Hackney Hospital

© City of London/London Metropolitan Archives

Hackney Union Infirmary

By Sue Kinder

Nurses were given ½ a day off per week, and one weekday every month.

Nurses were not allowed to leave the hospital without a pass.

They worked 12 hours a day.

Regulation 4: The Staff Nurses are required to rise at 6am; have breakfast at 6.30am; commence duty at 7 am, dinner at 12.45pm or 1.30pm, as directed; tea at 4pm or 4.30pm, as directed; go off duty and have supper at 7.30pm and go to bed at 10pm.

Regulation 6: No lights allowed in Nurses’ quarters after 10.30pm.

Nurses trained for 3 years and they were paid £10 for the first year and £16 for the second and third years.  They were called Probationers for the first 2 years, then if they passed the relevant exams they could be promoted to Staff Nurse at a salary of £24 per annum, rising by £1 annually to a maximum of £30. After a further year, they could be promoted to Charge Nurse at a salary of £30, rising annually to a maximum of £36, in addition to receiving their board, washing, lodging and uniform.

Trainee nurses had to be single or widows, and aged between 21-30.

Duties of Charge Nurses

Regulation 17: To read prayers every night in the Wards before 7.30pm, all patients being previously in bed, and to see that all fires are made up, scuttles filled, and gas lowered before going off duty.

Duties for Night Nurses

Regulation 3: To allow no talking in the Wards after the gas is lowered at 8pm.