Alice Mabel Atkinson

FAMILY

Alice Mabel, known as Mabel, was born on 3 November 1864 in New Plymouth. Parents - Arthur Samuel and Jane Maria Atkinson, (nee Richmond). Siblings - Margaret (1856-1856), Edith Emily (1858-1943) married Charles Yates Fell, Ruth (1861-1927) and Arthur Richmond (1863-1935) married Lily Kirk.

PRE WAR

Mabel was educated at the schools of Miss McKay and Mrs Pigget in New Zealand. She furthered her education in 1870 at Octavia Hill’s School in England. Mabel returned to New Zealand in 1881 but between 1893 and 1895 she returned to England and trained as a midwife gaining experience in the slums of England. She also completed a course in massage. In 1896 Mabel was back in Nelson and attended a nursing course at Wellington Hospital.

1914

In 1914 Mabel was living at Fairfield House. Her occupation was Nurse.

1915

Mabel was on the committee for the ‘Society of Health of Women and Children’ in Nelson. She was also involved with the Red Cross Society. She left New Zealand for England in September for war work and registered as a nurse with the Voluntary Aid Detachment, (VAD) in November leaving England for France and being posted to Etretat, Normandy.

1916

Mabel was working at No. 1 General Hospital BEF, France. In May she was sent back to England with an outbreak of boils.

1917

Mabel was working at a large hospital outside Rouen, France.

1918

Mabel was still working at the hospital in Rouen.

POST WAR

Mabel is thought to have returned to New Zealand on the ship "Rimutuka" in 1921. She lived at Fairfield House with her sister Ruth until 1922 when they built a new house in Brougham Street, Nelson. She became involved with Plunket and Girl Guides. Mabel died in Nelson on 30 December 1935 and was buried in Wakapuaka Cemetery.

Source: Nelson Provincial Museum

Note: The photo of her on the Nelson Museum website is incorrect. It's a photo of Alice Mabel Atkinson (1885-1956), a Canadian.