Retracing Olga’s Steps in Scotland

Spending a couple of weeks in Scotland for the first time, I have tried to walk in my great grandmother’s shoes. At the turn of the last century, Olga lived in Glasgow for around 5 years.

Her greatest desire was to become a missionary in China, and to achieve that, she understood that she would need to further her education beyond the few years she had attended the local school on the archipelago island of Karklö. She knew that it was desirable to know more languages than Swedish – primarily English – and that it was beneficial to have medical training. To solve at least one of these problems, she and a friend – Maria Westerberg – responded to an advertisement in a newspaper where the K.F.U.K (Young Women’s Christian Association) was urging young women interested in training to become good housekeepers and learning English to apply to a cookery school in Glasgow. Mrs. Schröder at the K.F.U.K. approved the girls’ applications after Olga’s mother, Augusta, agreed to let her 19-year-old daughter undertake this rather unusual journey for young women at that time.

Boat and train
On November 6, 1899, the girls arrived by train in Glasgow and enrolled at the cookery school. However, the school was not what they expected. The discipline was very strict, and they were not allowed to leave the school without special permission. They were forbidden from speaking even a little Swedish with each other and had to work very hard from early morning until late at night.

To escape the school, Olga and Maria sought employment with a wealthy family in Glasgow and after six months they could finally leave the school. They stayed with the family for about 1.5 years.

Pit stop in Sweden
During 5 summer weeks in 1901, Olga returned to Sweden to visit her family. She had then secured a probationary position at Govan Parochial Hospital and Poor House in Glasgow, where, starting on September 10, 1901, she would finally receive the nursing training that was crucial for her future as a missionary. The arrangement was that she worked at the hospital – initially in lower positions – while simultaneously studying medicine and receiving training within the framework of the hospital’s activities. She had to take numerous exams and gradually advanced in rank. Eventually, she progressed to the point where she became a charge nurse. Olga remained at the hospital for ‘3 years, 3 months, and 4 days’, as she wrote to the mission in 1905.

In her application letter to become a missionary, she also mentioned her contributions to the cause in Glasgow:
‘I was able to participate somewhat in the Seamen’s Mission. Sometimes I was asked to sing a song or give a testimony in Swedish at an English meeting, for the Scandinavians who did not understand English very well, or sometimes to accompany the missionary Mr. Morrisson and his daughter to the seaport to invite the seamen to the meetings.’

The Ibrox disaster
During Olga’s time at Govan Parochial Hospital, the Ibrox disaster also occurred in Glasgow. It was during a soccer match between England and Scotland in 1902 when parts of the wooden stands collapsed. 25 people died, and over 500 people out of the approximately 68,000 attendees were injured. It was estimated that between 200-300 people simply fell through the floor of the stands to the ground far below.

The Govan Police Station on Orkney Street, which also served as a prison and town hall at the time, was used for the injured, and, of course, large numbers of injured people were brought to Govan Parochial and other hospitals in Glasgow, such as the Western Infirmary.

I have no letters or notes from Olga from this time, but I can imagine that she wrote home about what happened, both at the household school, in the family she worked for, and about her work at the hospital. She likely also wrote about the Ibrox disaster and how hard they had to work to help all the injured at the Govan Parochial Hospital.

You can read more about the disaster here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1902_Ibrox_disaster

Moving about town
Visiting Glasgow for a couple of days, I tried to find out as much as possible about Olga’s surroundings. What made the greatest impression on me was to visit the former Govan Parochial Hospital. The grounds have now been taken over by the Southern General Hospital, but some of the old buildings still stand. Just touching the walls, imagining Olga walking in and out of there, working to achieve her dreams, was very moving. Of course, the inside of the building is all changed – it is completely modernised.

I also visited the Western Infirmary, which is still a working hospital in Glasgow. To my surprise, they had a small exhibition about the history of the hospital where I could get a glimpse of how things must have been, when Olga was training to be a nurse here in Scotland. There were even photos to see from 1901, with nurses in uniforms looking very similar to the one OIga wears in her nurse photo (above).

From my research in the Swedish national archives, I have found some certificates testifying that Olga attended courses at the hospital and some recommendation letters that she included in her application to the mission.

September 10th, Govan Parochial Hospital, Merryflatts, Govan, Glasgow.
‘It is hereby certified that Miss Olga Jansson joined the staff of this hospital as a Nurse Probationer on the 10th Sept 1901; that she has attended courses, 7 lectures on Medical, Surgical, nursing and that she has passed the various examinations and practicals prescribed during the above period.
/ William Richard M.A. U.B Medical Officer / R.A. Shepherd Lady Superintendent.’

On December 13th, William Richard, Medical Officer, wrote the following recommendation:
‘I have pleasure in certifying to the abilities of Miss Olga G.W. Janson as a nurse. She has been connected with this hospital for three years and two months, first as probationer and latterly as Charge Nurse in charge of the Children’s Ward and of a Male Surgical Ward. She has shown herself active, energetic, and painstaking and has kept her patients well under control. Though possessing but an imperfect knowledge of the language when she first came here, she followed the lectures given to probationers with intelligent interest, as was shown by the excellent papers which she wrote at the examinations. I can with confidence recommend her as well-fitted for any position as a nurse for which she may be an applicant.’

Not far from Govan Parochial and the Police station in Orkney Street, a new Town Hall stood finished in 1901 – during Olga’s time in Glasgow. I am sure she must have gone there to admire this new and imposant building at some point.

Today, it is privately owned – like so many old buildning seem to be in Scotland – and houses Film City Glasgow. I was not allowed in to look at the main hall, but on their site, one can catch a glimpse of the still intact architecture.

Simply visiting Glasgow and observing the old buildings that still stand – buildings Olga must have seen or passed by – was quite fascinating. In her time, the streets were filled with horse-drawn carriages and old-fashioned trams. The city center was smaller, and the shipbuilding along the River Clyde was bustling. Today, the majestic river flows quietly beneath Glasgow’s many bridges.

Surely, Olga must have walked along High Street, passed the Tolbooth Steeple, and crossed the Clyde on Albert Bridge. Perhaps she did so on her way back from visiting the Western Infirmary or after sneaking a peek inside Glasgow Cathedral.

Returning to leave
On December 16, 1904, Olga left Glasgow to return home. She was now ready to apply to become a missionary, proficient in both English and healthcare.

She was consequently accepted as a missionary by the Swedish Mission in China and was, of course, overjoyed. However, she realized that she would have problems in China if her last name remained Jansson since there was already a missionary there with the same name. She, therefore, had to write to the King’s Commissioner in Stockholm to request a name change to her mother’s maiden name – Ahlman.

Her request was granted, and Olga Ahlman could now start her new life in China, carrying her new surname and surely a stronger self-confidence.

Her daughter Edna – my grandmother – used to tell me about Olga’s difficult experience at the cookery school in Glasgow, but it is only through research in the archives and finding different articles in the mission paper, that I have been able to put together her whole sejour in Glasgow. Now, that I have been there and also taken part of other missionarie’s accounts of the city, I feel a bit closer to Olga than before. It’s a nice feeling.