are many sad stories between the pages, but also uplifting ones too, written with much wit, humour, compassion and occasionally some rather caustic observations from the nuns too!
The index of approximately 3200 patients covers most of the period 1885-1908 and can be used to find their original register reference and page entry. You can find the indexes at http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/recreation-heritage-and-culture/archives-and-history/archives-and-history-research-guides/patients-in-the-st-peters-memorial-home-in-woking
One of the most important things I learned from doing this project is that there are some amazing original resources that will probably never make it online that can tell you so much. So don't ignore that odd census candidate of 1891 or 1901 in an institution far from where you expected them to be - follow them up in surviving admission registers for hospitals, nursing homes, workhouses, schools etc. which you will probably find in local archives.
For my Postgraduate project, I chose to research and index the patient registers for the St. Peter's Memorial Home in Woking, dating from 1885. These original documents, deposited at the Surrey History Centre, give you an unique glimpse into the stories of Victorian women from all walks of life, above and below stairs and from all over the South East of England.
The nuns who ran the nursing home recorded details of each patient admitted, their next of kin, health, piety, character, family circumstances and working lives. There are many sad stories between the pages, but also uplifting ones too, written with much wit, humour, compassion and occasionally some rather caustic observations from the nuns too!
The index of approximately 3200 patients covers most of the period 1885-1908 and can be used to find their original register reference and page entry. You can find the indexes at http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/recreation-heritage-and-culture/archives-and-history/archives-and-history-research-guides/patients-in-the-st-peters-memorial-home-in-woking
One of the most important things I learned from doing this project is that there are some amazing original resources that will probably never make it online that can tell you so much. So don't ignore that odd census candidate of 1891 or 1901 in an institution far from where you expected them to be - follow them up in surviving admission registers for hospitals, nursing homes, workhouses, schools etc. which you will probably find in local archives.