The Faculty’s Historical Society aims to unite individuals with an interest in medicine, nursing, midwifery and social work across the University and the wider community. The society meets regularly for a range of talks and discussion and you can view many of our past events below (alphabetical order by first speaker after the first special celebratory event).
Past Events
Discover our previous talks and discussions.
Chester Royal Infirmary stained-glass window unveiling event: the talks and the photographs
A special celebratory event on 7 June 2023 for the unveiling of the four remaining stained-glass windows from Chester Royal Infirmary consisting of short talks by John Walker on John Haygarth, Professor Claire Chatterton on the windows and the people behind them and Lee Bilson and Carlotta Cammelli on the conservation of the windows - Chester Royal Infirmary stained-glass windows recording and a slideshow of the photographs
The Health and Welfare of Neston’s Coal Miners and their Families During the Industrial Revolution
Anthony Annakin-Smith, local historian and alumnus of the University of Chester, The Health and Welfare of Neston’s Coal Miners and their Families During the Industrial Revolution
'Joyous and Deliberate Motherhood': Birth Control Nursing in the Marie Stopes' Mothers' Clinic, 1921-1931
Dr Pauline Brand, Honorary Associate, The Open University - 'Joyous and Deliberate Motherhood': Birth Control Nursing in the Marie Stopes' Mothers' Clinic, 1921-1931
Under These Conditions Rank Was Barely Recognised’: British Nursing Sisters’ Quest for Collaboration on Active Service in the Second World War
Dr Jane Brooks, University of Manchester - ‘Under These Conditions Rank Was Barely Recognised’: British Nursing Sisters’ Quest for Collaboration on Active Service in the Second World War
Social Workers and Health Care: Differentiating Their Work 1930-1974
Dr Michael Burt, Visiting Professor, Department of Social Work and Interprofessional Education, University of Chester - Social Work and Health Care: Differentiating Their Work 1930-1974
Struck Off! The General Nursing Council Disciplinary Committee 1922–36
Dr Sarah Chaney, Events and Exhibitions Manager at the RCN and Wellcome Trust Research Fellow at Queen Mary Centre for the History of the Emotions - Struck Off! The General Nursing Council Disciplinary Committee 1922–36
‘Rekindling the Desire to Live’: Nursing Men Following Facial Injury and Surgery During the First World War
Dr Claire Chatterton, Staff Tutor, Open University and Visiting Professor, University of Chester – ‘Rekindling the Desire to Live’: Nursing Men Following Facial Injury and Surgery during the First World War
‘That Never-to-be Forgotten Scourge’: The Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918-19
Dr Claire Chatterton, Staff Tutor, Open University and Visiting Professor, University of Chester – ‘That Never-to-be Forgotten Scourge’: The Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918-19
Women with Postpartum Psychosis and Their Babies – Then and Now
Dr Claire Chatterton, Nation Manager North, The Open University (Visiting Professor, University of Chester and Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing) and Dr Ann Mitchell, Lecturer, Mental Health Nursing, The Open University - Women with Postpartum Psychosis and Their Babies
Royalty and Nursing
Dr Claire Chatterton, Associate Head of School of Health and Social Care and Society, Open University, Visiting Professor, University of Chester - Royalty and Nursing
Donor Human Milk Banking – Past and Present. The Birth and Growth of a Local Nurse-led Healthcare Initiative
Lynda Coulter MBE, former Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Hospital Neonatal Nurse Practitioner - Donor Human Milk Banking - Past and Present
An Exploration of the Adoption of Children in England and Wales
Pauline Doherty, Senior Lecturer, University of Chester - An Exploration of the Adoption of Children in England and Wales
“Learn to Become a Nurse in Your Spare Time”: Correspondence Schools for Nursing Education
Dr Karen Egenes, Emerita Associate Professor, Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, Loyola University, Chicago and Board Member, American Association for the History of Nursing - “Learn to Become a Nurse in Your Spare Time”: Correspondence Schools for Nursing Education
The Historical Development of the Role of Advanced Practice Nursing in the Field of Orthopaedics
Professor Sandra Flynn, Clinical MD Programme Lead, Chester Medical School - The Historical Development of the Role of Advanced Practice Nursing in the Field of Orthopaedics
When Nursing Care is Needed: King’s Daughters Visiting Nurse Service of Norfolk, Virginia
Dr Mary Gibson, RN, University of Virginia – When Nursing Care is Needed: King’s Daughters Visiting Nurse Service of Norfolk, Virginia
An Introduction to Healthcare in the Soviet Union
Susan Grant, PhD, Principal Investigator, Wellcome Trust Investigator Award, "Growing Old in the Soviet Union, 1945-1991", Reader in Modern European History, School of Humanities and Social Science, Liverpool John Moores University - An Introduction to Healthcare in the Soviet Union
Irish Nursing Narratives 1914-1921
Paul Horan, Assistant Professor of Intellectual Disability Nursing, Trinity College, Dublin – Irish Nursing Narratives 1914-1921
A Short History of UK Nursing Research
Martin Johnson RN PhD, Emeritus Professor in Nursing, University of Salford - A Short History of UK Nursing Research
The History of Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT)
Colin Jones, ECT Nurse, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Trust – The History of Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT)
Convulsive Therapy and Electroconvulsive Therapy - UK Perspective from 1922-1944
Professor Steven Jones, Chester Medical School and Colin Jones, former Mental Health and ECT Nurse, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership - Convulsive Therapy and Electroconvulsive Therapy - UK Perspective from 1922-1944
Alert to the Necessities of the Emergency: U.S. Nursing During the 1918 Influenza Pandemic
Arlene Keeling PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor Emerita and Associate Director, The Eleanor Crowder Bjoring Center for Nursing Historical Inquiry, University of Virginia and past President of the American Association for the History of Nursing - U.S. Nursing During the 1918 Influenza Pandemic
From Probationer to Professional Practitioner: The Long Walk
Dame Betty Kershaw, Professor Emeritus, University of Sheffield, Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing (and former President) – From Probationer to Professional Practitioner: The Long Walk
Learning Disability and Offending: The Changing Context of Care
Professor Andrew Lovell, Department of Mental Health and Learning Disability, University of Chester - Learning Disability and Offending: The Changing Context of Care
The Northern Powerhouse: Cotton Town Nurses Who Shaped the Profession
Dame Betty Kershaw, Professor Emeritus, University of Sheffield and former President of the Royal College of Nursing – The Northern Powerhouse: Cotton Town Nurses Who Shaped the Profession
John Hunter: On Giants' Shoulders or Self-Made Man?
Professor Dr Gordon McPhate, Visiting Professor, University of Chester - John Hunter: On Giants' Shoulders or Self-Made Man?
Florence Nightingale: Her Life and Legacy
Professor Elizabeth Mason-Whitehead, Professor of Health and Social Care and Head, Chester Medical School, University of Chester – Florence Nightingale: Her Life and Legacy for the 200th anniversary of her birth on 12 May 2020
Florence Nightingale and Her Relevance for Nursing in the Twenty-First Century
Professor Elizabeth Mason-Whitehead, Professor of Health and Social Care and Head, Chester Medical School, University of Chester – Florence Nightingale and Her Relevance for Nursing in the Twenty-First Century
Leprosy: The Long Journey to Overcome the World’s Most Stigmatised Disease
Professor Elizabeth Mason-Whitehead: Professor of Health and Social Care, Leprosy: The Long Journey to Overcome the World’s Most Stigmatised Disease
‘The Heat of Battle’ and Law on the Front Line
Professor Hilary Meredith – Hilary Meredith Solicitors ‘The Heat of Battle’ and Law on the Front Line
Agnes and Anne: An Overview of Our Lives and Careers in Nursing from the 1930s to the 1960s
Anne Naylor, former nurse and Riverside Museum volunteer - Agnes and Anne: An Overview of Our Lives and Careers in Nursing from the 1930s to the 1960s
Mental Health and Learning Disabilities: Seeking Separate Identities
Professor Duncan Mitchell, Manchester Metropolitan University – Mental Health and Learning Disabilities: Seeking Separate Identities
The Suffragettes: From Hard Sell to Hard Cell
Professor Emma Rees, Institute of Gender Studies, University of Chester – The Suffragettes: From Hard Sell to Hard Cell
Looked After Children: Then and Now
Dr Vanessa Richardson, Honorary Research Fellow, Law Department, Keele University – Looked After Children: Then and Now
“One of the nurse’s cabins”: Nursing and Nurses on Royal Navy Hospital Ships 1790-1815
Dr Erin Spinney, Assistant Professor at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John, Canada - “One of the nurse’s cabins”: Nursing and Nurses on Royal Navy Hospital Ships 1790-1815
Would She Have Bought the Big Issue? Elizabeth Macadam, Poverty and the Development of Modern Social Work
Dr Pat Starkey, Honorary Research Fellow, Department of History, University of Liverpool - Would She Have Bought the Big Issue? Elizabeth Macadam, Poverty and the Development of Modern Social Work
NHS 70th Anniversary event
NHS 70th Anniversary event: Professor Terry Wardle – From Barracks to Bevan and Beyond and Professor Angela Simpson – A Celebration of Health Education at the University and Reflections on How Health Education is Changing to Meet Future Health Priorities
Social Work History Network Meeting, March 2019
The First World War: Returning Home Exhibition
University of Chester Riverside Museum – The First World War: Returning Home Exhibition launch with a performance of ‘Over by Christmas’ by Theatre in the Quarter