Elizabeth Holgate Harris

Miss Elizabeth Holgate Harris

Nurse, Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD), British Red Cross

Date of Birth: 25th December 1874
Place of Birth: Teignmouth, Devon.
Date of Death: 6th April 1959 aged 84
Buried: Teignmouth Old Cemetery, plot QQ1

VAD hat badge

Elizabeth Holgate Harris was born on Christmas Day 1874 in Teignmouth, Devon.

Her father, William Bartlett Harris (1843-1930) was also born in Teignmouth, the son of Elizabeth and Thomas. He was a Solicitor and Agent for the North British Mercantile Insurance Company and at one point was chairman of Teignmouth District Council.

Elizabeth's mother, Caroline Harris née Holgate (1843-1927), was born in Rochdale, Yorkshire, and was the daughter of Jane and John, a solicitor (Messrs. Holgate and Roberts, Solicitors, Rochdale).

14 Powderham Terrace, Teignmouth (white building). Image Capture Aug: 2018 © Google 2019

In 1881, Elizabeth was living at 14 Powderham Terrace, Teignmouth, with her parents and her brothers Thomas Bertram Harris (1897-1947) and Sydney Bartlett Harris (1876-1935).

They had four servants living with them. A Nurse (Betsy Davey), a Cook (Harriet Maundie) a Housemaid (Jane Jarman) and an Under Nurse (Caroline Cotton).

The 1891 census shows the family had moved in with Thomas's 90 year old grandfather, who at the time was living at the Strand, Teignmouth.

Woodlands, Barnpark Road Teignmouth. Photo courtesy of the Woodlands Hotel

On 16 February 1898 Elizabeth's brother Thomas embarked upon a career in the Army.

By 1901, the family had moved to Woodlands, Barnpark Road, Teignmouth, in that same year Thomas was commissioned as Captain in the Devonshire Regiment.

Elizabeth's brother Sydney had become a solicitor, following in the footsteps of his father and maternal grandfather.

By 1911, Elizabeth's father William had retired, Elizabeth's occupation was shown on the census as 'Private Means'. Captain Thomas Bertram Harris was at the Tidworth Barracks when the census was taken and was later stationed in Jersey.

When war broke out at the beginning of August 1914 Thomas was sent to France, at this point he was Captain of "C" Company, 1st Battalion, Devonshire Regiment. They joined the firing line on 15th September. Thomas became a Major on the 1st September 1915.

In 1915 Elizabeth engaged with the british Red Cross Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) as a Nurse.

She served from April 1915 to December 1916 at the Teignmouth Voluntary Aid Hospital and worked part-time for 1060 hours.

Elizabeth Holgate Harris (on right) in front of the Woodlands, others identification unconfirmed. © Niall Finneran

Elizabeth's brother Sidney died in 1936 aged 60.

In 1939, Elizabeth was living at Woodlands with her brother Thomas who had retired from the Army in 1921.

Living with them were a Cook (Eliza Isabella Parnell née Hooper), a Chauffeur (Eliza's son George Henry Parnell) and a Housemaid, (Eliza's niece Ethel Constance Homewood née Hooper).

Thomas was working with the Air Raid Precautions (ARP) which was training wardens. George the Woodlands Chauffeur had served as a Motor Mechanic during WW1 and was an ARP warden. This was three weeks after the outbreak of WW2.

Thomas died in 1947 aged 69.

Elizabeth Holgate Harris died on 6th April 1959 aged 84, her home address was still the Woodlands.

Elizabeth's grave at Teign Old Cemetery

Elizabeth is buried in Teignmouth Old Cemetery next to her brother Thomas in plot QQ2.

Several members of the family are buried in Teignmouth Cemetery.

Elizabeth's mother Caroline died in 1927 and is buried in plot G127 along with William who died in 1930. Sydney is in plot QQ150.

The community group the Friends of Teignmouth Cemetery (FOTC) will be restoring this grave.

Eliza Isabella Parnell née Hooper, the Cook at Woodlands remained with the family until she died in 1949 aged 80, Eliza is also buried in Teignmouth Cemetery (plot Rr87).

Teignmouth Hospitals in WW1

At the start of the Great War the Teignmouth Hospital was located at what had been Alberta Mansions on Myrtle Hill, Dawlish Road.

The Hospital was run on a charitable basis, with the upkeep made possible by donations.

The building that was Teignmouth Hospital during WW1. (Previously called Sion House, Later known as Alberta Mansions) Photo source unknown

There was also an 'Isolation' Hospital in the grounds of Bitton House on Bitton Park Road.

In 1914 There was a mass meeting in the town hall to make arrangements for sick and wounded.

Teignmouth hospital was placed at the disposal of the Red Cross (15 beds) as well as Bitton House.

The local Suffrage Society suspended their political agenda in order to help with the war effort. Appeals were made for nurses with hospital experience, voluntary or paid; cooks, ward maids and any ladies who have a first aid certificate.

In August 1915 the Teignmouth Post mentioned that Teignmouth Hospital had a full complement of wounded soldiers who had come from the European theatre of war.

Wounded soldiers at Teignmouth Hospital. April 1915. Source unknown

The services of a masseur/masseuse were requested to treat some of the severely injured soldiers.

House to house collections were carried out by many volunteers and people were asked to send food or any useful objects to the hospital.

Inverteign house, home of Dr & Mrs Whiteway-Wilkinsons. They opened their home to wounded officers. From the Teign Heritage collection

Several Teignmouth residents offered up their homes as convalescent hospitals.

These included Dr & Mrs Whiteway-Wilkinson who opened up Inverteign House and set aside 8 beds to be used as a home for injured officers.

Lord and Lady Cable gave up the whole of the ground floor of Shute Hill House in Teignmouth for use as a sick bay.

Lord and Lady Cable also purchased the Treverven Estate (on Exeter Road, Teignmouth, (now part of Teignmouth Community School) and opened it as the Everest Hospital for convalescing officers (whilst the Everest Hospital was being built a hut for wounded soldiers was erected in the grounds of the original Teignmouth Hospital). Lady Cable contributed most liberally to its upkeep, their daughter, then Lady Weston Alexander, was matron of the institution.

Everest Officer's Hospital, Teignmouth From the Teign Heritage Collection Everest Officer's Hospital, part of the Treverven Estate (now part of Teignmouth Community School). From the Teign Heritage Collection

Bitton House, Teignmouth. Used by the Army in WW1. Also held a hospital. Now Teignmouth Town Council offices. (CC BY-SA 2.0) © Copyright Stephen Richards. (Modified, changed to black and white)

During WW1 the Army were in possession of Bitton House and soldiers were billeted in the town and market place.

In October 1915 the Teignmouth Urban District Council granted permission for parts of Bitton House to be used as a hospital, canteen and recreation rooms and for the Den to be used for Drill.

The Ordnance Survey, 1913 - 1914 map shows 'Isolation Hospital (Teignmouth U.D.C.)' as a long rectangular building with glass covered verandas on north of east side and south of west side of Bitton House (the Isolation Hospital was later demolished).