Health visitors standing outside the City Chambers

Category

Library Item

Item no

32427

Title

Health visitors standing outside Edinburgh's City Chambers

Description

Mary Cunningham stands at the far right.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1917

Size

13.8x8.7cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Ten nurses were hired in 1917 as health visitors to implement Edinburgh's Infant Welfare Scheme. They started work the week of 9th July 1917.

The City Chambers were designed by John Adams in 1793 to be build on the site of the Provost of Edinburgh's Mansion where Mary Queen of Scots spent her last night. Built as the Royal Exchange it was unpopular with merchants who continued to meet elsewhere leaving the council in 1811 to take over part of the building before in 1893 taking sole possession. The main chambers designed by Robert Morham date from 1875-1890. The Arched Arcades at the front of the courtyard were added in 1901 and in the 1930's East and West wings were added.

This image comes from a photograph album donated to Edinburgh Libraries covering the nursing career of Miss Mary Morag Bird Cunningham. Mary was born in 1888 and at the age of 22 began training at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary (RIE) as a nurse. Once qualified in 1915 she moved to the Edinburgh Royal Maternity Hospital (ERMH) and obviously found her calling in the care of children. In 1917 she became one of Edinburgh's first health visitors as part of the introduction of Edinburgh's Child Welfare Scheme. The album contains early photographs of the RIE and ERMH as well as images of child health care clinics that she worked in during the 1930s at Portobello and Prestonfield.

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Related subjects

Clothing and dress > Accessories > Bags

Clothing and dress > Garments > Uniforms

Government > Local > City and town halls

People > Health and safety > Health Visitors

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh