Introduction

This web site is part of a research project by Graham Thurgood who is a senior lecturer. He is a qualified nurse and this research study is being conducted for a MPhil / Ph.D. research degree. The project is exploring the history of nursing in the two West Yorkshire towns of Halifax and Huddersfield from 1870 - 1960. The aim is to produce a history of nursing of these two towns and the methodology includes archival documentary research and oral history interviewing of retired local nurses.

Because this is an ongoing project the site will be subject to changes and updating on a regular basis as new additional information is obtained.

The current information and links within this site are the results of the early literature and archival researching so far conducted.

This site is for educational use and is hoped to assist nurses and others in the study of the history of nursing.

The history of nursing in Halifax and Huddersfield is of interest to not only nurses but many of the general public who have an interest in the history of these two towns.

It is hoped this site will be of interest to a variety of different people including:

• Students studying the history of nursing
• Students interested in its associated research methodologies
• Qualified nurses
• Members of the general public

Current changes to local health services means that there is a lot of interest in health care and nursing locally with the proposed merging of the two NHS Trusts and the opening of the new hospital in Halifax. This new hospital is especially important historically as its opening will mean the demise of the Royal Halifax Infirmary and Northowram hospitals and a major change for the Halifax General hospital site.

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The research objectives are to:

• Synthesize an account of the development of nursing within the two West Yorkshire towns of Halifax and Huddersfield.
• Provide evidence of the major developments and changes within nursing in these towns.
• Critically analyse the major developments and changes within nursing in these towns.
• Identify factors that influenced nursing and nurses.
• Identify individual nurses who made important contributions to nursing locally.
• Compare and contrast the development of nursing in the two towns.
• Evaluate oral history interviewing as a method of recording the working lives of local nurses.

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The researcher's learning goals for the oral history part of the study are to:

• Examine methodological and theoretical issues in archival and biographical research.
• Gain an improved understanding of different perspectives towards archival and biographical work.
• Have the ability to conduct archival searches and biographical interviews, interpret the data collected and evaluate the research undertaken.

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Aim of the oral history part of the study is:

To create a collection of memories from retired nurses and compare/contrast their individual experiences.

Original Objectives

1. conduct initial 30-minute interviews with potential interviewees by December 2000
2. plan and prepare, pilot and evaluate an interview schedule by April 2001
3. conduct 10 oral history interviews by August 2001
4. complete transcription of interviews by December 2001
5. complete analysis of interview data by June 2002.

Due to a variety of factors these objectives were only partly achieved. The time needed to complete the transcribing process has extended, delaying this stage, and the analysis, as indicated below.

Revised Objectives

1. conduct 10 oral history interviews by December 2001
2. complete transcription of interviews by February 2004
3. complete analysis of interview data by June 2004.
   

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