Kingston General Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Collection
Category
Nursing
Nursing Uniforms
Classification
Nursing
Nursing Uniforms
Accession Number
995002021 a-d
Description
Pair of black ankle-length nurse's boots (a-b) made from soft leather; 19 pairs of metal eyelets each fully laced with a black shoelace (c-d); undershot heels and pointed toes; heel measures 4.6 cm tall; centre back to top of heel measures 20.0 cm; back of heel (at top) to toe measures 27.0 cm; wid…
Pair of black ankle-length nurse's boots (a-b) made from soft leather; 19 pairs of metal eyelets each fully laced with a black shoelace (c-d); undershot heels and pointed toes; heel measures 4.6 cm tall; centre back to top of heel measures 20.0 cm; back of heel (at top) to toe measures 27.0 cm; widest point at foot is 8.1 cm.
Number Of Parts
4
Part Names
a - boot - Size: Length: 27.0 cm. x Width: 8.0 cm. x Depth: 26.0 cm.
b - boot - Size: Length: 27.0 cm. x Width: 8.0 cm. x Depth: 26.0 cm.
c - bootlace - Size: Length 1.83 m x Width 0.6 cm
d - bootlace - Size: Length 1.83 m x Width 0.6 cm
Provenance
Owned by Lillian Mary (Lord) Dougherty.
Dates
1916
1919
circa 1916-1919
Date Remarks
Based on date of patent issue stamp and dates at school.
Material
leather: black; tan
fabric: black
metal: black
Inscriptions
To bottom of each heel: "PAT. REISSUE // MAY 23, 1916"; at interior of both boots near top left: "460 3148" in blue stamp
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0007
0007 Closet K
Temporary Location
.
Condition Remarks
No damage from being on exhibit; suitable to put back on exhibit
Copy Type
Original
Reference Types
Person
Photo
Websites
Reference Comments
Marilyn Boston, "Info Re KGH Nursing Uniforms"
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
These boots were owned and used by Lillian Mary (Lord) Dougherty, who graduated from the Kingston General Hospital School of Nursing in 1919, while she was a student.
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
Hall of Honour - 09/95–Jan. 19, 2001; on exhibit at Museum, Jan. 22, 2001-June 9, 2008.
On-site exhibit: "Trench Menders: Health Care in the First World War," 25 Feb, 2015 - 21 June, 2022