LEE-ARCHER, Sister Estelle Frances ARRC

Sister Estelle Frances Lee-Archer ARRC

Australian Army Nursing Service

by Robert Simpson

Estelle Frances Le-Archer was born on 2^nd January 1879 in Stanley, Tasmania; a child to John Lee-Archer and Mary Ann Lyons. John and Mary had been married on 1^st January 1864 at St Thomas church in Stanley by Reverend M Burke. John’s family was Church of England and Mary’s family was Catholic. John had been born in Tasmania in 1842 and Mary had been born in Ireland the same year. After marrying, they moved to Victoria. In all they had 13 children; Ada Charlotte born 1865 in Melbourne, Arthur born in January 1866 in Carlton and dying on 27^th December 1866, Emily in 1868 in Kyneton, Elle Edith in June 1869 in Kyneton, Leslie Albyn in 1871 in Melbourne, Henry Sylvie in 1873 in North Melbourne and also dying in the same year, Charles John on 17^th May 1874 in North Melbourne, Eileen Mary in 1876 in Melbourne, Cecil Vivian on 2^nd June 1877 in Horton Tasmania, Estelle, Wilford Lyons on 21^st June 1882 in Detention River Tasmania, Elsie Bridget on 16^th October 1883 in Detention River and Kenneth on 3^rd July 1885, who also passed away on 5^th September 1885 in Detention River and was buried at Stanley Old Pioneer Cemetery (Circular Head) on the 8^th. Mary Ann Lyons’ nephew was Joseph Lyons, Prime Minister of Australia from 1932 to 1939. The family had returned to the Horton district of Tasmania around 1875. John farmed land around Rocky Cape and also prospected for copper. The North Western Advocate and Emu Bay Times carried a story on 28^th September 1904 about “A considerable amount of prospecting has been done on land held by Mr John Lee-Archer and others… where a copper seam was struck.”

On 27^th January 1901, Mary Ann Lee-Archer passed away at the age of 58. John married Lillian Margaret Brumby on 18^th June 1902 in Launceston Tasmania. Lillian had been born on 26^th December 1871 in Longford Tasmania. Together, they had 5 more children; John Mattinson 24^th July 1903 at Longford, Trevor Brumby 5^th August 1904 at Stanley, Basil Robert and Leslie David on 4^th October 1905 at Emu Bay and Elizabeth Geraldine in 1907 at Kensington Hill in Victoria. Leslie unfortunately passed away on 27^th January 1906 at Emu Bay.

The 1902, 1906 and 1907 Directories for Tasmania shows John was living at Burnie. Not much is known of Estelle’s early life apart from her applying for a teaching position with the Tasmania Education Department in 1898. She wrote to the Minister of Education saying she wanted “to apply for position as teacher under Board of Education, either as assistant, or to take charge of a small country school” and she was willing to undergo an examination. The application form was submitted at Rocky Cape on 18^th July 1898. She was not married and was a native of Rocky Cape. Her religious denomination was Roman Catholic. For experience in teaching, Estelle put she had acted as a Monitor. Her previous employment was at the home. She wanted to be a teacher of sewing, but there was no vacancy for this position. She was granted to attend an examination in December, but Estelle asked if she could be examined the next time the inspector came to the area, to avoid the expense of travelling to Launceston. This was allowed, and she did the exam in May 1900, but she was found to be below the required standard. She was allowed to be re-examined on the next visit, but again she was not up to the required standard. One of her brothers also set the exam, Cecil Lee-Archer, but he was also below standard. A letter from the Inspector detailed their short-comings. Her father John travelled to Melbourne in 1907 for medical advice and possible surgery. Two weeks after arriving he passed away on 21^st April 1907. The local newspaper carried a story on his death on 24^th April. Both Victorian and Tasmanian newspapers ran an article on his death, as he died at a clairvoyant’s house and when police attended he was already in a coffin and a certificate of death had been issued. A Coroner’s report determined he had died of cancer of the pancreas and liver, and there was nothing unusual.

She moved to Melbourne in 1910 with one of her sisters, Elsie, and trained at the Alfred Hospital. The 1914 electoral roll for Melbourne East shows Estelle was living at “Craigie House” in Gipps Street and she was a nurse. She gave the post card of herself in her nurse’s uniform above, which says “With much love from Estelle, Crathie House, 26.10.14”. Craithie House was a private hospital in East Melbourne, which had been bought by Jessie McHardy White in 1914 for that use. Previously known as Crathre House, when the owner Gavin Brown died, it became a lodging house between 1898 and 1902. During that time John Monash and his wife were residents. It remained a hospital until 1933. Estelle passed the Royal Victorian Trained Nurses examination in June 1912.

East Melbourne, 118 Gipps Street, Crathre House

Estelle enlisted in the Australian Army Nursing Service on 3^rd November 1914. She stated she was born in Stanley Tasmania, was 32 years old and single. Estelle was not a member of a sisterhood or society. She had trained at Alfred Hospital for 3 years. Certificates of efficiency in medical and surgical nursing and a recommendation from the Matron of the Civil Hospital she had trained at, had already been sent to the Principal Matron. Her experience in hospital supervision was as a Staff Nurse and Acting Sister. She had not undertaken the duties of Superintendent nor had any experience in the execution of medical orders and she was willing to be enrolled in the Australian Army Nursing Service, to which she added an !. Punch of 10^th December 1914 had pictures of nurses with the Australian Expeditionary Force which includes Estelle, listed as Miss Archer.

With the rest of the nurses for the 1^st Australian General Hospital, Estelle was listed on the nominal roll as a staff nurse, aged 32, single, a nurse of Craithie House, Gipps Street, East Melbourne. Her next of kin was her brother, Cecil, of 109 Kerford Road, Albert Park. Roman Catholic was her religion. Her pay was 100 shillings a month and her pay book number was 191654. Punch of 26^th November 1914 had an article on the Royal Victorian Trained Nurses’ Association, who had a function to farewell all the nurses that were leaving for the front. It was held at the Grand Hotel on the 20^th and Estelle was included in the list of Army Nurses attending. They departed from Melbourne on HMAT Kyarra A55 on 5^th December 1914. They arrived in Egypt, where she worked in the 1^st Australian General Hospital, treating wounded from Gallipoli. In August 1915, the No. 1 AGH was reorganised, with Estelle being sent to England.

She was detailed for England at 1^st AGH on 23^rd September 1915. She commenced duty at Bhurtpore Military Hospital on 17^th November 1915. On 1^st December 1915, she was promoted to Sister while at the 1^st AGH (according to her record). On 27^th January 1916, she had a bad attack of conjunctivitis at Bagthorpe Military Hospital in Nottingham and on the 31^st she was sent for leave to a convalescent home. Estelle complained of fainting fits on 15^th February 1916 and was examined by Major Milne who prescribed tonic and further rest. Again on 5^th March he insisted on her resting. She was sent to a private home at Port Madoc in Wales on 13^th March and returned to London at Ivanhoe Hotel on the 23^rd. Major Milne examined her again on the 28^th and got Major Baker to examine her eyes for which he prescribed glasses. On 24^th March 1916, Major Milne pronounced her fit for duty and arranged with Nottingham for her return by the 12 noon train. On 2^nd May 1916, she was detailed for duty at Coulter Hospital at 5 Grosvenor Square and on the 9^th was detailed at Ivanhoe pending room. On the 10^th, she was detailed to Grosvenor Hospital. It treated mainly officers and was smaller and had a more intimate and Australian feel, with Australians among the patients and staff. A report from the Matron at Bagthorpe Military hospital said she was very good. Estelle was sent on 2 weeks furlough from 12^th June 1916 and returned to duty on the 26^th. On 4^th September 1916, she left Grosvenor Square and was sent to Southall and then on the 29^th to NZ Military Hospital at Brockenhurst. On 12^th October she returned to Southall and was detached for duty with the newly constructed 2^nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Southall on the 13^th.

On 19^th October 1916, Estelle was detached for duty with No. 2 Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Southall with the rank of Sister. Estelle was granted furlough on 23^rd February 1917 until 7^th March. She was detached from attached duty with the 2^nd AAH and was attached to the 3^rd Australian General Hospital on 10^th April 1917. On 11^th April 1917, she proceeded overseas on Londonderry to join BEF from Southampton. Another entry on 3^rd June 1917 stated she was posted for duty to 3^rd AGH from 1^st SAGH for temporary duty. On 17^th September 1917, she was posted for duty to 47^th Casualty Clearing Station and was posted for duty to 3^rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station from there on 3^rd October. She was sent to hospital as sick on 18^th November 1917. She was admitted at St Omer with ICT in the right hand and then transferred to 14^th General Hospital on the 22^nd. After recovering and being discharged on 12^th December 1917 she was granted 21 days sick leave.

She was posted to duty on 4^th January 1918 to 3^rd AGH from 3^rd ACCS. On 3^rd April 1918, she was posted to 7^th Stationary Hospital for training duty and on 7^th May she was posted for temporary duty to 1^st SA General Hospital. From there she was posted to duty to the 3^rd Australian General Hospital on 3^rd June. She was posted to duty after being sick from 3^rd ACC Station to 3^rd AGH on 4^th January 1918 and then on 3^rd April to the 7^th Stationary Hospital for temporary duty. On 10^th June 1918, she was posted to 25^th General Hospital and was posted to 2^nd AGH on the 21^st and the 3^rd AGH on 10^th August. On 27^th August 1918, she was retained in the UK for duty ex leave from 3^rd AGH. An entry says she was found medically unfit for further service in France and her leave from the 3^rd AGH commenced on that date. Another entry says she was posted to 3^rd AGH at Abbeville on 10^th August. On 9^th September 1918, she was sent to St Albans Hospital from France, being sick. She was attached to 3^rd AAH on 26^th September 1918 at Dartford for duty after recovering, coming from Australian Administration Headquarters in London, then on 12^th October attached to 1^st AAH Harefield for duty. On 3^rd December 1918, Estelle was granted 1914 long service leave. She was then attached to 2^nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital for temporary duty after 75 days leave on 18^th February 1919.

Estelle served with the following units in England and France (according to a list): 1^st Australian General Hospital, 3^rd Australian General Hospital, 47^th Australian Casualty Clearing Station, 3^rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, 25^th Australian General Hospital, 7^th Australian Stationary Hospital and 2^nd Australian General Hospital.

She was awarded the Royal Red Cross 2^nd Class in the King’s Birthday Honours. It was recorded in the London Gazette of 3^rd June 1916, page 5062, position 3. She was decorated by the King at Buckingham Palace. The Royal Red Cross was first awarded in 1883 ‘for special exertions in providing for the nursing, or for attending to, sick and wounded soldiers and sailors’. Cecil was sent a letter from Base Records on 22^nd September 1916, “I have much pleasure in forwarding herewith copy of extract from the “London Gazette”, No. 29608 of 3^rd June, 19016, relating to the conspicuous services rendered by your sister, Sister E. F. Lee-Archer, 1^st Australian General Hospital. “The undermentioned lady is awarded the decoration of the Royal Red Cross, in recognition of her valuable services in connection with the war :- ROYAL RED CROSS DECORATION, 2^ND CLASS. Sister E. F. Lee-Archer, Australian Army Nursing Service.” Estelle was one of only six Australian nurses to be awarded an Associate Royal Red Cross for the Gallipoli campaign. A handwritten entry in her service records make reference to her being Mentioned in Despatches as well as receiving the cross, but no reference can be found for it.

A letter posted to C Lee-Archer at 109 Kerford Road, Albert Park Victoria was returned unopened to Base Records on 26^th September 1916. It was addressed to her brother Cecil, as next of kin, but her enlistment form shows a change of address for him to ‘Gaba Tepe’ East High Street Caulfield on 11^th March 1919.

A note in her file says “3^rd M.D. Nursing Services, Nurse Archer E L. attached to 1^st A.G.H. wrote 3 M.D. cannot get any further particulars re above. Name copied from Nurses Seniority List”. Obviously they had her surname entered incorrectly in the list. Another note says “cannot locate a Sister Susan Archer, I have a S/N E L Archer not in file not on Carer not in Nurses Index!” It was written on the back of a letter from Assistant Staff Officer Invalids and Returned Soldiers to base Records, dated 17^th February 1919, about an “Appended extract of letter received from Mrs. A. Boys, of 50 Hornby Street, Windsor, is forwarded for your information:- Formal acknowledgement has been sent. “Could you inform me when there is any likelihood “of Sister Susan ARCHER returning to Australia on “E”, she is on her way home now.” Base Records sent a letter to Ada Boys on 21^st February 1919 stating that they had received the above note and had no Sister Susan Archer in their records. They asked if she could forward any other information they could use to search their records and reply to her “in due course”. On 25^th February Ada replied, stating “My Sister left Australia in the first Hospital Ship in 1914 – Her name & title Sister E. Lee-Archer RRC First Australian General Hospital. I trust you will understand the above – I never made mention of the name Susan. Trusting this will cause you less inconvenience.” (Ada was her eldest sister. She had married Henry Thomas Boys in 1898 in Stanley.) A reply from Base Records on 1^st March pointed out that SOIRS had the name as Susan in their letter and that Base Records had no official advice that Estelle was returning to Australia. They also asked about a contact address for “Cecil Lee-Archer (brother)”, who was listed as next of kin, as a letter to him had been returned.

Estelle trained in midwifery while in London. She was then at 2^nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Southall for duty. On 21^st March 1919, she embarked on HT Kildonian Castle from London as part of the Nursing Staff and arrived at Melbourne, where she disembarked on 7^th May 1919. Her next of kin was advised of her return on 14^th April 1919. Her appointment was terminated from the Australian Army Nursing Service when she was discharged on 12^th June 1919 in Victoria.

On returning to Melbourne and after being discharged, she continued to work with injured soldiers in Caulfield as a charge Sister. In 1921, it became a civilian hospital and was used toc are for soldiers “too disabled or ill to return to the real world.”

The 1919 electoral roll had her at the same address with the same occupation.

Her will was sent to the 3^rd Military District on 17^th January 1920.

One of her half-brothers, John Mattison, was part of the crew on the Amelia J, when the ship was lost somewhere out to sea between Newcastle and Tasmania on 21^st August 1920. A search by other ships (including Navy ships after an outcry) and even aircraft (it was the first use of aircraft to search for a ship and it was the largest search at that time) proved fruitless.

Estelle signed for her 1914-15 Star on 24^th May 1920 at Number 11 AGH, British War Medal on 23^rd May 1921 at Victoria Barracks and her Victory Medal on 25^th April 1922 at 11^th AGH.

By the 1922 electoral roll, Estelle was living at No. 11 Australian General Hospital at Caulfield, with her occupation as nurse.

Miss E F Lee-Archer, previously of Melbourne, departed there on Goorkha in 3^rd Class and intended to live at St Georges Home, Vincent Sq. W. in England with a profession of nurse. The ship arrived in London on 31^st May 1925.

On 18^th September 1926, she embarked on the Otranto and was listed as Sister E Lee-Archer of 33 Norfolk Square W.2., who was travelling 1^st Class to Melbourne. She was a 42 year old nurse, who had been living in England and now intended to live permanently in Australia. The ship arrived at Freemantle on 19^th October 1926, where she was listed with the 1^st Class passengers and she intended to go onto Melbourne with her address as 280 Middle Park. She worked part-time at Caulfield Hospital and had a part-pension for fatigue and disordered action of the heart.

In the 1931 electoral roll, she was living at 300 Beaconsfield Parade Middle Park, with her occupation as nurse. By the 1934 roll, she had moved to 246 Beaconsfield Parade, and was still there by the 1936 roll. In the 1939 roll, she was at 93 Armstrong Street as a nursing sister, with her sister Lilian Margaret who was listed as doing home duties.

She wrote many letters to her cousin, Joseph Lyons, while he was Prime Minister. She was asking him if he could help her get a war pension. She also hoped he had recovered from his campaign. It was noted that not many nurses in the hospital had voted for him. “I have never known such hard nurses in my life & I have nursed for 25 yrs.” she commented. She also admitted she was “tired out & sad” and had shed many tears while in there. In 1936, she had fallen at home while trying to change a light bulb and broke her femur. Surgery made it worse. Prime Minister Lyons and the RSSILA tried to assist her, but due to contradictions in her account and her not being at work, the claim was never successful.

Her brother Cecil also corresponded with Prime Minister Lyon, asking him for a letter of introduction for a Sister who was going over to England in 1939. He was a manager at that time.

Basil Robert Lee-Archer served in WW2 as Private VX38858, joining up at Royal Park in Melbourne. He was discharged on 21^st March 1946 as a Sergeant in the 7^th Australian General Hospital. Unfortunately his service record is not opened to find out more details.

In the 1946 and 1949 electoral rolls, she was still living at 93 Armstrong Street Albert Park, with her occupation as nursing sister. But now she was by herself. Apparently she was fond of dogs and she never married. By 1960, she was living at 3 Albion Street St Kilda.

National Archives Australia also holds her medical and other records under M58699 Parts 1 & 2 and H58699. All are open but not online to view.

On 24^th April 1960, Estelle passed away at Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital in Melbourne. The coroner wrote she died of a perforated ulcer. She had suffered a peptic ulcer for several years. Estelle had never married, and had left a small estate to an old friend (according to one record). She was buried at Cheltenham General Cemetery in an unmarked grave on 26^th April 1960. In her will, Atholston Lyons Boys of 3 Shirley Street East St Kilda, was appointed as her executor. (He was the son of her sister Ada Charlotte, who had married Henry Thomas Boys). She left her estate to her sister in law, Catherine Mahala Lee-Archer, the wife of her brother Charles John. It consisted of money in a bank account and personal belongings. Her will had been written on 6^th June 1957 and witnessed by Ruby Marguerite Ingram (TPI and an ex-Army Sister) and Mary Kathleen Harper (a nurse). All were in the Heidelberg Repatriation General Hospital at the time of the signing of the will. There must have been some problem with probate, as Mary had to sign a declaration that she was one of the witnesses to the will. Ruby had since passed away. The inventory showed she had no property, and only had money in a bank account.

On 24^th January 1968, Central Army Records Office in Melbourne was asked by the Deputy Commissioner of the Repatriation Department in Melbourne for a copy of the records of service of Sister Estelle Frances Lee-Archer, which they supplied on the 30^th.

Her grave remained unmarked until 2012, when her great-niece, Margaret Leyden, came across her while searching family history. She said, “I never met her, but when I started researching my mother’s family I became fascinated by the story of this young woman.” From there, she pieced the story together and wanted the Office of Australian War graves to recognise that Estelle had died from war-related injuries and for them to restore and maintain her grave. An article was published in Melbourne’s Sunday herald Sun on 20^th May 2012 about the story and commented “There is no reference to her achievements; no acknowledgement of her generosity and selfless dedication to the brave.” They also said the campaign had the “support of war graves advocate John Saddington. “All war graves should be maintained,” Mr. Saddington said. “Politicians sent these men and women off to war. Now it is time to take responsibility and time they were paid some respect.”” Margaret’s grandmother was Elsie Lee-Archer.

On 10^th May 2013, Sister Estelle Frances Lee-Archer’s war grave was officially dedicated at a service conducted at the Cheltenham Memorial Park. The service was conducted by Reverend Bryan Nicholls and many family members attended and laid wreaths. People from various organisations also attended and participated in the service.

 

In the publication Faith, Hope, Charity, Australian Women and Imperial Honours: 1901-1989 is the entry – The Royal Red Cross (2nd Class) 1916 Sister Estelle LEE-ARCHER.

Above is the Theatre Royal, Hobart. John Lee Archer, Colonial Architect, laid the Theatre’s first foundation stone in 1834, and the building was completed in 1836. John was Estelle’s Grandfather. He was a distinguished colonial architect and civil engineer in Tasmania. John designed many significant public buildings in Tasmania and then held prominent Government positions including police magistrate in the Horton area of Tasmania, while living in Stanley. Some of his designs include Parliament House and Ross Bridge.

Parliament House Tasmania

 

 

 

Her medals are Royal Red Cross (2^nd Class), 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.