Eileen Olive Woods

Born 1909, died 1987
Assistant Nurse at Gressenhall Public Assistance Institution, 1931-32
Researched by Helen Bainbridge

Eileen Olive Woods was the second child of Sidney Woods, a railway porter and Emmeline Watling born in 1909. Eileen’s father, Sidney enlisted at Diss on the 2 February 1915 with the Welsh Horse Yeomanry. He is described as being previously employed as a signalman, aged 29 years old, 5 feet 11 ¾ inches tall. He worked in Kantara, Cyprus for the Military Railways, where he showed himself proficient as a Shunter. Sidney ended his military service with the Royal Engineers on 17 July 1919 as a Station Master. Eileen’s youngest sister, Grace Vera Woods was born on 18 May 1920. The whole family can be found at Shimpling, Scole where father, Sidney is stated to be working as a signalman as Burston Station, aged 35 in the 1921 census.

In the Area 10 Guardians Committee’ Minutes dated 12 January 1931 it is noted that “a letter was received from Miss E. O. Woods accepting the post of Assistant Nurse and stating that she would be able to commence duties on the 28th instant.”. She would have been 21 years old, and we do not know whether she worked prior to starting employment there, we do know from the same minutes that she started on £50 per annum, was given £4 uniform allowance, board and lodging etc valued at £35. Confirmation that she started her employment on the 28 January 1931 is made in the minutes of 9 March 1931.

Over a year later, on the 9 May 1932 it was minuted that the Poor Law Institution, House Sub-committee recommended an increase in her pay to £55 per annum. The pay rise from 1 June 1932 was confirmed in the minutes of 13 June 1932. However shortly afterwards, 11 July 1932 the Guardians received a letter from Eileen which gave “her reasons for leaving her post without giving the usual month’s notice”. There is no official indication what the reasons were, however she married William Thomas Dorman on 10 September 1932. Her husband was a Warehouseman, aged 28 and Eileen is stated to not have an occupation. They are living at Saddlebow Road, Kings Lynn.

By 1939 Eileen has one child, born in 1934 and her and her husband William, now a Foremen for a Furniture Depository are living in Kings Lynn.

Eileen herself died 1987, registered in the May quarter in Depwade, Norfolk and luckily for Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse Museum of Norfolk Life, her daughter and granddaughter have donated a number of photographs and items of clothing of her time as an assistant nurse.