Our People - Marion Ferguson Foster M.B.E.
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Quartermaster Marion Ferguson Foster M.B.E. Voluntary Aid Detachment (V.A.D.) Moor Park Hospital, Preston Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire If you have a picture or more information about this woman, please contact us Marion Ferguson Foster was born 26 May 1881 to James Yates Foster, an engineer born in Preston and Elizabeth Stuart Foster born in Scotland. She was baptized 31 July 1881 in Fulwood. The church in which she was baptized is not given in the records.
By 1891 she was living at Whitefriars, Liverpool Road, Penwortham with her parents, siblings and staff. James was 35 and a printers engineer and Elizabeth was 33. Marion had two younger brothers John H. (7) and Frank (6) both born like her in Fulwood. Lily C Franklin (27) was their school governess born in London, Jane Johnstone (20) a housemaid born in Scotland and Annie Preston, a cook (23) born in St.Michaels on Wyre. In 1901 Marion was living at North Street, Daventry with her Uncle Harold W Johnson (36), a clergyman / school master and Aunt Sarah A Johnson (34), both from Preston. As well as Aunt and Uncle, her cousins Muriel (10), Phyllis (8) and Harold (6), all born in Daventry. There was also a schoolmaster and a matron, 20 boys and four other staff. Marion began work at the Moor Park Hospital on 4 August 1914 with the rank of Quartermaster. Her duties were varied but included canteen duty, depot duty and she was also the head clerk of the hospital. To begin with she was working part time on canteen duty until 11 August 1914 then moved to depot duty, also part time until 4 January 1915 when she became a full time member of staff. Marion had the entire charge of the Admission and Discharge Books. She was still serving 15 May 1919 when her VAD certificates were completed and her service was voluntary unpaid throughout. Marion was awarded the MBE, specifically for her work in Moor Park Hospital. The London Gazette dated 26 March 1920 p.3831 reads: "Miss Marion Ferguson Foster. X-Ray Worker at Preston Infirmary and Moor Park Auxillary Hospital." The London Gazette dated 27 July 1920 p.7854 reads "Miss Marion Ferguson Foster. Secretarial services at Moor Park Auxilliary Hospital."
For more information about the work of the Voluntary Aid Detachments during WW1, visit the British Red Cross website.
Charles O'Donnell
Please email the project with any amendments or corrections Edited 11 December 2016 Sources
Lancashire, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1911 via Ancestry.co.uk / 1891 England Census via Ancestry.co.uk / 1901 England Census via Ancestry.co.uk / The London Gazette (as stated in text) / England & Wales, Death Index, 1916-2007 via Ancestry.co.uk / British Red Cross, VAD Cards |
