Fonds - Helen Woolson fonds

One of six children of William A. Woolson and Janet (Jessie) Murdoch Woolson, Helen Woolson was born in Ingersoll, Ontario on March 2, 1888. She graduated from St. Joseph‟s Hospital School of Nursing in 1908. Woolson enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in May of 1916, and was initially assigned to the No. 10 Canadian Stationary Hospital, the hospital unit established by Western University and commanded by Dr. Edwin Seaborn. Upon mobilization of the unit, Woolson travelled to England with other nursing sisters in June of 1916, but was reassigned in July to the No. 1 Canadian General Hospital. Despite requests from Seaborn to restore the original members of the No. 10 staff, Woolson remained with the No. 1 General for the duration of the war and was awarded the Royal Red Cross, 2nd class, in June, 1919. Following the war, Woolson nursed at Byron Sanatorium and at Speedwell Hospital in Guelph; served as an investigator with the Canadian Pension Commission for Military District No. 1, London; and was night supervisor at St. Joseph‟s Hospital School of Nursing from the1940s until 1957. Called “Aunt Hylo” by family members, Helen Woolson lived for most of her life in London, Ontario. She died in that city on January 10, 1973.