QUEEN ALEXANDRAS IMPERIAL MILITARY NURSING SERVICE RESERVE CAPE BADGE 1912

Description

QUEEN ALEXANDRAS IMPERIAL MILITARY NURSING SERVICE RESERVE CAPE BADGE 1912
QUEEN ALEXANDRAS IMPERIAL MILITARY NURSING SERVICE RESERVE CAPE BADGE 1912
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Description
QUEEN ALEXANDRAS IMPERIAL MILITARY NURSING SERVICE RESERVE
STERLING SILVER NURSES CAPE
QUALIFICATION BADGE
HALLMARKED 1912
30mm Diameter
15 grams
Worn on the right hand side of the cape at chest level.
EXTREMELY RARE
REF-GONZO-8591A
VH: C.SS
GS 11524
Hallmarked: Sterling Silver London
Manufactured by: Carrington & Co. London England
Date letter "r" = 1912
Origins
Established by the War Office through a Royal Warrant in March 1902, this unit started out as the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS).
It replaced both the Army Nursing Service (AMS) - established in 1881, but with origins going back to Florence Nightingale's work in the Crimean War (1854-56) - and the Indian Nursing Service.
Initially, there were strict criteria for selection. Nurses had to be single women of good social standing between 25 and 35 years old, and to have trained for three years at one of only 34 UK hospitals approved by the Nursing Board.
First World War
At the start of the First World War (1914-18), there were just under 300 nurses in the QAIMNS. But, owing to high casualty rates and the huge wartime expansion of the British Army, the tight restrictions on recruitment were quickly relaxed. For the first time, married and working-class women were allowed to join.
By 1918, there were over 10,000 QAIMNS nurses. They served on every front and in every campaign. Altogether, around 200 Army nurses were killed on active service during the conflict.
Towards the end of the war, 14 members of the QAIMNS were also sent to northern Russia to work on the hospital ship 'Kalyan'. They remained onboard for eight months after the ship was locked in ice in Archangel.
Carrington & Co.
Founded 1873
The firm of Carrington was named after its founder John Bodman Carrington who established his manufacturing business at 130 Regent Street.
He was listed as a silversmith, goldsmith and jeweller working from the London premises of the Birmingham silversmiths G.R. Collis & Co.  The business was re-styled Carrington & Co in 1880 and the firm specialised in extra strong silver plate for use in restaurants, hotels and ships.
By the early 1890s Carrington were advertising themselves as jewellers, diamond merchants, dealers in precious stones and manufacturing silversmiths.  At this time the partners were John Carrington, William Carrington Smith and George Bruford.  They were awarded the Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria and would go on to gain the warrants of Prince Albert, Edward VII and George V, as well as Nicholas I and II and Queen Alexandra of Russia.  In 1893 they created the beautiful Dorset bow brooch for Queen Mary and in 1911 they set the famous Cullinan diamonds numbers III and IV into a brooch/ pendant for her, a jewel now owned by the Queen who affectionately refers to them as ‘Granny’s chips’.
John Carrington became Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths’ Company in 1903 and retired from his business in 1906 leaving W.C. Smith to continue as sole remaining partner.  Carrington co-authored a book ‘The Plate of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths’ which was published shortly before his death in 1926.  The firm was converted into a limited liability company in 1922 and was eventually bought out by the firm Collingwood.
Payment
I ASK THAT PAYMENT BE MADE WITHIN 12 HOURS OF AUCTIONS CLOSE. UNPAID AUCTIONS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR OFFER TO THE NEXT HIGHEST BIDDER AFTER 48 HOURS WHERE APPLICABLE. INVOICES REMAINING UNPAID ARE REFERRED TO EBAY FOR SETTLEMENT BY MEANS OF A NON-PAYMENT CASE AGAINST THE BUYER.
ALL SALES PAYABLE BY PAYPAL UNLESS OTHER ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF INTERNATIONAL SALES WHICH ARE PAYABLE BY PAYPAL ONLY.
Shipping
ORDERS SHIP WITHIN 4 DAYS.
CANADA POST DETERMINES SHIPPING COSTS, NOT THE SELLER!
IN LIGHT OF THE MONEY BACK GUARANTEE POLICY SECURE SHIPPING IS MANDATORY ON ITEMS OVER
I USE THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE OPTIONS AVAILABLE WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE SAFETY OF THE GOODS.
AN AMOUNT TO COVER SHIPPING AND HANDLING AS PERMITTED BY EBAY IS INCORPORATED INTO ALL SHIPPING COSTS.
Terms of Sale
Please note that all items are described to the very best of my ability and with the utmost good faith:
They are sold as is on the day of listing.
In terms of anything that "works" particularly , but not limited to electronic or photographic items no warranties are expressed or implied.  I carefully and thoroughly  examine all elements for evidence of fungus or blemishes and will disclose any if found
without stripping the lens
, be they photographic, binoculars  or other. This is the limit and extent of the examination in this regard
.
With Regard to Militaria, badges in particular. I have spent a great deal of money on reference material and spend an inordinate amount of time on research to establish the authenticty of the offerings to the very best of my ability. I will state known flaws if I see or know about them. The world of Military collectors has a plethora of experts some more knowledgeable than others and opinions in many instances are at at odds one with another. I list in good faith and according to the best information available to me. My pictures are very clear. I make no claims and offer no guarantees beyond this.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Every effort is made to faithfully reproduce the actual colour of the article on offer, however allowances must be made in this regard particularly with regard to shades and hues. Shading and subtle differences will not be considered as justification  for return of an item
.
Returns will be considered if the item radically and demonstrably differs from description and such difference/s  is/are  not covered by any disclaimer.
NB Electronic/Mechanical/Photographic/Watches. optical, microscopes, telescopes and binoculars.
Refund of Purchase price only
o
nce the item has been returned in the condition sent.
NO LOCAL PICK UP OF ORDERS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES
About Us
I  take pride in bringing The Uncommon, The Hard to Find, The Unusual and often The Rare to the incredible eBay Market. An inordinate amount of time, effort, travel, money and an ever-growing network of suppliers have all combined to make this possible.I find, bring, research, photograph and describe a vast array of items and present them for your collecting pleasure. The small S&H fee attached to every item covers this. After five + years &  my feedback nears the  6,000 mark  & I have not tired, nor lost my enthusiasm for this fascinating quest and continue to derive a great deal of satisfaction from the happiness I bring my buyers. Some of the rare Military Items I have found are now housed in Museums at Klerken in Belgium and Cambrai in France as well as Museums in Italy and Canada.
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