If you have a nurse in your ancestry and wonder what it was like to be a nurse more than a century ago, you should visit the exhibit, Caps of Courage: A Nursing Journey / De coeur et de courage: l’historie des soins infirmiers. Launched August 21 by the MUHC Art and Heritage Centre in collaboration with the Gallery at Victoria Hall in Westmount, the exhibit showcases the history of nursing at the Montreal General Hospital and Royal Victoria Hospital.
According to the MUHC (McGill University Health Centre), the exhibit “allows the public to experience the world of nursing, and the individuals who shaped it, through photographs and artefacts, including nursing uniforms, some dating back as far as the early 1800s.”
Nurses of the General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, 1894, Wm. Notman & Son photographer, II-105877. McCord Museum.
Since Montreal General Hospital and Royal Victoria Hospital first opened their doors in 1821 and 1893, nurses have played an important role in the medical care of the city’s residents. In the 19th century, young women who aspired to become nurses had to come from a “good family.” Those who were poor were refused admittance.
The MUHC Heritage Centre has many official photos of nurses as well as photos from personal collections.
The exhibit runs until September 21, 2014 and admission is free. The Victoria Hall Community Centre is located at 4626 Sherbrooke Street West in Westmount. For opening hours and more information, visit the MUHC website.
