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Although the Red Cross during the First World War is synonymous with nursing it also raised many local volunteers who freely gave their time to produce items for wounded soldiers, prisoners of war and for raising funds to help the Red Cross effort. As the war progressed their contribution became ever more important. The Somercotes Auxiliary of the Red Cross Society was established during the war so that women, in particular, could contribute to the war effort.

The Derbyshire Times & Chesterfield Herald reported on 29 December 1917 on one of the many fund raising events held in the village: “FOR THE R£D CROSS - SOMERCOTES SALE OF WORK - Mrs Jobes organised a successful effort in the shape of a sale of work followed by a whist drive in the Market Hall, Somercotes, last Friday in aid of the Somercotes Auxiliary of the Red Cross Society. She had willing helpers in Mrs Merriman (Township Leader), Miss Bown and Miss Elsie Jaques, while many generous local contributors assisted in making a stall replete with attractive and useful articles. Mrs Dykes Robson formally opened the function, which was organised, she said, to provide the sinews of war. It was an absolute necessity to provide comforts for wounded soldiers, and it was the duty of those at home to maintain the necessaries for those who had done and were doing so much for the nation. They were not asking the public to give something for nothing, but to exchange their coins at that function for the many pretty things arranged before them through the enterprise of Mrs Jobes. Her effort deserved success, and the attendance augured well for its success. (Cheers.) The Rev. W. P. Mahony proposed a vote of thanks to Mrs Robson and also acknowledged the admirable service of Mrs Jobes, who was a keen and interested worker, while she was an accession of strength to the Red Cross cause, which had an untiring supporter in Mrs Robson. Mrs Merriman seconded the proposition, which was heartily carried”

Workers for the Somercotes Auxiliary of the Red Cross Society:

KNITTING & NEEDLEWORK VOLUNTEERS

ABBOTT, Maria  -  Sleetmoor Lane, Somercotes

ABBOTT, Mary  - 9, Langley Avenue, Somercotes

BAILEY, Emily - Langley Avenue, Somercotes

BAILEY, Gladys - Leabrooks Road, Somercotes

BAILEY, Hannah - Langley Avenue, Somercotes

BAKEWELL, Mary - Leabrooks Road, Somercotes

BEASTALL, Annie - Nottingham Road, Somercotes

BEET, Eliza Ann - Nottingham Road, Somercotes

BEST, Sarah Ann - Pye Bridge

BOWN, Annie - Quarry Road, Somercotes

BOWN, Hannah - Quarry Road, Somercotes

BOWN, Sally - Quarry Road, Somercotes

BRENTNALL, Elizabeth - Leabrooks Road, Somercotes

BROOKSBANK, Clara - Pye Bridge

BURNHAM, Annie - Leabrooks Road, Somercotes

BURT, Annie - Quarry Road, Somercotes

BURTON, Eliza - Somercotes Hill

BURTON, Sarah - Somercotes Hill

CARNELL, Emily - 10, Langley Avenue, Somercotes

CHALLONER, Frances - Quarry Road, Somercotes

COLLEDGE, Emma - Quarry Road, Somercotes

COLLEDGE, Madge - Quarry Road, Somercotes

CRESWELL, Kate - Somercotes Hill

DARRINGTON, Emma - 23, New Birchwood [Muckram], Somercotes

DAVIDSON, Lucy - Sleetmoor Lane, Somercotes

DEXTER, Daisy - Birchwood Lane, Somercotes

FARNSWORTH, Prudence - Somercotes Hill

GIBSON, Olive - Nottingham Road, Somercotes

GOODACRE, Louisa - Manchester House, Lower Somercotes

HAGUE, Emma - Wood Street, Somercotes

HARDY, Alice - Wood Street, Somercotes

HILL, Clara - The Lodge, Lower Somercotes

HODGKINS, Agnes - Langley Avenue, Somercotes

HOLMES, Margery - Birchwood House, Birchwood Lane, Somercotes

JAQUES, Elsie Irene - Nottingham Road, Somercotes

JAQUES, Emily - Langley Avenue, Somercotes

JAQUES, Sally - Nottingham Road, Somercotes

KNIGHTON, Lydia - Leabrooks Road, Somercotes

LEWSLEY, Alice - Mill Street, Somercotes

MADDISON, Jessie - Langley Avenue, Somercotes

MARRIOTT, Ann - Somercotes Hill

MARRIOTT, Annie - Somercotes Hill

MARSDEN, Amelia - Quarry Road, Somercotes

MERIDITH, Annie - Leabrooks Road, Somercotes

MERRIMAN, Mary - Red Cross Township Leader - The Knoll, Somercotes

MUXLOW, Lizzie - Pye Bridge

O’Brien, Agnes - Nottingham Road, Somercotes

PALMER, Martha - Quarry Road, Somercotes

PARKER, Hettie - Sleetmoor Lane, Somercotes

PARKIN, Annie - Langley Avenue, Somercotes

PARKIN, Elizabeth - Birchwood Lane, Somercotes

PARKIN, Ellen - Birchwood Lane, Somercotes

POYSER, Jennie - 7, Langley Avenue, Somercotes

ROGERS, Alice -  Lower Somercotes

ROGERS, Eliza- Lower Somercotes

ROSS, Mary- Birchwood Lane, Somercotes

SHAW, Sarah Ann - Quarry Road, Somercotes

SIMPSON, Elizabeth - Moss Farm, Somercotes

SMITH, Emma - Victoria Street, Somercotes

SMITH, Mary - Somercotes Hill

STEAD, Frances - Sleetmoor Lane, Somercotes

STRAW, Ellen - Bank Street, Somercotes

TAYLOR, Agnes - Nottingham Road, Somercotes

TAYLOR, Alice - High Street, Somercotes

TAYLOR, Mary - Wood Street, Somercotes

TAYLOR, Mary Ellen - Nottingham Road, Somercotes

TAYLOR, Matilda - Coupland Place, Somercotes

TAYLOR, Sarah Ann - Leabrooks

WADDOUPS, Amy - 4, New Market Place, Somercotes

WADDOUPS, Mary - 4, New Market Place, Somercotes

WALKER, Mary - High Street, Somercotes

WALLER, Sarah - Sleetmoor Lane, Somercotes

WEBB, Edith - Quarry Road, Somercotes

WHITEHEAD, Bertha - Langley Avenue, Somercotes

WHYSALL, Mary - 29, Seely Terrace, Somercotes

WIDDOWSON, Mary - Sleetmoor Lane, Somercotes

WIGGINGTON, Adeline - Leamoor Avenue, Somercotes

WILLIAMS, Theresa - Quarry Road, Somercotes

WILMER, Rose - Somercotes Hill

WOOD, Fanny - Wood Street, Somercotes

WRIGHT, Mary - Leabrooks Road, Somercotes

WRIGHTMAN, Eliza - Langley Avenue, Somercotes

 

VOLUNTEER NURSES

ARGYLE, Minnie – Minnie’s address was recorded as Somercotes. Her service started on 8 October 1915 and she served at Bagthorpe Military Hospital [now Nottingham City Hospital].

HOLE, Nellie – Nellie’s address was records as Somercotes. Her service was from 18 September 1915 through to 1 March 1917. She served at Blackwell Red Cross Hospital.

REED, Margaret - Margaret’s address was given as Somercotes. Her service was from December 1914 to January 1915 and she served at the Red Cross VAD Hospital, South Wingfield.

 ROBSON-DYKES. Marjorie Sybil  - Somercotes House, Somercotes. Marjorie was aged 22 when she joined the Red Cross on 30 November 1917. She served at the 1st Eastern General, Cambridge Military Hospital

 

The numbers of women volunteers working for the Red Cross Society at Somercotes may have been above the average for a small village but it is also true that the number of men who had an association with Somercotes who were fighting in France and elsewhere was also astonishing. The above names do not, of course, count the women who took on the work of soldiers at the ironworks and in other industries, which was, by 1918, a substantial number. Such was the amount of money raised by the Red Cross in the parish that questions were asked of other larger towns. The Derbyshire Courier of 16 February 1918 ran one such article: “Considering the excellent work done by the Somercotes branch of the Red Cross Society, and the amount of money raised during the war by the workers at Somercotes, the results achieved by the Alfreton branch are not altogether satisfactory. It is true that useful work has been done in the town, but the band of workers is very small, and people have often asked the question: ‘how is it that all classes do not enter into the work!’ Little is heard about the Alfreton branch. At Somercotes all classes of people are engaged in the work and the secret of the success of the branch is that the working class and the middle class pull together vigorously with one common aim”.

The records for the Red Cross Society include the dates of service but do not give the actual hours worked. All volunteers worked part time, when they could. The dates are not included in the above listing, but, by 1918, all the above women were listed as volunteers for the Red Cross, and all service was finished as at January 1919.