Bournbrook Hospital, Birmingham

View of Bournbrook, the 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham, where Mela Brown Constable worked from June 1915 to March 1917.

On the 19th June 1915, just under three weeks after starting, Mela sent her fiancée, Cyril Sladden, a picture postcard of her workplace, which has the caption, “Birmingham University, Temporary Hospital, Army Medical Corps” (printed in the ADCO series).  She promised to send photos of the Sisters’ Quarters when those cards were back in print.

In August she sent a photo of the Sisters’ Quarters, which was based at University House, Edgbaston Park Road, and of herself in the grounds with three nursing colleagues.  On 2nd June 1915, soon after arrival, Mela had written to Cyril saying, “I wish you could see this place, the Sisters’ house, you’d just love it.  It is like an old country house and so nicely furnished, simply and yet in great taste.  We get excellent food and attendance.  The garden is beautiful and there is a tennis lawn in the making for the Sisters.”

Mela also sent a photo of the theatre.

© The Sladden family descendants and by kind permission of the Imperial War Museum (reference 60/98/1)