Fairfield Hospital nurse’s badge and Gold Award. The first badge would have been presented to all nurses who completed their training at the hospital. The Gold Award (whose inscription reads ‘Proficiency in Psychiatric Nursing 1967’) was not awarded very often as it took years to obtain. This was a very high award and only a handful were ever issued.
The award Gold Award badge below is hallmarked as 9 carat gold and was manufactured by Toye, Kenning & Spencer (TK&S) of Birmingham in 1975. This firm was the holder of a Royal Warrant to Queen Elizabeth for the supply of gold and silver laces, insignia and embroidery. TK&S supplies honours badges and ribbons presented at investitures, and is sole supplier of the buttonhole honours emblem.
The hospital held a prize giving day once a year where prizes were presented to students and final year students who had qualified as registered mental nurses. These nurses were presented with their hospital certificates and hospital badges. The top two nurses in this group got a gold badge and the runner up got a silver badge. The gold badge would usually have the winners name, the years 1973-
The award badge below has no inscription on it, so may have been one that was held in stock and never issued.
The following background to the above gold award was provided by Declan McHale BA (Hons), Marketing Coordinator of Toye, Kenning and Spencer:
"After “Googling” Toye, Kenning & Spencer, which I do on a daily basis to see what has been put online to do with our company, your website (www.threecountiesasylum.co.uk) came up with the information of the Fairfield Hospital Badge. After reading through the information on your website, I went to go and look through our record cards that we have (and there are millions). I sifted through the “F’s” and came across Fairfield Bowling Club and then the Fairfield Hospital.
"I have records of the badge dating back to 25th May 1965. Also we have a die number which would be stored downstairs in our Jewellery Quarter Factory, in Birmingham. If you would like me to take any photographs of the information / badge die I have, please do not hesitate to contact me."
These fantastic and historic photographs came through, taken by Declan himself.
Notice the name change on the award. Also the Caduceus (snake wrapped around a staff) was to be reversed.
With the design changes made the award looks as we see them today, the reversal of the caduceus gives the award a much less cluttered look.
The original die / stamp.
Job card showing various finishes and enamel.
Job card detailing the various orders from Fairfield Hospital in 1965. This would have been the first time the hospital used this design of award.
Job card detailing the orders for Fairfield Hospital awards 1969 to 1976. This and the card above gives a good indication how many of this type of award design was issued over the years.
Card showing contact details for Fairfield Hospital, Sheila Terry.
