BBC Radio Kent have just published a lovely 17 minute piece about Edie’s family home in Deal: 9 Golden Street, known to the family as Sea Valley House. You can listen to it below.
The present owner, John Rigge, very kindly showed BBC reporter Ian Harkness round the house and allowed him to film as he went. Ian then came to Blockley and showed us his film which Dick commented on it and Lisa read some excerpts from the diaries. We feel it was very sensitively put together with some extremely evocative music.
The recording was published on the BBC website with the following words, “Number nine Golden Street is the childhood home of Edith Appleton who went on to become one of the most significant figures in nursing during World War One. She was one of 13 children.
Sister Edith joined the Civil Hospital Reserve in 1914 and served on the Western Front for the whole of the war. In 1919 she was awarded the Military OBE for her bravery – the highest possible honour for a serving civilian. She was also awarded the Royal Red Cross and the Belgian Queen Elisabeth medals. She died in February 1958. During her time at the Front she kept a daily diary which detailed her experiences and feelings as well as some illustrations. The diaries were published in 2012. ”
A couple of small niggles about the wording above: Edie died in 1958, not 1936, and we feel that describing Edie as “one of the most significant figures in nursing during World War One” was just a tiny bit OTT! Edie would certainly not claim that. Perhaps “Edie went on to play a significant part in nursing during World War One” would more appropriate.
