History

St John Ambulance has a history in Stamford dating back to 1924.

In the beginning ...

Until 1924 there was no first aid unit in Stamford, so to rectify this, a number of men work towards establishing a division, until 17 June 1924 when the division was registered, with 26 members. 26 August 1924 saw the first general meeting, where the division decided upon their officers; W. R. Newell as Divisional Superintendent and H. Rowlett as Ambulance officer.

With no other financial backing other than the members own subscriptions to pay for uniforms and equipment, the division did well to perform 342 “public duties”, and showed its commitment to the area beyond the town limits, keeping a “haversack” in Ryhall for use incase of an accident

Until 1926 the division has no ambulance of its own, and had to utilise a converted ambulance car. In 1926 however, the Home Service Committee of the Joint General Council of the Order of St. John and the Red Cross Society, made a re-conditioned ambulance, which was used during the Great War available.

1927 saw Dr. W. Anley Hawes become the Divisional Surgeon, a position he maintained until ill health forced him to resign in 1959, and 1928 saw the Marchioness of Exeter consent to becoming the Divisional President. 1928 also saw the beginning of divisional competitions in the form of the Burghley and Anley Hawes Cups, which members (officers and NCOs exempt) entered voluntarily, until competitions were discontinued during World War 2, due to absence of so many members.

Also in 1928, the division started the first purely St. John, and second provincial voluntary Blood Transfusion Service, which was established for the benefit of patients in the Stamford and Rutland Infirmary.

In 1930, the division was able to raise funds for its own brand-new, 15-horse, two-stretcher Armstrong-Siddeley ambulance, at a cost of £479 10s. Within a few years of acquiring this vehicle, the need for a second was apparent, and in 1935 another 17-horse power vehicle was purchased for £542 2s. 10d.

1938 and 1939 were a proud years for the division. Both W. Newell and Dr. W. Anley Hawes were honoured by the elevation to the rank of Honorary Serving Brother of the Order. Then in 1939, along with kindred Civil Defence services operating in the town, the division was inspected by the Duchess of Gloucester, Deputy Commandant-in-Chief of the Nursing Divisions, who presented five members with efficiency medals for 15 years’ service.

With the second world war taking its toll on the division, in October 1940 the Womens Nursing Division was inaugurated, with E. M. Newell as the Divisional Superintendent, in September 1942 a Cadet Division was formed and in February 1944 a Nursing Cadet Division was open, with the hope that in time, both of their ranks would supplement that of the adult divisions. By Christmas 1944, 21 members of the Ambulance Division were in service with H.M. Forces, sadly Private Appleby was killed in action serving his country in 1945; the division helped his memory live on by naming a competition cup in his honour.

The cadet divisions hit the ground running, and by the end of 1945, the 27 male cadets had completed their First Aid exams, as well as gaining their proficiencies in “Handyman”, “Handicraft” and “the History of the Order”.

The post war period continued to see the division grow. By the 1950s the combined divisions were big enough to become a Corps, and W.R. Newell became the Corps Superintendent. In 1953 W.R. Newell sadly died whilst still the Superintendent, and so in 1954 J. Short became the second Superintendent of Stamford. 1954 also saw the purchase of a brand new Daimler DC27 Ambulance, at the cost of £1967, this vehicle complemented the existing two vehicles in providing the NHS Ambulance Service on behalf of Kesteven County Council from 1949 to 1957.

In 1959 J. Short was promoted to Area Superintendent, and J. Appleby was promoted to Divisional Superintendent, only the third at Stamford in 35 years.

And then ...

The 60s, 70s and 80s saw the division continue to grow from strength to strength, with the division joining in celebrations to mark the Centenary of St. John Ambulance in 1987, both by attending celebrations in Hyde Park, and through a photo taken of the division taken outside the headquarters.

The past few years ...

Recent years have seen turbulent times for the division, but with stability finally restored, 2005 saw the opening of a Cadet Division in Stamford after a number of years absence.

The first cadets at Stamford were enrolled in November by the late Edith Kirby, once Superintendent of the Adult division and member of the Order of St. John, also present was Jenny Frere-Cook, Vice-President for Cadets in Lincolnshire, as well as numerous representatives from Stamford adult division, and of course the Cadets’ parents.