Celebrating International Nurses Day: Honouring the legacy of Beckett Park nurses

The history of Leeds Beckett University is intertwined with the remarkable service of nurses who provided care and comfort during some of the most challenging times in history.

A legacy of service

Our university campus holds a unique historical significance, as it once served as the site of important hospitals during the two World Wars. The 2nd Northern General Hospital was established in August 1914. The building that is now known as James Graham was the site of the hospital, while the Macaulay building served as the morgue.

This hospital played a vital role in treating wounded soldiers and offering specialised medical care that not all facilities could provide. The campus, originally intended as a teacher training college, was repurposed to treat casualties from the front lines.

By 1916, the hospital recognised an increasing number of men who had recovered from their initial injuries but were left with various disabilities and required ongoing treatment. This prompted the establishment of an orthopaedic department that developed rapidly, becoming a major specialist surgical hospital by 1917. The campus also included advanced curative, orthopaedic, jaw, and facial injury departments, becoming a centre of excellence for pioneering treatments.

During the First World War, Beckett Park Hospital treated around 57,000 soldiers for injuries sustained in battle. Notably, the hospital was visited by King George V and the US ambassador, Dr. Walter Page, in 1915. The number of patients were steadily increasing since the college was first commandeered as a hospital, and in 1916 a 700-bed annexe was built in temporary huts on the college playing fields.

In the Second World War, Beckett Park was prepared once again to serve as a hospital. While the City of Leeds Training College was relocated to Scarborough for safety, the campus became the 18th General Hospital and later the 21st Primary Training Centre for the Royal Army Medical Corps. Additionally, it served as a repatriation centre for returning prisoners of war, contributing to the recovery and reintegration of those who had served.

Nurses of Beckett Park

In recognition of the extraordinary service provided by the nurses who served at Beckett Park, we highlight a few individuals who left an indelible mark on the history of our university and the wider medical community.

Yvonne Constance Mary Adams (1888-1963)

Adams served as a Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) nurse at the 2nd Northern General Hospital from 1915 to 1919. Not only was she the oldest VAD at the Leeds hospital, but she was also mentioned in dispatches in 1917 for her dedicated service. Adams later lived in Hove, Sussex, and passed away in 1963.

Winifred Louisa Fry (1878-1962)

Fry had two periods of service at Beckett Park Hospital, first from 1915 to 1916 and again from 1917 to 1919. She was awarded the Royal Red Cross (2nd Class) and honoured by King George V at Buckingham Palace in 1917. After the War, she returned to her native New Zealand.

Elizabeth Tenniswood (1869-1943)

Tenniswood was a staff nurse at the 2nd Northern General Hospital from 1917 to around 1924. With a reputation for being a capable and energetic nurse, she played a key role in training others and serving as an assistant nurse. Tenniswood later lived in Scarborough, where she passed away in 1943.

Annis Mary Bentley (1890-1921)

Bentley trained at Leeds General Infirmary and worked as a nurse at the 2nd Northern General Hospital during World War I. She left her position due to ill health and tragically passed away in 1921.

There were several others who made significant contributions to the War hospitals.

Honouring their legacy

Leeds Beckett University is proud to have educated over 3,300 nursing graduates, who continue the legacy of excellence established by those who came before them. Our nurses students, alumni, and academic colleagues continue to make a difference in their industry on a daily basis, touching the lives of thousands of individuals through their work.

As we celebrate International Nurses Day, let us honour these amazing individuals and the ongoing commitment of nurses everywhere who dedicate their lives to providing compassionate and skilled care.