Northumbrian Stories<p>3/</p><p>In actual fact, the implementation of nurses in rural communities was a national scheme.</p><p>Before the mid-19th Century, nursing was not seen as a respectable job. It was practiced by the poorest women and society associated it with slovenliness, bad character, and drunkenness. That changed in the Crimean War (1853-56) through the efforts of women such as <a href="https://thefolklore.cafe/tags/FlorenceNightingale" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>FlorenceNightingale</span></a> and <a href="https://thefolklore.cafe/tags/MarySeacole" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MarySeacole</span></a>. The second half of the century saw the beginning of nurse training and the recognition of it as a profession. </p><p>Queen Victoria took a great interest in this. In 1887, for her Golden Jubilee, Women's Institutes all over the country raised the vast sum of £70,000 and presented it to the queen. Victoria decreed that it should be used to provide training and support for a new scheme: District Nursing. This was the start of the community nursing we still benefit from in the UK today.</p><p>Hence the Jubilee Cottage for the Jubilee Institute Nurse.</p><p>But who was Veronica Badgery? And what about her absent husband?</p><p>A bit more digging gave me some fascinating answers. </p><p>In Marylebone in 1896, Annie Veronica Huntley, daughter of Richard Herbert Maxwell Huntley ('gentleman') married Thomas William Badgery, a leather dresser from Worcester. </p><p>In 1898, their son, Thomas Maxwell Badgery, was born.</p><p>In 1902, Anne Veronica filed for divorce.</p><p><a href="https://thefolklore.cafe/tags/LocalHistory" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LocalHistory</span></a> <a href="https://thefolklore.cafe/tags/Northumberland" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Northumberland</span></a> <a href="https://thefolklore.cafe/tags/WomensHistory" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WomensHistory</span></a> <a href="https://thefolklore.cafe/tags/HealthcareHistory" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>HealthcareHistory</span></a> <a href="https://thefolklore.cafe/tags/NursingHistory" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>NursingHistory</span></a> <a href="https://thefolklore.cafe/tags/19thCentury" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>19thCentury</span></a></p>