Muriel Woodings (nee Stubbs)

State Registered Nurse – Qualified 1960

I was born in 1939, in Nantwich, Cheshire, one of 8 children. Leaving school at 15, I had secured a place as a student at the West Kirby Children’s Convalescent home – where I nursed children aged 6 – 14, with chest and heart problems from usually poor families of Liverpool and Birkenhead. After two and a half years there I passed my final exam, receiving my certificate from the Lord Mayor.

This allowed me to begin my formal SRN training at Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport, in 1957. The training began with six weeks intensive training in the nursing school, with Saturdays on the wards. There was an exam at the end of the six weeks and anyone who failed had to leave the course.

Then the real training started, rotating around the hospital wards and theatres, for practical training, followed with a week in the classroom with the Sister Tutor. There were exams at the end of each year, Part 1, 2 and then the Finals. I was delighted to pass all of these and qualify in 1960 as an SRN. I was 21 years old. I remember sending my family a telegram to tell them the news!

Nursing posts were allocated by the hospital Matron, and I was sent to Children’s Surgical (mainly tonsil and appendix surgeries); before I left to start the midwifery course, which I left after six months to return to the ward – this time on Female Surgical – where I remained until I left in 1964 to have my first child. With no maternity leave or childcare support, I had to leave the profession. I tried to return after a year, working three nights a week, but it was impossible to continue with a young child at home.

I missed the work I did and the people I helped, I wish I could have continued.  I remain very proud of what I did then and also proud when my daughter herself became a nurse at the Great Ormond Street Hospital.