Vera Rosalee Houliston (nee Newton) was born on 20 September 1893 to George Henry (1859), a furniture dealer, and Rosabell (1869).
She lived at Boundary Cottage, Hanwell with her siblings; Gwendoline and twins Donald Henry and Doris. Also living in the cottage was their servant, Alice Pickett (1890).
Vera engaged as a nurse in the Middlesex VAD on 11 September 1916 and served until 28 March 1919. She was assigned to Park Hall Military Hospital between 11 September 1916 and 24 March 1918.
Scarlet stripes
In March 1918 she moved to a Military Hospital in France, where she continued to work until the end of her service.
Vera was awarded two scarlet stripes. VADs under contract to the War Office were awarded red stripes to denote that they had been certified efficient by their matron and commanding officer (see photo).
After the War Vera married William Houliston (1895) in 1923. William was a ‘Clerk of Holy Orders’.
They lived in Ealing after their marriage before relocating to Durham where William was Group Leader for the Special Constabulary and Vera organised the local Women’s Voluntary Service.
William died in Poole, Dorset in 1965 but Vera lived on until 1991. She died in Poole leaving £129,916.
Sources: www.Ancestry.co.uk, www.scarletfinders.co.uk, British Red Cross Archives and Museum