Margaret Box, my Great Aunt, trained as a nurse, and went out to serve in Serbia with the Elsie Inglis Unit of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals. She had been working near Skopje, but at the time of writing this letter she was on her way to Sarajevo. Previous Index Next Dec 16th 18 My Dear… Continue reading Margaret Box to her Dad – December 16th 1918
How do we decide ?
This is very much a work in progress, which I intend to refine, but published in this incomplete form to link other posts into a wider context. Choices can be tricky – important ones always are, and for each choice we (as individuals, groups, societies and humanity as whole) make there will be an alternative… Continue reading How do we decide ?
The reasoned feedback loop
The reasoned feedback loop is central to human progress. Feedback loops are everywhere, but the key element introduced by people is the Reason step. It is core to the way that science works, and engineering, and good (I wish I could think of a better word here), legal, moral and political systems. In such loops… Continue reading The reasoned feedback loop
Margaret Box arrived in Sarajevo – December 1918
Margaret Box was one of a number of women who joined the Scottish Women’s Hospitals, leaving their homes to deliver aid where it was needed during the First World War. She was my Great Aunt, and I inherited her diaries, and some of the letters she wrote home. By December 1918 the war was over,… Continue reading Margaret Box arrived in Sarajevo – December 1918
Making Historical maps for WordPress with Viking and OSM Plugin
Maps are a great way to make some web sites about historical travels easier to understand. I have been enhancing some of parts of this blog, some of which is about family history, with maps and describe how I do it here, so you, if you wish, you can do the same. All the tools… Continue reading Making Historical maps for WordPress with Viking and OSM Plugin
Is Covid-19 a Catastrophe ?
Coronavirus is on everyone’s mind at present, including mine at about half past 5 this morning, when my mobile phone made an alert sound, but I could not find any message. There was a quick flash of what looked like the NHS Covid-19 app, which I have recently installed. In the way that the brain… Continue reading Is Covid-19 a Catastrophe ?
About to embark on S.S. Danube – 3rd December 1918
Many valiant men, on both sides of the conflict, left their homes to fight in the First World War. There were also valiant women who travelled from the safety and familiarity of their native land to fight, not against people but against the injuries of war, and the disease – particularly Spanish Flu – that… Continue reading About to embark on S.S. Danube – 3rd December 1918
British Nurse writing from Serbia in November 1918
Dr. Elsie Inglis, already a distinguished doctor, seeing the need for the wounded of the First World War to be treated, offered the Royal Army Medical Corps a ready made of unit of qualified women. She was told to “go home and sit still“, but fortunately she did not, and ended up organising 14 units,… Continue reading British Nurse writing from Serbia in November 1918
Elsie Inglis Nursing Unit returning from Serbia – November 1918
The Elsie Inglis Unit of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals was one of 14 Units of women who went abroad to provide medical care during the First World War. My Great Aunt, Margaret Box went to Serbia as a nurse with them. By the end of November 1918 the war had ended and Margaret had moved… Continue reading Elsie Inglis Nursing Unit returning from Serbia – November 1918
Margaret Box to Mother – November 1918
My Great Aunt, Margaret Ada Box, braved the Serbian winter to work as a Red Cross Nurse with the Elsie Inglis Unit of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals at the tail end of the First World War in 1918. Here follows one of the letters she wrote home, describing her adventures as one of a number… Continue reading Margaret Box to Mother – November 1918