Royal Infirmary Edinburgh School of Nursing badge : Sister A M Locke

Sterling silver and enamel badge, with Birmingham hallmarks for 1921, for the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh School of Nursing. In the centre is a bird feeding its young in a nest, surrounded by a blue enamel border with the words 'ROYAL INFIRMARY EDINBURGH SCHOOL OF NURSING'. Some of the blue enamel has broken off around the edge of the badge. 'A.M. LOCKE. 978' is engraved on the reverse. The badge has a brooch pin fitting on the back.

Badge associated with Annie Maria Locke, born in the Goulburn district of New South Wales in 1872. Sister Locke had completed her training and was already working as a nurse in the United Kingdom when the war broke out. She joined Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve (QAIMNSR) in 1914 and worked in both Britain and France. Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) was established in 1902, replacing the Army Nursing Service in Great Britain. At the outbreak of the First World War there were 297 nurses in QAIMNS. This small number in the core service was maintained throughout the war, being supplemented by the approximately 11,000 nurses who enrolled in QAIMNSR. The women of QAIMNSR were employed on annual contracts, or until their services were no longer required. Women who joined QAIMNS or QAIMNSR were generally over 25 years old and single (although as the war progressed some younger or married women were able to join). They had to be well educated, of good social standing and to have completed a three year course of nurse training in a War Office approved hospital. Sister Locke took up a position as an instructor at the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh School of Nursing after the war, and later returned to Australia.