three counties column
Each month Richard Knight will feature an item from Three Counties
Hospital from his collection of history and memorabilia. This month we have:
Award badge
This wonderful award badge held
a big surprise for me
I have been looking for this type of badge for many
years so I was very pleased to be able to purchase
this one from ebay. The lady who sold it was not an
ex-Fairfield nurse or had any idea about it as it was
her deceased husbands.
I paid her the money and left with the badge a very
happy man. It wasn’t till I looked at it more closely
that I noticed it was hallmarked on the back. The
following day I took it to my local jewellers. They
informed it was made of GOLD! Manufactured by TK
and S (Toye, Kenning and Spencer) of Birmingham
in 1975.
The firm holds a Royal Warrant to Queen Elizabeth for supply of Gold
and Silver laces,insignia and embroidery
TK&S supplies honours badges and ribbons presented at investitures
and is sole supplier of the buttonhole honours emblem.
So we can see that this is a high quality award but what was it issued
for? What would a nurse have to achieve to be presented with such a
prestigious award? Well a big thank you to Leo Deazley for the
following information:
The Hospital held a Prize giving day once a year when prizes were
presented to students and Final Year students (3rd Year) who had
Qualified as Regestired Mental Nurses. These nurses were presented
with their Hospital Certificates and Hospital Badges.
The Top Two nurses in this group got a Gold Badge and the runner
up got a Silver Badge. The Gold Badge would usually have the
Curious Incident Review
Fifty year eights had the opportunity to see the amazing production of
‘The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time’ at Milton Keynes
Theatre this term. Students were studying the play script in lessons and this
supported them in exploring the play. It was a powerful production where
students loved seeing the incredible staging and inspiring use of creative
technology and set design elements.
Year 4s P.E Experience Afternoon
On Thursday 12th November, some lucky Year 4 from all our Lower Feeder
Schools, had the chance to be introduced to Etonbury’s sporting facilities.
Twenty Etonbury Sport Leaders organised a multitude of sporting activities
which the upcoming students enjoyed participating in. The activities included
Rugby, Football, Relays and activity courses as well as some circuit training
which really tested their stamina. This afternoon gave the soon-to-be
Etonbury students a taste of their future P.E department. The excitement
was visible through the image that we were so
lucky to be able to capture.
Leanne Barber, one of our talented performers
has been working hard at Gymnastics and Dance
and achieved a grade 4 Gold Medal and she,
along with her partner, Mabel, are now Herts
County Champions. This is a super achievement
and she will be performing some of her work at a
forthcoming assembly.
14 |
January 2016
|
winners name and the years it
took to achieve, followed by the
words ‘Proficiency in Mental
Nursing’ inscribed on the back.
All nurses got a badge but
indeed it was a great honour to
receive this award.
A few weeks after putting my badge on the website I was very
surprised to receive an email from Declan McHale the marketing coordinator of Toye, Kenning and Spencer, While searching the internet he
came across my article and told me the company still had all the Fairfield
Hospital orders dating back to 25th May 1965 also they still hold the
original badge metal die and all the badge design drawings. He also said
if I would like photographs of them he would send them to me, Naturally I
was very excited and asked Declan to send them over which he did and
these can now be seen on the website. www.threecountiesasylum.co.uk
We are still looking for more TCA/Fairfield Hospital Memorabilia
(especially an ETC machine) so if you have anything to sell please
contact Rich on 01462630912
We would like to wish All On The Button readers a very Happy Healthy
and Prosperous New Year!
Events within school
The whole school has enjoyed a Book Swap week, Year 5 have also
had visits from The Dogs Trust, Roald Dahl Experience, they have also
visited Hazard Alley. Year 6 are due visit Harry Potter World and have
a Victorian Day. Year 7 are visiting the theatre to see ’Wicked’ and the
Emirates Cable Car. Our Christmas Performance, ‘A Christmas Cracker’
takes place on W Y