Sister Olivia Ann Lowrey

Sister Olivia Ann Lowrey was an Australian nurse who joined the QAIMNSR. She joined the staff of Wharncliffe Hospital in December 1915 and appears to have remained there until August 1918 when she was sent to France. She was a native of Stroud in NSW, a country town in the Hunter Valley where her father was a dairy farmer. She had three sisters who were also trained nurses - the other three joined the Australian Army Nursing Service and two of them served overseas.

The photo of the clock was taken by Christine Bramble, caption reads - "A gift to Sister Olivia Lowrey from the patients of Wards 9A and 9B Wharncliffe War Hospital" - it is on display in the Quambi House museum in Stroud, NSW.

According to a letter from Olivia published in the Australasian Nurses' Journal in November 1916 another Australian nurse, Sister Calvert who had trained with her at Sydney Hospital, was also at Wharncliffe.

Olivia’s service record is available from the National Archives.

Image courtesy of Newcastle Museum (Australia)

With many thanks to Christine Bramble for the information and also her image of the gift clock to Olivia