Louisa Hanson is said to have been the first Ossett woman to serve overseas during WW1.

EARLY YEARS

Born in Bradford on August 31 1887, Louisa was the eldest child of Emma Kendall of Ossett and her husband William Brotherton Hanson.

By 1901 Emma had returned to Ossett to live with her brother, William Arthur Kendall, at his home on Station Road: The Gables. Louisa’s father, William Brotherton Hanson, appears to have vanished from all known records. Did he die? Or did he abandon his family, perhaps leaving them destitute? William was born in Bradford on February 4 1860 to Sarah Ann Brown and her husband Daniel Hanson. Perhaps you know more about him.

At this time Louisa didn’t join her family in Ossett and instead she stayed with her maternal aunt in Leeds. Louisa would have been almost 14 years old at this time. Could her stay in Leeds be significant? Could she have already begun to train as a nurse? I’ve been unable to locate Louisa on the 1911 census. Could she have been working as a nurse?

We know Louisa lived in Ossett before 1914 as that year, on Christmas Eve, The Ossett Observer included ‘Nurse Louisa Hanson, The Gables, Station Road; Red Cross Society in France’ on a Roll of Honour of Ossett and Horbury men (!) who were serving their country.

So much has been written about the men of our town, yet little seems to have been recorded of our women. But I think I may have found a little more about Louisa’s war service.

LOUISA’S WAR SERVICE

Prior to the outbreak of WW1 hospital matrons were already in possession of military contracts of service, and records show that many nurses were mobilised within a week of the outbreak of war. The move from comfortable, well-organised civil hospitals to the early ramshackle arrangements in France and Flanders must have been a great shock but they rose to the challenge in style. Of the approximate 600 nurses who were sent out to France with the British Expeditionary Forces(BEF), 374 were awarded the 1914 Star; an award for service in France and Flanders prior to November 22 1914. The early days. I believe I’ve found Louisa Hanson among those nurses listed on the 1914 Star medal roll held at The National Archives.

HANSON, LOUIE, 17/08/1914, BEF France

I suspect that this is a transcription error. Could this be Louisa Hanson? There is no other record of a nurse named ‘Louie Hanson’.

Louisa was one of the 600 nurses sent to France just days after Great Britain declared war on Germany on August 4 1914. No nurse left England with the British military nursing services prior to the night of August 14 1914. Individual records strongly suggest that the dates refer to the date of mobilisation and the signing of a War Office contract at their civil hospital.

Louisa Hanson served at the No2 Stationary Hospital in France and in June 1918 was awarded The Royal Red Cross 2nd Class.

The Royal Red Cross decoration is awarded to army nurses for exceptional services, devotion to duty and professional competence in British military nursing. In November 1915 a second class of the Royal Red Cross was instituted.

The WW1 Medal Index shows that Acting Sister L Hanson served at the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, Civil Hospital Reserve. Could this be where she met her future husband?

AFTER THE WAR

Louisa was 34 years old when she married Thomas Allan Robertshaw on October 27 1921 at Holy Trinity Church. Her address at this time was The Gables, Ossett. Her brother William, acted as a witness to her marriage. Thomas was from Fairweather Green, a hamlet in the Allerton township, Bradford.

After marrying, the Robertshaws relocated to Derbyshire before making their home in Marple Bridge, Stockport. Their first child was born on December 9 1922 and, in tribute to her mother’s family, they named him Derek Kendall Robertshaw. A second child, Colin Rowan, was born on June 22 1927.

Louisa Robertshaw (née Hanson) died on May 2 1981 at home in Marple Bridge. I wonder how many knew of herstory.

A BLUE PLAQUE – BUT NOT FOR LOUISA!

In 2021 a Blue Plaque was installed on Louisa’s former home, commemorating her uncle: William Arthur Kendall, as well as her cousin: Charles Kendall. Louisa was excluded from this record of the family’s history.

Although this plaque gives reference to ossett.net, it was installed without the permission of the website owner. I feel sure had he been consulted then Louisa would have been included.