Name/TitleEquipment: Nurses Chatelaine belonging to Florence 'Bessie' Way
About this objectThis chatelaine belonged to Florence Jane Elizabeth Way (known as Bessie Way). Charge Nurse Way graduated at the Adelaide Hospital in 1895.
A silver badge on the front flap of the leather chatelaine is engraved ‘B. Way’. The instruments housed in the chatelaine at the time of donation are of more recent manufacture than the leather chatelaine and include scissors, metal tongue depressor, dressing forceps and ring handled dressing forceps.
The leather is stamped in gold with the manufacturer ‘W.H. Bailey & Son 38 Oxford St. London W’ .
The chatelaine attached to the belt of the uniform, enabling the nurse to have at hand equipment to use at the bedside of patients. This chatelaine used a drop down flap with felt sections to house large pins or safety pins. The photo illustrates Charge Nurse Annie Gill, wearing a similar chatelaine.
Charge Nurse Way was the niece of Sir Samuel Way, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia 1876 until his death in 1916 and her father, Edward Willis Way, was a prominent Adelaide Surgeon.
Date MadeCa 1895
Medium and MaterialsPouch & straps are leather, instruments are steel or metal alloys
MeasurementsPouch L16 x W10, Strap L46cm
Named CollectionNursing profession and nursing education Royal Adelaide Hosptial
Object TypeEquipment
Object numberAR#1021
Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved