At first there was only my father and myself, but, as the business expanded, we took on staff and always organised a meal for them at Christmas. We always prided ourselves on having created a friendly working environment and our employees were part…
In the early days, as I was a working for my father, nothing was properly formalised. I think I started off with £3 and then I went up to £5. From an early age, I saved my money, first with an account in a Post Office Savings account and, later, I…
I joined a religious congregation when I was 17 and my life conformed to its rules and regulations until I changed direction 16 years later. During that time, apart from when I was at university, my main occupation was teaching at second level. I…
Work was pleasant with the people I worked with. We were free and easy once we went to our office on the outskirts of the city. Main office was in Abbey Street, where we converged in the morning. We were known as Telecom Communications, but in…
During our training we all lived in the Nurses' Home. We enjoyed great comradeship, we would have got together at night in someone's room or the sitting room, to discuss our day, to tell each other if we had a patient with a special condition. The…
I will always remember the day the sister asked me to take the TPRs - temperature, pulse and respiration. I had been shown how to do it. The thermometer tray is on the cabinet at the end of the ward. 'Have you been shown how to chart TPRs Nurse?_�…
I remember one patient I won't forget. I was on a male medical ward. An oldish man had been admitted. A senior nurse took me with her to examine this man's leg. It was well covered with a bandage. He sat on an easy chair, extends his bad leg. The…
My first day as a student nurse. I get up early after 7 a.m. Other girls are up and dressed. I get my blue and white check frock, collar and hat on. We walk to the dining room in twos, have a cup of tea and are then each taken to a ward. We observe…
I will always remember the day 3rd September, 1950, when I arrived at the Belfast City Hospital Nurses' Home. A nurse met me and took me to a room where a lot of girls like myself waited and one man. A tall lady entered the area and announced, 'I'm…
I would have liked to have gone to Banbridge Academy, my father was against that. He didn't want me getting any idea of leaving home. An aunt of mine was very interested in me and encouraged me to go to Rathfriland Technical College (as it is now…
