COHSE: May 2016

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Angels of Hell (Hellingly)

Angels of Hell

COHSE Hellingly Hospital, Sussex on nurses pay protest 1962

COHSE Banner - 22 January 1979

Friday, May 27, 2016

Thursday, May 26, 2016

COHSE Northern Region Banner

COHSE Northern region banner 1986

photo Richard Grassick

COHSE North West Banner July 1982

COHSE North West Banner 10th July 1982 TUC Rally, Manchester

John Smith (IFL)

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

COHSE Farewell - 25 June 1993

COHSE farewell dinner for COHSE staff
Friday 25 June 1993

COHSE - Join The Resistance March - Nottingham 4th February 1988

COHSE - Join The Resistance Banner - Nottingham Thursday 4th February 1988

1,000 strong march in freezing weather from Forest Recreation Site to Market Square

photo Martin Jenkinson (Click picture to enlarge)

COHSE Officers 1985

Garry Shaw (COHSE Charge Nurse Winwick Hospital ex Miner)

Brendan Doyle (COHSE Nursing Officer Walton Hospital)

Tony Clarke (COHSE Nursing Officer Burnley General Hospital)

Mike Murphy (COHSE Staff Nurse Oakwood Hospital Maidstone Branch 840)

Maud Wiese

Maud Wiese was the first women National Executive Member of the National Asylum Workers Union.

She was elected to the General Nursing Council (now NMC) in 1922 and fought for the rights and professionalism of mental health nurses, also arguing against high fees for exams which won her many enemies amongst the entrenched interest's, including the College of Nursing. Later she was assistant Matron at Bexley mental hospital and previously head nurse at Claybury hospital 1924

Maud Eve Wiese - NMC member and first 
National Asylum Workers Union woman NEC member

Banstead & Claybury Hospital's

(A record of a death of a Maude Eve Wiese at 16 Suffolk Street, Whitstable, Kent, (Spinster) 14th August 1973.

Stood for Whitstable Council (as a retired Matron) in 1948 seen a link stating she was possibly living at The Shanty,” Seasalter Beach, 

A record of a Maud Eve Wiese being born in Battersea in 1889

Nurses GLC Nurses Night 1986

London GLC Nurses

COHSE & NUPE

COHSE Fleet Street Nurses Chapel

COHSE Fleet Street Nurses Chapel in action 1970

COHSE Fleet street nurses branch Irene Aitken (Left)

Aileen Flood COHSE Fleet Street nurses branch

Norah Fitzgerald nursing sister at News of the World Newspaper

The famous COHSE Fleet Street Nurses branch was established in 1967. Most newspapers in Fleet Street had their own medical departments. the Daily Mirror's for example was at Holborn circus employing eleven industrial nurses all registered nurses and all COHSE members.

In common with their colleagues in carious printing unions they belonging to a "Chapel", This is the traditional name given by print unions to the unit within a given company which deals with on the spot trade union matters affecting members.

The COHSE Fleet street Nurses had their own Chapel, and this, like other Chapel's in the organisation was affiliated to the Federated House Chapel. The FHC protected the interests of all trade unions within the company which ever craft, trade or occupation they were employed in.

Irene Aitken was union officer for the nurses

"We are 100 per cent COHSE Chapel, a strong chapel. we negotiate directly with the management on matters affecting our members. we can call on the Federated House Chapel for support if necessary. We are increasing our strength as nurses in COHSE by forming a Fleet street branch of COHSE"

The COHSE Fleet street nurses branch covered members at the Daily Mirror, News of the World and a number of other newspapers in Fleet street.

Industrial nursing was still a relatively new area of the nursing profession

Mrs Aitken said

"It will be the policy of our branch to bring home to the printing employers the necessity of recognising that ours is a profession (Industrial nursing), and that we are engaged in a vital occupation within the industry. This should be recognised by salaries and conditions which raise us to the status we deserve"

The Daily Mirror Medical Chapel successes and experience was the basis for the new COHSE Fleet Street nurses branch.

Miners Support NHS Workers 1982

COHSE nurses march with South Wales Miners in Cardiff 16th June 1982

33 South Wales went on strike in support of NHS workers 12% pay claim

On June 8th 50,000 on strike to support NHS workers in solidarity in Midlands and Yorkshire

Scottish miners strike in solidarity 23 June 1982

June NHS pay marches in Birmingham 3,000, 3,000 in Bristol, 700 i Leicester, 400 Wolverhampton, 500 Hackney, 500 Islington, Dundee, Paisley, Carlisle, Liverpool, West Yorkshire, Middlesborough, Nottingham, Aylesbury, Newry, Derry

Many miners went on strike again on the National TUC Day of Action for NHS Pay on 22 September 1982

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Sherborne COHSE Banner 1981

Sherborne (Dorset) COHSE 1312 Banner at Tolpuddle 1981

Norren Baker - Nottingham COHSE

Noreen Baker COHSE Branch Secretary Nottingham South branch 1241, outspoken advocate for the NHS issues and the importance of NHS sexual health services

Regular speaker at COHSE conference, progressive views and infectious laughter

Elected to Bulwell East ward for Nottingham City Council in 1991 as a Labour councillor, she became an Honorary Alderman in May 1997 and was appointed Lady Mayoress in 1998.

passed away on 5 January aged 84 years.

Norren Baker November 1929 - January 2014

Reading & Dist 607 COHSE Banner

Reading COHSE banner at Tolpuddle 1981
Councillor Roy Oliver, Reading & District 607 COHSE branch secretary and COHSE NEC member (left)

Joan Hall - Salford Ladywell Hospital COHSE

Well respected and progressive, Joan Hall, staff nurse, COHSE Branch secretary Ladywell Hospital 327 branch, Salford.

Labour Councillor and Lancashire County Councillor (Langworthy and Seedly) later NPC Pensioners champion.

COHSE Wales Banner 1981

Dave Galligan COHSE Regional Officer and Dick Edwards COHSE Regional Secretary, Cardiff 1981

Etwall Hospital Occupation - Work-In Dec 1979 - March 1980

The decision to close Etwall hospital (Derbyshire) was resisted by COHSE and the Etwall Community Action Group who in December 1979 occupied the hospital and set up a work-in. The work-in was ended in December 1980

Click to enlarge article

COHSE Lincoln Nurses elected to Lincoln City Council 1980

Ralph Toofnay was a Mauritian psychiatric nurses in Lincoln and was elected in May 1980 as a Labour councillor along with long term Councillor, County Councillor and COHSE Lincoln Public Health branch secretary nurse, Nora Baldock and John Plant also a nurse in May 1980

Ralph Toofnay was one of the first Mauritians elected into office in the UK.

Mayor of Lincoln 1992

Nora Baldock Public health nurse and Lincoln councillor and Lincolnshire County Councillor

(COHSE Branch secretary Lincoln Public Health Branch)

COHSE - Purdysburn Hospital

COHSE - Purdysburn Hospital, Belfast 1981

One of COHSE's most active and highly influential branches

COHSE Branch Secretary later Regional Secretary Jimmy O'Reilly (front) and a young David Picking

click on photo to enlarge

Hammersmith Hospital - COHSE Cleaners 1984

Hammersmith Hospital cleaners on strike against pay cuts and privatisation 1984
(photo includes a shy sun glass wearing newly appointed Regional Officer Pete Marshall)