Miss Florence Mary Imms
Nurse, Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD), British Red Cross
Date of Birth: c. 1883
Place of Birth: Moseley, Worcestershire
Date of Death: 3 September 1925 aged 43
VAD hat badge
Miss Florence Mary Imms of 10 Haldon Avenue, Teignmouth, Devon.
The 1911 census shows Florence Mary's father to be Walter Imms, he was born in Birmingham (c. 1836), at that point was living on private means. Her mother was Mary Jane Imms (née Daniel) was born c. 1839 in New Jersey, United States of America.
Florence was shown as born in Moseley, Worcestershire c. 1882 (her VAD card says she was 35 when she joined VAD on 21st November 1914).
In 1911 Florence and her parents were living at Linthurst, 46 Oxford Road, Moseley, Worcestershire.
The 1881 census shows that Florence has an older brother Augustus Daniel Imms and sister Beatrice Eliza Imms (the 1861 census clarifies that Beatrice is Florence's half sister from her father's first marriage).
Probate records show that Florence's brother Augustus Daniel Imms, was a professor of entomology.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus_Daniel_Imms
Florence Mary Imms was engaged with VAD as a nurse from 21st November, 1914 to 3rd May, 1919. She served in three different hositals during that time.
She died a spinster on 3 September 1925 aged 43, at 20 Catherine's Road, Southbourne-on-sea Hampshire. She was still living at 10 Haldon Avenue, Teignmouth at that time.
Victoria Hall V.A. Hospital, Dawlish
Germany declared war on France in WW1, and to attack France whilst avoiding French fortifications the German Army crossed Belgium, they did so by force and invaded Belgium on August 4th 1914.
Almost 9,000 Belgian civilians were deliberately killed by the Germans. An estimated 1.5 million Beglian civilians left their country and 150,000 of those people sought refuge Britain.
Many of the soldiers of Belgium's small army were injured or killed and 25,000 wounded men came to Britain to convalesce.
Fugitives from Antwerp following the occupation of the city on 10 October by German forces.© IWM (HU 52449)
The patients and refugees were shipped across the Channel and were allocated housing in towns and villages including Teignmouth, Shaldon and Dawlish.
The Dawlish V.A. Hospital and Belgian Nursing Home was opened in the Dawlish Victoria Hall to help treat the Belgian refugees.
Approximately 35 people from the local area became engaged with the Voluntary Aid Detachment and worked at the hospital as Nurses and in other supportive roles.
In 1915 a new hospital was opened in Dawlish and the Victoria Hall VA Hospital closed.
More about the Belgian refugees in Teignmouth and Shaldon
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"hundreds of thousands of refugees, their goods on barrows and hand-carts and perambulators and wagons, moving with infinite slowness out into the night, two unending lines of them, the old men mostly weeping, the women with hard drawn faces, the children playing or crying or sleeping.
That's what Belgium is now: the country where three civilians have been killed for every one soldier… It's queer to think one has been a witness of one of the greatest crimes of history. Has ever a nation been treated like that? And how can such a stain be wiped out?"
Rupert Brooke, Poet describing the scene in a letter home
(He saw action near Antwerp)
Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) Records
Date of engagement with VAD: 21st November, 1914 to 3rd May, 1919.
Rank: Nurse
Service rendered at:
Voluntary Aid Hospital / Belgian Nursing Home, Dawlish, Devon. November 1914 - May 1915.
Section II, Exeter War Hospital, Devon. April 1916 - March 1918.
1st South General Military Hospital, Birmingham. May 1918 - May 1919.
Paid: £22 and ten shillings a year (worked full-time).
Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) Cards
Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) Card. ©2018 British Red Cross (CC BY-NC 2.0 UK)
Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) Card. ©2018 British Red Cross (CC BY-NC 2.0 UK)
Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) Card. ©2018 British Red Cross (CC BY-NC 2.0 UK)
Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) Card. ©2018 British Red Cross (CC BY-NC 2.0 UK)
