In early days it was difficult for any woman who desired to become a nurse to practice in Bermuda’s King Edward Hospital. Nurses such as Caro Spencer Wilson, Sylvia Richardson and many others faced this Struggle. When Friendly Society Lodges and Political Associations were formed they saw a light at the end of a very long tunnel.

The black nurses themselves formed “The Bermuda Graduate Nurses Association” in the early 50’s at that time King Edward was still off -limits to them, their determination to perform as professionals within the community made them role models and mentors for those who joined their ranks in the 50’s and 60’s. There were monthly meetings held at various members homes such as , Nurses Rena Smith, Sylvia Richardson, Helen Trott and Caro Spencer Wilson.

Caro was the only nurse at one point employed with the Hamilton Parish Nursing Association. Black Nurses did their training at the Nursing home in Middle Town while white Nurses did their training at the Cottage Hospital. By 1926 Caro Wilson, Frances Cann, Jane Stowe, Rita Pearman and Frances Eve began their training at the Lincoln Hospital School which had been established in 1882. Later we saw Mable Crawford Graduate in 1911 and Alice Scott in 1912.

Theses nurses continues the struggle to be accepted as equals and in 1958 Barbara Wade became the first black nurse to be employed at the K E M H and in 1963 Leonie Harford became the Bermuda Welfare Society’s first black nurse for the Sandy’s parish but the struggled continued.

Early nurses Rena Smith, Sylvia Richardson, Helen Trott and Caro Spencer Wilson

I The Rewards of Nursing Leonie Harford

In the earlier text I write of the continue struggle and here I will highlight the accomplishment and struggle of a few more nurses. Phyllis Leonie Harford was the daughter of Austin Earnest Harford and Lesseline Inez Harford (Ratteray). Her early schooling was at West End School her higher learning was at Sandy’s Secondary. Her first job was as a teacher’s assistant at the West End School but her desire was to study nursing as a vocation that her sister Eula Harford had taken on as a job also in that field.

In 1938, at the age of 17, Leonie entered the training programme at the Cottage Hospital Nursing Home as a probationer. She then went on to complete post graduate training at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, New York and Obstetrical Training at Providence, Rhode Island.

In 1905 an affiliation was established between the Lincoln Hospital Nursing School to train Bermudian Nursing Students. The Hospital however was established in 1882 by a group of interested progressive Americans who were concerned about the lack of hospital care for black people in New York. The first Bermudian, Mabel Crawford graduated in 1911 followed by Alice Scott in 1912.

Nurse Alice Scott

When Leonie returned to Bermuda racism was still raring it’s ugly head. Leonie applied at King Edward V11 Hospital and they would not accept her local or American qualifications. She was offered a position as a nursing Assistant. Highly insulted she vowed she would never apply for employment there again. She returned to her former training Hospital and was employed as the second assistant matron and instructor for the nursing students and held those positions until 1956 when the Cottage Hospital Nursing Home Closed it’s doors for good.

In 1957 there was a vast effort by the Bermuda Government at that time majority White government to retrain the increasing number of black nurses who had already studied here and in America but KEMH nor the Bermuda Welfare Society would employ them, instead a number of foreign nurses were brought in to fill the nursing shortage. The natural response was frustration and resentment, the result was a decision to send these young women to Britain at the Government’s expense to retrain all over again. If this was done to hinder or discourage our young black nurses the idea failed, and it annoyed the Friendly Societies who played an important role in the education of these black nurses. The Bermuda nursing home Auxiliary was the fore runner to the Bermuda Nurses Association which was affiliated with the Cottage Hospital.

In 1955 Franklyn Lodge on Union Street was bequeathed to the Friendly Societies Bermuda Nurses Association along with a mandate to assist student nurses in furthering their Educational training in that field. In 1962, both Leonie and Muriel Basden returned to Bermuda well qualified to be employed in the general Hospital however Nurse Basden was still refused a position and returned to England where she spent the rest of her nursing career. Nurse Harford had completed the additional training as a Queen’s nurse she was aware that the Somerset District would soon retire so she waited for her chance to apply for that position. Her patience paid off and in 1963 she was appointed District Nurse for Sandy’s Her responsibility were vast and she was on 24 hour call.

In later years Nurse Harford described her career path as extremely challenging but rewarding she hoped no other young black Bermudian nurse would experience the humiliation or rejections in finding employment as she did in their own country. In 1982 Nurse Leonie Harford received the Queen’s certificate and Badge of honour for 45 years as a dedicated nurse at the Cottage Hospital and the Bermuda District nursing Service. She was awarded a special award on Mother’s day by the Somerset Majorettes as she had delivered many generations of Somerset women with in their group.

In 2002 , she was recognized by the Department of Community Affairs for outstanding Community Service. Phyllis Leonie Harford departed her productive life in September 2003 She will be remembered for the years of dedication to Bermuda and her Somerset Community. Gone but not forgotten.

Gleena a queen’s nurse 1932-2023

Gleena Gilbert was the daughter of Samuel Thomas Armstrong Gilbert and Marjorie Gilbert(Burrows). She attended West End School and later Sandy’s Secondary. Gleena’s dream was to go into nursing, that seemed to be a noble profession at that time to many young black girls. She surely didn’t know what she would face like many of those before her. Her lesson reared it’s face sooner than later. She discovered that the racial issues at that time was a bitter pill to swallow and very likely she would not be hired to work in the area which she prefered the Nursing Field here on the Island. Gleena really got her introduction to nursing at the children’s hospital (Known now as Lefroy House) She worked there with a relative then left Bermuda to attend nursing school in Britain. She knew it was a career where she would have a challenge getting work when she came back home. She was among some of the very first black Bermudians who went to study nursing over seas between 1948-50. She put in the work and graduated as a state registered Nurse in 1957, and qualified as a State Certified Mid-Wife in 1958. She became a Queen’s nurse in 1962 becoming the third Bermudian to do so. In 1962 after working at Hammerson Hospital in London and doing some extensive travelling Gleena returned home and joined the staff of King Edward V11 hospital. She endured the work for awhile but soon left to work at New York’s’ Colombia Presbyterian Hospital. It was noted that nurses were being recruited by the U S. Gleena knew she would never get ahead in her own country because of the discrimination. She spent the remainder of her working life at Columbia Presbyterian, where she became an assistant head nurse.

Gleena eventually came back to her beautiful home land because of ill health no better place to be than with her family and there she faced her demise among her loving family and close friends leaving once again this time to reside in the Spiritual realm on August 31. 2023

Jane Anne Robinson Duty Bound

Jane Anne Robinson was born in Prospect Devonshire, August 5th 1901. Her parents were Charles Robinson and Estelle Robinson. Jane had three brothers. She was a quiet but very astute young lady and always immaculately dressed. One could be very aware that grooming can be attributed to her parents. Her Father Charles was a Private in the West Indian Regiment often refered to as “The Bully Roosters” because of their colourful Uniforms. The regiment arrived here from Africa after a tour of service and fighting the Boer War.

Jane received her training as a nurse and Mid-Wife at the Bermuda Nursing Home on Curving Avenue in Pembroke. In 1927 she was recorded as the fourth mid-wife registered to practice in Bermuda. She devoted her entire life to her profession. During her Mid-Wifery in caring for the sick she has been recorded to have delivered hundreds of babies in Devonshire and Happy Valley Areas. Nurse Robinson delivered babies under unusual circumstances and very congested areas but through it all she did her job well and with no complaints.

In 1940 she began employment as the Matron of the Devonshire Rest Home, which was housed in a walled in area beside the Incubator. She was also called throughout the parish for various illnesses, and retained one room at the home for delivering babies. She held that position for 20 years. She mastered her profession to the hilt and her many patients sang her praises. Nurse Robinson like so many of Bermuda’s nurses was considered a Bermudian Treasure from Frizwell’s Hill. She left us in 1981 to take her heavenly rest which was well deserved.

Joy Wilson-Tucker Historian

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