Portcullis Belt Buckle
- Reference:GB 1199 C758/B/3
- Dates of Creation:1939-1946
- Name of Creator:
- Physical Description:0.01m
Scope and Content
Silver, metall leaf shaped belt buckle, bearing an embossed image of portcullis. At either side of the portcullis are chains, and at top is a crown. The symbol of the portcullis is similar to that used as a logo by the Palace of Westminster which indicates that this buckle was worn while Willis was working in Millbank or Westminster, which are in close proximity to the Palace and house several parliamentary buildings. The border of the buckle has a design of acorns and acorn leaves. The belt buckle is one solid piece of metal with a loop and hook welded onto the reverse, rather than a two-part, interlocking buckle.
Administrative / Biographical History
Eileen Winifred Willis was born in London around 1920. The daughter of a middle class family, she was educated in a convent school until the age of 18 when, inspired by Vera Brittain's Testament of Youth, she joined the Red Cross as a mobile VAD. Her parents objected to nursing as a career for her. Willis was called up at the declaration of war in 1939 and posted to the Queen Alexandra's Military Hospital, Millbank. With several others, she was detailed to clear up the London Orphan School in Watford prior to the transfer of Millbank Hospital to that location. Having been encouraged by qualified nurse colleagues to take training herself, she left at the beginning of 1943 and enrolled for general training at the Westminster Hospital (trained 1943-1946, GNC registration number 140598).
Access Information
This collection is available for research. Readers are advised to contact the RCN Archives in advance of their first visit.
Conditions Governing Use
Royal College of Nursing
Related Material
T/147 oral history interview