Archive Record
Images
Additional Images [11]
Metadata
Accession # |
A2019.86 |
Title |
Bertha Smith, nursing sister, Drayton, books, papers, prints, ca.1900-1925. |
Date |
ca.1900 - 1925 |
Description |
Bertha Smith, nursing sister, Drayton, books, papers, prints, ca.1900-1925. Nursing Sister Bertha Smith was born in Toronto, Canada on 1 April 1886, daughter of John Collier Smith and Bertha (Sitte) Smith. Bertha trained as a nurse in both Toronto and New York. She enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corps (C.A.M.C.) on 28 February 1916 and served in England and France. On 16 June 1916, she was one of 60 nursing sisters sent to No.7 Canadian General Hospital at Le Treport, France. Before autumn, the hospital was moved to a more comfortable location at Etaples. After three years and 8 months of service overseas, Bertha returned on the "Araguaya," arriving in Toronto 18 August 1919. She was discharged on 2 February 1920. Bertha moved back to Toronto once she was discharged, and in 1935 moved to live with her younger sister Mildred Isabel Smith, who with her husband Edwin (Ted) Wheeldon farmed at West-half Lot 3, Con.17, Peel Township. Later the Voters' Lists show they retired and moved to Drayton. Bertha's sister was almost 20 years younger than Bertha, and Bertha delivered Mildrid's daughter at the home in Drayton. In December 1942, she received a certificate as a Life Member of the Woman's Missionary Society of the United Church of Canada, Zion [Church, Peel Township]. Bertha was a regular at the Drayton military memorial each year. She died at Drayton 14 January 1972. BOOKS [MU 1475] - file 1: Medicology or Home Encyclopedia of Health ... by John G. Richardson, M.D. (New York-Philadelphia-London: University Medical Society, 1904), 1432 pages. [This reference book not kept, only a copy of the title page; see also A1952.253.1] - file 2: First Aid to the Injured ... for the St. John Ambulance Association by James Cantlie ... 15th edition (London, England: St. John Ambulance Association, 1908), 216 + 40 pages. - file 3: A History of No.7 (Queen's) Canadian General Hospital / 26 March 1915 - 15 November 1917, [67 pages]. [Note: the Foreword and History of the Unit, have been glued inside the back cover]; printed ca.1918. - file 4: Gould's Pocket Pronouncing Medical Dictionary, revised eighth edition [1/2 title page / A Pocket Medical Dictionary ... by George M. Gould ... eighth edition revised / 40,000 words (Philadelphia: P. Blakiston's Son & Co., 1922), [unpaginated]. On title page: "Miss Mildred Smith / The Hospital for Incurables, 130 Dunn Ave. / Toronto." PRINTS [STACKS] - ph 54357: Sepia copy print. Bertha Smith (R.N.)(Aunt Peg) and her mother, ca.1900. Mildred Smith's mother, our Great Grandmother; Stan, B.Anne, Vivian - children of Mildred, [Mrs. Edwin Wheeldon]. Bertha Smith's mother was also an R.N. - ph 54358: B&w print. Group portrait of eight nursing sisters; Bertha Smith at extreme right. Photo: Fraser, Toronto, ca. 1910. [STORED PHOTOS OVERSIZED] - ph 54359: B&w print. Group portrait of twelve nursing sisters; Bertha Smith back row, extreme right. Photo: Freeland, Toronto, ca1910. [STORED PHOTOS OVERSIZED] - ph 54360a: Sepia print on metal, encased in metal frame. Portrait of Bertha Smith, ca.1914. Scans have been made of the portrait framed and unframed. - ph 54360b: Same portrait, cropped, and as it appeared in a newspaper, ca.19 August 1919. The newspaper reports her return to Tiverton Avenue, [Toronto] - ph 54361 B&w print. Panoramic view of Memorial service & dedication of cemetery [at Etaples?], ca.1917. - ph 54362: Tinted colour print. Peg (Bertha Smith) Aunt Peggy, in the wheelchair, waiting for the Prince of Wales to shake her hand - First World War - Nursing Sister Bertha Smith. Aunty Peg was Gramma Wheeldon's oldest sister (Mildred Smith RNA). [Note: Edward, Prince of Wales visited Toronto in 1919]. - ph 54363: B&w print. Group portrait of women. Bertha Smith in front row, second from left, ca.1922[?]. [STORED PHOTOS OVERSIZED] - ph 54364: Fordham Hospital, The Bronx, New York, 1925[?]. - ph 54365 to ph 54370: Six colour prints, showing display of Bertha Smith's papers, photos and nurse's cape, arranged by the Mapleton Historical Society at the Drayton Library. - file 5: Watercolour sketchbook, 1915-1916; 1921. [MU 1475] - Item 1: [Loose at front] Tents, in front of a 3-storey masonry building, [by] Pte. H. Skelton / D.L.I. 1910 / B.E.F. [British Expeditionary Force]. On reverse: "Tryinon [Trianon] Hotel in Letraport [Le Treport] 1916, before war belonged to Germans, taken by British and used as a hospital. Tents occupied by nursing sisters of No.7 Canadian General Hospital, situated on a cliff, 350' above sea level, 1916. - Item 2: [Loose in front; colour copy] Solder in uniform, maple leaf on collar lapel, with arm around nursing sister, [by] Pte. H. Skelton / D.L.I. / 7 Can. Gen. Hos. / B.E.F. / France. - Item 3: [Loose in front; colour copy] Soldier in bed; two nursing sisters attend him with brush and comb, [by] Pte. H. Skelton. - Item 4: [Loose in front] Sprig of flowers, [by] Pte. H. Skelton. - Item 5: [Loose in front; colour copy] Batterys out of action, [unsigned]. - Item 6: [Loose in front; colour copy] C.O. [Commanding Officer] seated at table; S.M. [Sergeant Major] says "Refusing to [illegible]; C.O. replies "What have you to say, Jones?" Signature illegible. - Item 7: [Loose at front] Woman with enormous hat, leading dog; text: "A Martyr to Fashion," [by] A. Hitchcox / 12 March 1916 / England. On reverse side, text of poem "When You Come Home," 1 March 1921. [a third verse is missing - see photocopies made in researching this donation]. - page 1: Solder in uniform, maple leaf on collar lapel, with arm around nursing sister, [by] Pte. H. Skelton / D.L.I. / 7 Can. Gen. Hos. / B.E.F. / France. - page 2: Soldier in bed; two nursing sisters attend him with brush and comb, [by] Pte. H. Skelton. - page 3: "Let's kiss and make Up." Two infants, one dressed in blue, the other in pink, [by] Pte. H. Skelton / D.L.I. / B.E.F. - page 4: An infant, wearing a feather head-dress and a skirt intended to portray First Nations, holding a hatchet in one hand and bow in the other, [by] H. Skelton / D.L.I. / B.E.F. / France. - page 5: Coach and four horses; a person dressed in white leans out of the half-door and waves, [by] Pte. H. Skelton / D.L.I. / B.E.F. - page 8: C.O. [Commanding Officer] seated at table; S.M. [Sergeant Major] says "Refusing to [illegible]; C.O. replies "What have you to say, Jones?" Signature illegible. - page 9: Batterys out of action, [unsigned]. - file 6: Invitation, menu, 1916, 1917. [MU 1475] - Item 1: Invitation [to] Lunch / In Honouro of Miss M. Hitchox[sic] and Miss Bertha Smith / Nursing sisters in the hospital of Treport ... Offered the 15 August 1916. - Item 2: Menu for Christmas Dinner, Canadian General Hospital / Etaples, France, 1917, [design by] R.V. Browne. The handwritten menu inside was lettered by Sister B. Smith. - file 7: Record Book, 1915-1918. [MU 1475] Inside, usually in pencil, are the stories and poems written by the soldiers recovering in hospital. Their Regimental Number (where listed) appears immediately following their name. - Inside front cover: Jerry B. Nelson. - page 2: Bertha Smith. n/s. - page 3: Insignia for Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, drawn by Cpl. J. Potts. - page 4: blank. - page 5: Bible passage; verses. - page 6: Verses; Cpl. G.E. Malcolm / 540.023 / Can. Reserve Cyclists, Chiseldon Camp, Wilts, England. 10 May 1916 - page 6: 12 May / 8 June 1915 - Segt. Supples ... Sergt. F. Wray. - page 7: Sergt. C.C. Craddock, 1st C.I.R.B. [Canadian Infantry Reserve Battalion?], Shorncliffe. - page 7: Ward 8, Moore Barracks Hospital, 16 June '16, C.Q.M.S. Reg. J. Spargo, 22921, attached C.C.A.C., C.E.F. Folkstone (from Three Rivers, Que., Canada). - page 8: The Cowboy's Prayer; Cpl. Lorton, 49448, No.1 Mobile Squadron / shrapnel wound 26 January 1915 / shipped to Shorncliffe 9 February 1915. - page 9: Farrier W. Dewsnap [42873], 15 June 1916; transferred to Shorncliffe Hospital. - page 9:LcCpl. H. Betham, 1680, 1/7 Kings Liverpool Regt., admitted to No.7 Canadian General Hospital, 14 July 1916; 31 July 1916. - page 10: Rfn. Birmingham, Queen Victoria Rifles, 1st 9th County of London, 1 August 1916. - page 10: Pte. Thos. Hanlon, 1st Royal Dublin Fusiliers, 1 August 1916. - page 11: Pte. L. Williams, 1/8 Batt Middlesex, 1 August 1916. - page 11-12: Pte. P. Kehoe, 2nd Batt. Royal Irish Rifles, 3 August 1916. - page 13-14: Pte. Andrew Beveridge, 13074, 6/7 Batt., Royal Sc. Fusiliers ... memorable day 25 September 1915. - page 15-17: Sapper E. King, 34618, Royal Engineers. - page 18-19: Pte. J. Price, 16480, 6th Batt. S.W.Bdrs., recuperating in No.7 Canadian General Hospital, 10 August 1916. - page 20: Pte. T.B. Gould, 22468, 6th Batt. H.O.Y.L.I., 10 August 1916. - page 21: Insignia of 13th Bn. Royal Fusiliers; Pte. E. Angus, G.4338, 13th Battn. Royal Fusiliers, No.7 Canadian General Hospital, Le Treport, France. - page 22: Pte. N. Hewitt, 3099, 1/6 Sherwood Foresters. - page 23: Pete/Pte. J. Whitehead, 19184, 3rd Sect. M.G. Coy., 22nd Brigade. - page 24-25: Rfn. W. Webb, 5632, 10th Rifle Brigade, - page 26-27: Pte. W. Reid, 3266, 7th Batt., Leinster Reg. - page 28: Poem; Cpl. J.G. Connell, 15th Durham L. I. - page 29: Pte. J.A. Gratton, 535409, C.A.M.C., at No.7 Canadian General Hospital. - page 30-31: Pte. Ed J. Barwood, 26619, 7th Yorks, 15 September 1916. - page 32: Drv. H. McCall, 5099, 4th Div A.A.S.C., 20 September 1916. - page 33-34: Private John L. Dow, S40279, 9th Gordon [Highlanders], transferred to No.7 Canadian General Hospital, 21 September 1916. - page 35-36: Pte. F.W. Parker, 6/2461, 1 Cont. Inf. Batt., 1st N.Z. Brigade, 21 September 1916. - page 37-38: Pte. T. Coles, 11071, 10 Coy., 6 Batt., Duke of Cornwall L.I., 21 Sept. 1916. - page 39-40: Cpl. Jas. Elger, R19392, D Coy. 21st K.R.R., 24th Inf. Brigade, 41st Division; includes insignia for 21st Battn. (Yeoman Rifles) / Kings Royal Rifle Corps. - page 41-43: Pte. D. Hume, 22996, 6th Cameron Highlanders, 23 September 1916. - page 43: Cpl. C.R. Walker, 5482, 10th (S) Batt. Rifle Brigade. "Here's all the best to Sister Smith of No.7 Canadian Gen ..." - page 44-45: Pte. John B. Nelson, 1065, 1/10 Royal Scots; attached Royal Warwickshire Rgt. - page 46: Gunner C.E. Stephens, 5381, E SW Section, 120 Heavy Battery, R.G.A., 26/12/16. - page 47-54: Gnr. W.L.J. Lynch, 11499, 20th Battery, 5th F.A. Brigade, Australian Forces. - page 55: Dr. S. Perry, 50747, 104th Battery R.F.A., 7th Division, B.E.F. France. - page 56: Pte. C. Beaumont, 4530. List of his battle assignments. - page 57-58: Cpl. W.J. McLaughlin, 4/1361, First Field Company, New Zealand Engineers, France, 25/1/17. - page 59-60: Pte. H.L. Abbott, 5284, 1st/18 London Regiment (Kensingtons), 27/1/17. - page 61: Cpl. W.J. McLaughlin, 4/1361, 1st Field Company,, New Zealand Engineers, N.L.E.F., France, 30/1/17. - page 62-63: Letter from General Rawlinson, Commander of the Fourth Army, transcribed by Cpl. W.J. McLaughlin [above]. - page 64-65: Sgt. Charles J. Carington, 9408, 3rd Can. Inf. Battn., Toronto Regt., 18-2-17. - page 66-67: Pte. F. Bailey, City of London Regt., now [with] 20th Royal Fus., 10 March 1917. - page 68: Pte. Robt. McDowell, [130218], 72nd Batt. Can. Inf. "departed for 'Blighty,'" 19 March" [1917]. - page 69: Pte. W. Hopps, 9896, 1st West Yorks. Regt., 25/3/[1917]. - page 69-70: Pte. A. Drew, 7651, South African / Scottish. - page 70: L/Cpl. C.B.Burton, 464570-47, Canadians. - page 71: Cpl. D. Monk. 7th Cam. Hgh[?]. - page 71: Sgt. G. Kitchen, 900, 1/5 West Yorks. Regt., 6/4/17. - page 72-73: Bdr. Jas. Dewar, 537, "B" Battery, 256 Brigade R.F.A., 5-4-17. - page 74-76: Pte. J. Armstrong, 8/10th Gordon Highlanders; poem "The Kaiser's Prayer." - page 76: Pte. E.W. Wilkinson, 2142338, 7th Canadians 1st B.C. Regt., Kelowna, B.C., Etaples, 11/8/18. - page 179: Pte. Garrett[?], C4 Batt, Shorncliffe, Kent. - file 8: University of British Columbia, certificate awarded to Bertha Smith, having attended the course in Public Health Nursing, 1921-1922. 11th May 1922. [MU 1475] - file 9: Autograph book, 1922; 1925. [MU 1475] Many entries are addressed to "Smithie." It is not clear whether it was Bertha Anne or her sister Mildred Isabel who attended classes at Fordham. - page 1: Rubber stamp "Received 19 October 1922." M.I. Smith - remember the day you did this - your foot was hurting you, down at the York Township Office. - page 2: blank - page 3: Pencil sketch of a couple embracing, with text: "How mad & sad & bad it was, and yet how it was sweet!" - page 4: signed Julia C. Beaver, Fordham Hospital 27 January 1925. - page 5: "You and I were classmates at good old T.H.I. ... don't forget Fordham, signed Beatrice Martin, Markham. - page 6: Cora Burke, N.Y., 3 May 1925. - page 7: blank - page 8-9: Gertrude V. Johnson, 14 November 1925. - page 10: blank - page 11: Mr. Lewis Braunstein, Bronx, New York. - page 12: V.J. Girard, M.D., 12/23/25. - page 13: Phyllis Patricia Sheard, 5 February 1925. - page 14: Lydia B Suhlor[?], Fordham, N.Y., 30 December '25. - page 15: unsigned, 22 January 1925; February /25. - page 16: blank - page 17: Peggy, 6 September /22. - page 18: blank. - page 19: A.L. - page 20: blank. - page 21: Whitey. - page 22: Anna MacIntyre, Peabody, Mass., 18 May -25. - page 23: "The Amber Lake" by F.O. Call. - page 24: L. Izora Crandall, R.N., New York, 16 November 1925. - page 25: T.W.A. - page 26: Donald McLean, Fordham, N.Y., December 1925. - page 27: Rose Burke, Bingo, N.Y., 30 December 1925. - page 28: Jim Shanahan, Fordham, N.Y., 29 December 1925. - page 29: Ida [Usher?], 17 October 1922. - page 30: blank - page 31: A.C. Jelinik, Fordham Hospital, 22 December 1925. - page 32: blank. - page 33: Drawing, with numbers. - page 34: Jessie, 4 October 1925. - page 35: Peakie, Connaught Training School, Weston, 24 December 1925. - page 36: Full-length portrait of a man, in pencil, [by] G.P.L. - page 37: Head-and-shoulders portrait, in pencil, of Mildred, [by] G.P.L., /23. - page 38: C.C. Fenton, Fordham Hospital, 1925. - page 39: Ida Usher, 17 October 1922. - page 40: Neil Spencer, Fordham Hospital, 7 February 1925. - page 41: [To] My Dear Mildred, from Franklin J. Mannion, 21/1/25. - page 42: Frank K. Duignan, N.Y.C., Fordham Hospital. 7 May 1925. - page 43: Lou Lewis, 1/28/25. - page 44: C.L. O'Brien, Fordham Laboratory, - page 45: Mari Rees, Fordham Hospital, 11 May 1925. - page 46: Jack White, Broadway's Pet, Fordham Hospital, 14 May [1925]. - page 47: A.R. Drummond, Ottawa; Fordham Hospital, 12/30/25. - page 48: blank. - file 10: Woman's Missionary Society of the United Church of Canada, certificate awarded to Bertha Smith as a Life Member, Zion [Church, Peel Township] Ontario. [MU 1475] - file 11: Reminiscence, transcription, clipping, undated. [MU 1475] - Item 1: Genealogical tree of the family Sitte; the ancestors have been of noble birth in the northern part of Bohemia; shows relatives of the mother of Bertha and Mildred Isabelle in Austria / Czechoslovakia. - Item 2: 2-page reminiscence in the hand of Bertha Smith, undated. - Item 3: Newspaper clipping showing Bertha Smith at Drayton Memorial Service, 11 November 1965. - Item 4: Memories of her Aunt "Peggy," Bertha Smith, by Carla Schott (nee Armstrong). - Item 5: Transcription of pages 11-12 and 13-14 from the Record Book . Item 6: Thank-you letter to Bertha-Ann and Carlton Armstrong, for lending articles for a display about Bertha Smith, their Aunt Peggy. - file 12: Photocopies made in researching this donation. [MU 1475] |
Item Name |
Autobiography Autograph Book Book Certificate Dictionary Encyclopedia Invitation Menu Portrait Prints Reminiscences Sketch Book Watercolour |
Person \ Organization |
10th Gordon Highlanders 15th Durham Light Infantry 1st New Zealand Brigade 24th Infantry Brigade 6th Cameron Highlanders 9th Gordon Highlanders Abbott, H. L. Angus, E. Araguaya [ship] Armstrong, Bertha-Ann Armstrong, Carla Armstrong, Carlton Armstrong, J. Bailey, F. Barwood, Ed J. Beaumont, C. Beaver, Julia C. Betham, H. Beveridge, Andrew Birmingham Braunstein, Lewis British Expeditionary Forces Browne, R. V. Burke, Cora Burke, Rose Burton, C. B. Call, F. O. Camp Chiseldon Canadian Army Medical Corps Canadian Army Medical Service Canadian Expeditionary Force Canadian Infantry Batttalion Canadian Infantry Reserve Battalion Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital Canadian Red Cross Special Hospital Canadian Reserve Cyclists Cantlie, James Carington, Charles J. Chisholm, Clara Ann City of London Regiment Coles, T. Connaught Training School Connell, J. G. Craddock, C. C. Crandall, L. Izora Dewar, James Dewsnap, W. Dow, John L. Drayton Cenotaph Drayton Library Branch Drayton Public Library Drew, A. Drummond, A. R. Duignan, Frank K. Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry Edward, Prince of Wales Elger, James Etaples Cemetery Fenton, C. C. Fordham Hospital Fraser Freeland Garrett Girard, V. J. (Dr.) Gould, George M. Gould, T. B. Gratton, J. A. Hanlon, Thomas Hewitt, N. Hitchcox, A. Hitchcox, M. (Miss) Hopps, W. Hospital for Incurables Hume, D. Jelinik, A. C. Johnson, Gertrude V. Kehoe, P. King's Liverpool Regiment King's Royal Rifle Corps King, E. Kitchen, G. Letitia [ship] Lewis, Lou Lorton Lynch, W. L. J. MacIntyre, Annie Malcolm, G. E. Mannion, Franklin J. Mapleton Historical Society Martin, Beatrice McCall, H. McDowell, Robert McLaughlin, W. J. McLean, Donald Monk, D. Moore Barracks Hospital Nelson, Jerry B. Nelson, John B. New Zealand Engineers No. 7 (Queen's) Canadian General Hospital No. 7 Canadian General Hospital O'Brien, C. L. P. Blakiston's Son and Company Parker, F. W. Perry, S. (Dr.) Potts, J. Price, J. Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry Queen Victoria Rifles Rawlinson (General) Rees, Mari Reid, W. Rice, Cora Richardson, John G. (Dr.) Royal Dublin Fusiliers Royal Engineers Royal Fusiliers Royal Irish Rifles Royal Warwickshire Regiment Schott, Carla (Mrs.) Shanahan, Jim Sheard, Phyllis Patricia Sherwood Foresters Shorncliffe Hospital Sitte, Berta Sitte, Bertha Skelton, H. Smith, Bertha Ann Chisholm Smith, Clara Ann Smith, Ida Smith, Mildred Isabelle Smith, Richard Benjamin Spargo, J. St. John Ambulance Association St. John's Ambulance Association Stephens, C. E. Suhlor, Lydia B. Sunvale Homes Sunvale Homes Supples Trianon Hotel United Church of Canada University Medical Society University of British Columbia Usher, Ida Walker, C. R. Webb, W. West Yorkshire Regiment Wheeldon, B. Anne Wheeldon, Edwin (Mrs.) Wheeldon, Edwin (Ted) Wheeldon, Mildred Wheeldon, Stan Wheeldon, Vivian White, Jack Whitehead, J. Wilkinson, E. W. Williams, L. Woman's Missionary Society of the United Church of Canada Wray, F. Yeoman Rifles Zion Church |
Place |
British Columbia Buckinghamshire Buxton Chiseldon Camp Derbyshire Drayton Etaples Folkstone France Gaspe Kelowna Le Treport London Markham Massachusetts New Aberdeen New Carlisle New York Ottawa Peel Twp. Quebec Shorncliffe The Bronx Three Rivers Tiverton Avenue Toronto Trois Rivieres Weston Wiltshire |
Subject |
Autographs Cemetery Food Health History-Canadian Medical Portrait Royalty War |
Photo, Map # |
ph 54357 ph 54358 ph 54359 ph 54360 ph 54361 ph 54362 ph 54363 ph 54364 ph 54365 ph 54366 ph 54367 ph 54368 ph 54369 ph 54370 ph 54371 ph 54372 |
Year Range from |
1900 |
Year Range to |
1925 |
Accession # |
A2019.86 |
Containers |
STACKS MU 1475 PHOTOS OVERSIZED |