A white starched cotton apron with two button holes on each end of the waistband and wide hem; single-ply material except at waist and hem; single-stitched along hem and top seam of waistband; doublestitched on bottom seam of waistband; no stitching along sides; apron falls to approximately midcalf.
A white starched cotton apron with two button holes on each end of the waistband and wide hem; single-ply material except at waist and hem; single-stitched along hem and top seam of waistband; doublestitched on bottom seam of waistband; no stitching along sides; apron falls to approximately midcalf.
Number Of Parts
1
Provenance
Owned and used by Nora Valleau, Kingston General Hospital School of Nursing graduate Class of 1928.
Dates
1925
1928
circa 1925-1928
Date Remarks
Worn with Kingston General Hospital nursing uniforms; Valleau was at Kingston General Hospital 1925-1928
Material
fabric: white; red
Inscriptions
Name tag: "Nora Valleau"
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0007
BOX 8
Temporary Location
To exhibit: "For Service to Humanity", Nursing Gallery: restored Room 1016, Museum of Health Care, 13 Nov. 2008.
Length
80.0 cm
Width
74.0 cm
Depth
0.1 cm
Unit Of Measure
centimeters
Dimension Notes
Length 80.0 cm. x Width 74.0 cm. x Depth 0.1 cm.
Condition Remarks
Fabric is in excellent condition with the exception of several pale grey marks (dirt?) along both the inside and outside of the lower hem
Copy Type
Original
Reference Types
Document
Websites
Reference Comments
"Information Re KGH Nursing Uniforms" by Marilyn Boston
Canadian Museum of History, "Symbol of a Profession: One Hundred Years of Nurses' Caps," https://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/hist/infirm/inint01e.html
"For Service to Humanity: Nursing Education at Kingston General Hospital," Museum of Health Care. https://www.museumofhealthcare.ca/explore/exhibitions/forservicetohumanity.html
Research Facts
Starched aprons were worn with bibs to cover most of the uniform; worn from 1886-1967 with little change other than a shortening of the hemline.
Throughout the twentieth century, nurses' uniforms changed, in particular with the rising of hemlines. The nurse's uniform was generally white, and Kingston General Hospital uniforms were once known for "turkey red" hemlines. Different levels of nursing education had different uniforms, in particular different caps, as graduate nurses had black bands on their caps to indicate their level of education.
Exhibit History
On exhibit at the Museum of Health Care in the East Gallery, small cases #1 and #2 - May 30, 2007.