Rules and History of the Ladies' Association of Volunteer Nurses to the Red Cross Society of Japan, 1909
Production date
1909
Audio tour
Description
A booklet outlining the rules and purpose for a new organisation in 1909 called ‘the Ladies’ Association for Volunteer Nurses’.
This book was obtained by Harriot Davis, a prominent sister in charge of the British Red Cross Berry unit in Serbia during the Balkan wars, on her travels in Japan. The booklet itself goes into detail about its organisational structure of the organisation, as well as the work that it would carry out. This included organising branches in Japan to respond to local humanitarian needs in times of crisis and to aid the Red Cross in their activities both in times of war, as well as in peace. The Ladies’ Association for Volunteer Nurses proved instrumental in the wider appeal of the Japanese Red Cross, with its links to the respectable royal family and helped win over the trust of the general public.
I am particularly interested in this item because I find it fascinating that a member of the British Red Cross took a keen interest in the international aspect of the organisation and others like it, so much so that she would take a booklet that was translated from Japanese and bring it back home with her. This dissemination of information shows the true spirit of the Red Cross, in that it truly transcends national and cultural boundaries to put people at the heart of the organisation’s functions in their times of need. The aspect of the royal family being involved also shows an interesting similarity with the British Red Cross, in that these national figureheads were used to enhance the prestige of the organisation and help it to gain a wider appeal in the countries where it was based.
Audio recording by Leon Janes (Volunteer), London.
This book was obtained by Harriot Davis, a prominent sister in charge of the British Red Cross Berry unit in Serbia during the Balkan wars, on her travels in Japan. The booklet itself goes into detail about its organisational structure of the organisation, as well as the work that it would carry out. This included organising branches in Japan to respond to local humanitarian needs in times of crisis and to aid the Red Cross in their activities both in times of war, as well as in peace. The Ladies’ Association for Volunteer Nurses proved instrumental in the wider appeal of the Japanese Red Cross, with its links to the respectable royal family and helped win over the trust of the general public.
I am particularly interested in this item because I find it fascinating that a member of the British Red Cross took a keen interest in the international aspect of the organisation and others like it, so much so that she would take a booklet that was translated from Japanese and bring it back home with her. This dissemination of information shows the true spirit of the Red Cross, in that it truly transcends national and cultural boundaries to put people at the heart of the organisation’s functions in their times of need. The aspect of the royal family being involved also shows an interesting similarity with the British Red Cross, in that these national figureheads were used to enhance the prestige of the organisation and help it to gain a wider appeal in the countries where it was based.
Audio recording by Leon Janes (Volunteer), London.
Collection Type
Archives
Level of Current Record
file
Catalogue Number
1041/1/21
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