A WW1 Military Hospital Autograph Book - What became of the soldiers?

 An autograph book I bought on eBay simply stated that it was from the WW1  "era" but I decided to take a risk and see if it would be of interest to me (a WW1 historian). On leafing through a few pages I immediately discovered that it was linked to the King George Hospital in London - this was because several entries stated it! The book seems to have belonged to "Hettie" who is mentioned several times. Indeed judging by several heartfelt declarations of love, Hettie was very popular with the patients! I hope to discover more about her in my researches.

 

 

The King George Hospital was a newly built 5 storey warehouse that was commandeered as a Red Cross military hospital in 1915. Beds were provided by subscription: Queen Alexandra paid for the first bed. Subsequently 1650 beds were provided.

 

 

A tunnel was built between Waterloo Station and the hospital to enable badly wounded soldiers to be transported out of sight of the public. 

 

 

 

The hospital was very well provided for and had all equipment and facilities necessary, including laboratories, dispenseries, kitchens, gardens (including a roof garden), leisure facilities for both patients and staff. Patients were provided with 7 cigarettes a day - different times! I have found a wonderful, online photo album that covers the period of my autograph book (link and credit below), with over 60 photos.

 

 

Time to dive into the life of the soldier who first signed the book - and what a life he had!

Gunner Stephen "Steve" Cairns of the19th Manchesters was wounded at  Trones Wood 20 July 1916. He had enlisted in November 1915 aged 23. I discovered that he was granted a 6 week furlough and he returned to the front only to be very seriously injured a year later  in July 1917, after which he was awarded a Silver War Badge (exempting him from further service) and a pension.

 

 

According to his pension records, after the war,  "Steve" as he was known, moved around the length and breadth of England including Durham, Blackpool, Birmingham and Cornwall.  I was initially baffled by this and then discovered that on the 1921 census his occupation was - "music hall artist". This was then confirmed again 1939. In fact, Steve had an incredibly successful career as a musician, comedian and ventriliquist, becoming the manager of a successful production and theatre company known as "Band Box" and managed the famous Blackpool Winter Gardens for several years. 

  

Steve was quite a minor celebrity and as such, he was interviewed by a local newspaper in the 1930s about his experiences in the War and how he came to "Escape from the Huns". This gives an excellent, first hand account of how he was wounded - however, I do wonder if his love of drama caused him to embellish his tale somewhat.  According to his service records he was injured twice - once receiving a fractured skull and once with a gunshot wound to the head. According to his account, he received 14 gunshot wounds whilst making a daring escape across enemy lines.  I really love the fact I have found his story in his own words (indeed maybe he WAS shot 14 times...).

 

Steve had quite an eventful and at times, mysterious life.  Before the War, the 1911 census shows him coming from a family of mill workers and he himself was a clerk in the mill. And yet by 1921 he is a music hall artist who went on to be featured literally dozens of times in the newspapers both as advertisemens and reviews of his productions! Another mystery is to whether he was married. He states in the 1939 census that he is a music hall artist and is married. The woman living with him is Mabel Wilman - also a music hall artiste and married. I have found no marriage for Steve. Mabel is variously described as single, married or Steve's sister - but I cannot find a sister for him. Mabel was if anything more celebrated than him. 

After searching through dozens of newspaper articles about them, I finally found a photo of them - however, Steve is dressed as a clown! So not a great likeness!

 

I found his story fascinating - the "straight from the horse's mouth" description by a soldier of his experience at the front, the fact that after the War a working class man became a music hall act and indeed, an impressario. I sadly cannot find for certain when he died - possibly 1969 - but there is another Stephen Cairns who might have died at that time. 

 If even a tenth of the soldiers' tales are as interesting as this one, I'm in for a treat!

Ancestry

Find my Past

BNA 

 

 https://www.blackpoolpostcards.co.uk/category/winter-gardens-programmes/

Album of photographs of the King George V Military Hospital, Stamford Street, London, First World War. Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). Source: Wellcome Collection. https://wellcomecollection.org/works/xg876uygKing