Beryl Elizabeth Ethel Clarence

About Beryl Clarence

• During World War 1 she joined the Voluntary Aid Detachment and worked as a nurse or nursing aid in a hospital for convalescent soldiers. Kitchener established the Voluntary Aid Detachment in 1909, which formalised the trend initiated by Florence Nightingale during the Crimean War (1853-1854) and overlapped with work by the International Red Cross and The First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (1907) VADS worked as assistant nurses, drove ambulances, cooked, & did clerical work etc. Like Vera Brittain, VADs were often from genteel, sheltered backgrounds.
• Beryl writes on the back of a photographic postcard:
• "Thought you might like a glimpse of Samson's ward or rather all the members of it who could get out of bed.
• In case you don't recognize me I am sitting with the crutches.
• We have 24 patients, three V A D's and a trained sister ( in flowing veil) Beryl, May 1918 "

In September 1939, Elizabeth Clarence was living at 36A Haven Road, Poole, Dorset, England. She was 41 years old, married , and had private means. She had one maidservant, Celia A Mahon (Martin). Elizabeth's husband was not present. He was an artist. In the photo, Elizabeth Clarence is sitting on the right side of the sofa, while her daughters Dawn & Diana are seated on the couch, next to Edward Wilfrid Townsend, Beryl & Brenda Souter's uncle, brother of their mother Ethel Mary Souter , born Townsend. Brenda Souter sits on the left of the couch while behind it stands Yolande Audrey Friend. The picture was taken in 1944 by Mike de Belleroche at Negishi, E W Townsend's house in Lewes.