My Great Aunt, Margaret Box trained as a nurse and, towards the end of the First World War went as a Red Cross Volunteer with the Scottish Women’s Hospitals to join their life-saving work in Serbia. She had been working in Skopje, but the unit was no longer needed there, and they had been sent,… Continue reading From Salonica to Sarajevo
We had a very jolly Xmas 1918
Margaret Box, my Great Aunt, spent the Christmas of 1918 far from the rest of her family, working as a nurse with the Elsie Inglis Unit of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals. On the 28th of December 1918 the unit, including Margaret, were assigned to the hospital in Sarajevo, from where she wrote to her mother.… Continue reading We had a very jolly Xmas 1918
Terra Incognita, Mr Box – 12th December 1918
The Scottish Women’s Hospitals wrote to my Great Grandfather, John Robert Box, on the 12th of December 1918, sympathising with his frustration that he had to communicate with his daughter, my Great Aunt, Margaret Box by way of Salonica (Thessalonica) in Greece, when she was working as a Red Cross Nurse in Sarajevo, over 300… Continue reading Terra Incognita, Mr Box – 12th December 1918
Scottish Women’s Hospitals to Mrs Box – December 6th 1918
During the First World War Elsie Inglis, a Scottish Doctor, realised the urgent need for medical assistance to treat the wounded, but as a woman, her offer of assistance was declined by the War Office. Undeterred she established the Scottish Women’s Hospitals, and recruited women to go and and tend the casualties of war. My… Continue reading Scottish Women’s Hospitals to Mrs Box – December 6th 1918
Margaret Box to her Dad – December 16th 1918
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 ?