Antiques Roadshow UK Season 45 Episode 9 Nursing Special

In this episode of Antiques Roadshow UK, the focus is on nursing memorabilia. The experts travel to the historic city of York, where they visit the York Railway Institute. The Victorian building served as a place of learning for railway workers and their families, and it now houses a treasure trove of nursing items.

The experts begin by meeting a retired nurse who has brought along her collection of nursing caps. She explains that throughout her career, she collected caps from all over the world. Each cap has a different design and symbolizes the nursing profession in each country. The expert is impressed by the collection and is particularly interested in a cap from India which is made from fine gold thread.

Next, the experts meet a woman who has brought in a portrait of her great-grandmother, who was a nurse during World War I. The expert is able to identify the nurse’s uniform in the portrait as a VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) uniform. The VAD was a voluntary organization of civilians who provided nursing care in times of war. The woman is thrilled to learn more about her great-grandmother’s nursing service during the war.

The experts also meet a retired nurse who has brought along her collection of nursing badges. She explains that during her career, she collected badges from different hospitals and organizations. The expert is impressed by the variety and uniqueness of the badges, which range from simple enamel pins to intricate silver badges. The retired nurse has a particularly rare badge from the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, which the expert values at a high price.

In addition to these individual items, the experts also appraise a large collection of nursing memorabilia. The collection includes old nursing books, photographs, uniforms, and even a vintage nurse’s bicycle. The expert is impressed by the completeness of the collection and appraises it at a high value.

Along the way, the experts also offer insights into the history of nursing and the evolution of the nursing profession. They explain how nursing has changed over time, from its early days as a male-dominated profession to the present day, where the vast majority of nurses are women. They also discuss the impact of World War I and World War II on nursing, and how these wars led to the professionalization of nursing and set the stage for modern nursing practice.

Overall, this episode of Antiques Roadshow UK offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of nursing memorabilia. Through a range of individual items and collections, viewers learn about the history of nursing and gain a deeper appreciation for the vital importance of nursing in our society.