Elsie Maud Hick

Miss Elsie Maud Hick

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

Date of Birth: 18 May 1890
Place of Birth: East Teignmouth, Devon
Date of Death: 24 August 1984
Buried: Died in Dawlish, buried in Teignmouth Old Cemetery, plot QQ134.

VAD hat badge

Elsie Maud Hick was born on the 18 May 1890 in Teignmouth, Devon.

She was the daughter of Elizabeth Elmore Hick née Greenslade who was born in Stoke Canon, Devon (1864-1939) and George Graham Hick who was born in Wadebridge, Cornwall (1856-1947).

Elsie and her siblings (all were born in Teignmouth)
Graham Tremain Hick 1887–1973	Gladys Muriel Hick 1889–1958
Elsie Maud Hick 1890-1984	Clarence Arney Hick 1892–1979
Morcombe Fuller Hick 1896–	Kathleen Mary Hick 1900–1974
Godfrey Hick 1902–

In 1891, Elsie was living at 'The Shrubbery', Dawlish Road, East Teignmouth, with her parents, her sister Gladys and her brother Graham. Her father was listed on the census as a 'Commercial Traveller'. Elsie's aunt Alicia Beasbly was living with them as a "Mother's Help. They had one live-in servant.

By 1901, the family had moved to Highcliffe, 1 Cross Park, Teignmouth. Elsie's sister's Gladys and Kathleen and brothers Morecombe and Clarence were present and the family had a governess living with them.

In 1911, the family were living at Highcliffe, Clarence was working in a Drapery Warehouse and her father was shown on the census as a Commercial Traveller silks'.

Highcliffe, New Road Teignmouth. © Copyright Robin Stott. (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Elsie was engaged with the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) from March 1916, and was still serving April 1919.

She worked part-time as a Nurse at the Teignmouth Auxiliary Hospital and worked for 4896 hours. When Elsie joined VAD in 1917 she have her permanent address as Highcliffe, Teignmouth, Devon.

All of Elsie's immediate family survived the war.

Elsie's brother Clarence Arney Hick was a Corporal in the Devonshire Regiment and served in Egypt, her brother Morcombe served with the Devonshire Yeomany and the Royal Irish Regiment.

The 1939 Register shows Elsie, her sister Kathleen and her father still living at Highcliffe. At this point her father had retired and Kathleen had become a Chiropodist. Clarence and his wife Alice had become the proprietors of the Bella Vista Hotel on Teignmouth Sea Front.

Elsie Maud Hick died a spinster on 24 August 1984. Her home was Karamea, First Drive Dawlish when she died. She is buried in Teignmouth Cemetery as are her parents, her sister Kathleen, brother Clarence and his wife Alice Hick (née Hughes).

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).