A window on the City’s past

Elisabeth Burns, from Currynierin, is keen to learn more about the pictures, both of which come from a box of memories left behind by her late aunt Sophia, who passed on almost 25 years ago.

One of the sepia-toned pictures shows a large group of nursing staff with men in suits and ties, while the second picture shows a smaller group of mostly men wearing suits and peaked caps, with a spaniel in the foreground.

Mrs Burns does not know if her aunt is in the photographs, or indeed if they are of the Old Strand Hospital, but she suspects that it is.

“I came into ownership of the photographs after Aunt Sophia, or Sophie as we called her, died. Both my aunts. Sophia and Lizzie, were nurses in the Old Strand Hospital. One of them, Sophia Kelly, she was transferred when the old hospital closed and she moved to Gransha. I think that was about 1957 when Gransha opened,” she said.

“She is dead about 24 years, and when she died we got a lot of stuff and I got a lot of old pictures and these were among them. Last week I was digging out photographs for my son and forgot I had them until I put my hand on them.

“I would love to know more about them. I don’t even know if my Aunts are in the photographs, but my son thinks they might have been taken in or around the time of the opening of Gransha Park.

“I think the Old Strand Hospital is where the police station is now on Strand Road. I’d love to know more about the photographs. I cannot make out my aunts in the photos or even if it is just Sophia. I cannot make her out if it is only Sophia, but she nursed in the Old Strand, and I remember when she retired my daughter, who was born in 1960, well after Sophia retired she came out to the house and I remember her teaching my daughter the clock. I know that Sophia retired about 1965 or 1966, but I don’t know if she is in these photographs, and I would love to find out more.”

Any Sentinel reader who can help Mrs Burns is asked to contact the Sentinel editorial tam on 028 7134 1175, or email any information to [email protected]