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Australia

The fifth child of twelve, to James Lloyd TAYLOR and Emily Louisa nee PEARCE
Of King St, Benalla, Victoria

Trained 3 years Melbourne Hospital

Married Arthur Harold HOSKINS

In 1902 Fanny commenced a nursing career and studied for three years at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Fanny spent another 7 years working at a family owned hospital at “Saint Helens” The Avenue, Windsor in Victoria, attaining the role of Matron in charge. She worked here with her mother Emily and two sisters; Winifred Violet and Dorothea (Dolly) Jane Taylor.

In 1914 Fanny joined the AIF and in December 1915 she transferred overseas to Egypt and worked at the great hospital in Heliopolis. She served with the 2nd Australian Auxilary Hospital in Southall, England, following duty in India. She served overseas for over two years in Egypt, England and India.

Faye’s sister Winifred Fox (nee Taylor) married and lived in Gundagai NSW and whenever Faye wrote home, many of her letters were published in the small he Gundagai Times and Tumut, Adelong and Murrumbidgee District Advertiser, where Winifred’s husband worked. Here is one such entry published Tuesday 22 February 1916, which vividly describes her trip on the RMS Orsova from Melbourne to Egypt.

A TRIP TO EGYPT.
IMPRESSIONS OF A NURSE.

The following extracts are taken from a chatty letter written by Nurse Fay Taylor (sister of Mrs.- J. Fox, Gundagai), who left Melbourne with the last batch of trained nurses, per the R.M.S.' Orsova,' to take up duties at the 1st A.G. Hospital, Heliopolis. The letter, dated Dec. 20, relates experiences on the voyage, and says : ' We have enjoyed the best of health since we left the southern capital, and all are happy and contented. The first Sunday on the ocean we had Church parade, and I shall never forget it. We (the officers and nurses) assembled at the end of the promenade deck, and the men on the part, between the corresponding part of the rear deck. They were all in full uniform, and we were in our grey uniform, with scarlet capes and white caps. The singing was most impressive, but what impressed me most was the thousands of upturned brown faces of the men. One could not help the tears coming when wondering how many of them would come back again. They were not going to the front, but to look after the horses in Egypt, so those whom are not old are unfit, and yet they are heroes because they are as likely to die as not under the existing conditions in Egypt. One man sold his station and enlisted as a private, another is worth ,£4000 a year, and many have left very comfortable homes. They had a nice time on board, there being two bands, a piano and pianola. Every Tuesday and Saturday the men gave a concert, which we all attended. No one would ever dream we were going to war. The boat was lovely, everything as clean as a new pin. Our cabins were only two berth. The dining room was a picture, especially at night when we were all in full uniform. We were very pleased to call at Aden (our first halt after Fremantle). It is a township cut out of rock, with red tiled roofs, and absolutely no trees and very little green anywhere, and such a smooth sea, and so dirty. Nevertheless, it interested us, because we had our first glimpse of a coloured population. We saw none of the English. In due time we arrived at Suez, and lay out in the gulf awaiting our turn to disembark. We got off in three trains, mine was the second, and left at 3.30 p.m. My word it means some work to unload a transport. We had lunch on the boat at 12.30, but were too much excited to eat. We were afraid that something worth seeing might happen whilst we were in the dining saloon. The first train got away, accompanied by many cheers from both the train and the boat, and then our trainload commenced to disembark. The train was comfortable, with huge windows. As soon as we were seated we were surrounded by small Arabs, some very small, and they looked so pathetic that we threw them pennies. However, it was a case of the survival of the fittest, as the big ' kids ' always took the pennies from the small ones. They seemed to chase us miles, and by the time Suez was left behind we were penniless. The rail journey was most interesting. First we passed the camps where Australians cheered us, and Indians gravely saluted us. Along the side of the canal we went for many miles, and then across the desert. Nothing but sand in the background. Hillocks of sand, almost mountains of sand, and plains of sand. The most marvellous thing is that all the way for four or five chains on either side of the line they have irrigated the land and seem to grow everything, and there we saw people ploughing with two oxen in a wooden plough. , Maize, oats, dates, oranges, strawberries, in fact all sorts of fruit, in and out of season, seem to grow there, also lovely tomatoes. We had been cautioned not to buy anything, so did not do so, although we almost died of starvation before we reached Heliopolis. There was some mistake made about the refreshments, and not so much as a sandwich could we procure whilst on the train. About 7.30 Captain Longstaff, the painter, came along and said he would see if he could get anything for us to eat. There were eight of us in the carriage, and all he could get was one army, biscuit and a quarter tin of rabbit. It was so funny to see ' him open the tin, and I am sure he is more at home with a brush than a tin-opener. When he had cut about an inch and a quarter round the opener broke and we had to fish it out, and we only had the opener and a fruit knife to eat it with.' However, we unanimously agreed that the Australian rabbit was the most beautiful in the world. Please never run a rabbit down to me again!; The sun set about 5.30, and it was wonderful. A sunset on the desert is a sight not easily or soon forgotten. The colouring is vivid and there is a golden green haze over everything.

And one could watch the sun with out getting dazzled, then quite suddenly it got dark. There is no twilight. We were sorry because we could not watch the landscape any longer, but we put out the light and then could watch the natives sitting in their, low huts around fires, which were in the middle of the room, and they were almost smothered in smoke. We arrived at Heliopolis about 10.30, and were met at the station with motor ambulances, which soon had us at the hospital. We stood feeling like widows and orphans for a while, and then we were drafted into a dining-room and did our bit there. The dinner was very nice indeed, and I guess there was not much left. It was funny being waited on by darkies, in long white dresses like nighties, red belts and caps. Afterwards we climbed two flights of marble, stairs and had rooms doled out to us which have blue silk and white enamel panelled walls. Not a carpet on the concrete floor, and white enamel beds that looks ludicrous in such a room. We crawled to bed about 12.30 and slept the sleep of the just, till awakened by the bugles at 6 o'clock in the morning. We had not to go to breakfast till 9, so we turned over and went to sleep again. After breakfast we were told we could go out for the day, so there was great joy in the hearts of the newly arrived. We did Cairo in the morning, changed our money, and then I went to the Base Depot to make enquiries about my soldier brother — good report. Then we went and had a grill at a restaurant, where we could not understand what the waiter's said, and they could hardly understand us. The menu was a mixture of English and French, so we pointed to what we wanted. The waiters, snapped their fingers, waved their arms and disappeared, and 20 minutes later reappeared with our chops. We drove in a gharri, drawn by two lovely horses, for along way (three quarters of an hour) and they charged 1 piastre! being '2d in English coin. Nurse Carlisle (who had previously gained experience) was with us, otherwise they would have cheated us wholesale. Then we went to the pyramids, a tram ride of more than an hour's duration, for 1 piastre. All soldiers and sisters travel everywhere half fare. The pyramids and sphinx are wonderful, of course, but not at all beautiful. We couldn’t go inside, too much dirt and our uniforms would have been ruined. Most of the girls rode donkeys, which played up like demons, and the camels are absolute rotters, they groan and' make such a horrid noise and look as though they are longing for a pound of ones flesh, I don't think they would mind where they got it from either. A very dirty black Arab came to meet us at the pyramids and told us he was the 'daisy limit ' at telling the past, present, and future. We told him it was 'dizzy limit' and he said 'square dinkum.' Long before we left we had come to the conclusion that he was the ‘crazy limit,' and at last we let him tell our fortune to get rid of him, and he charged 2 piastres. What he told me about the future is not fit to be censored, as the censor may be young and innocent. As soon as we had finished we found there was dozens of other 'daisy limits' at telling the future, etc. Really we were glad to leave the pyramids and the babel behind us. We had dinner where we had lunched, and arrived back at the hospital tired and happy, and were all well into bed by 9.30. We have not been to any historical places yet, but are waiting for someone to take us.

Small things, such as introductions, are not thought of much here. One sees an ' Australia ' on a shoulder, and the men know by our hats that we are just over. They want to know how Melbourne looks. They love Australia. I think there are some very home sick boys here. I just adore being here. I feel such swank when I am going along the marble corridors, and pretend I am a visitor paying innumerable piastres a week and gambling, etc.; and then I remember 'tis high time I was on duty, my dreams vanish and I begin taking pulses, etc. Later we visited the citadel, where there are wonderful carvings in marble, and paintings in it. The ceiling' was painted by a well-known painter of that period, and when he had finished it the King sent for him 'to come and dine. Thinking it a great honour he hastened to the palace, and the King ordered him to be seized and his eyes gorged out 'so that that would be the only ceiling ever painted by him. First of all we went and saw the ruins and dungeons, and then went to the church part. The walls are pure alabaster. There is a reading desk, but the altar is just a half circle in the wall, on the eastern side of the church, the reason being that should a blind man come into the church he gets around the wall until he comes to the half circle, and then he knows in which direction to pray. It is part of their religion, to pray facing the east. There are no seats, and they sit or lie on their faces on the floor, which is covered with matting and then heavy red carpet. The guide took us through, even though some people were there. They pray very loudly. We had to put slippers on, as no one is allowed to wear boots or shoes, and I am sure they gave us size 11. There is a fountain in the middle of the court where one is supposed to wash their faces, hands and feet, but not being Christians they let us off. I have noticed quite a number of blind in Cairo. The people have the most beautiful eyes, or else they are one-eyed, blighted, cataractous, or just squinty or beastly. Theatres here go in at 9.3O and come out at 1.30, supper, home at 2.30 usual Cairo hours.

"London Air Raid.
Nurse Taylor, with the Australian nurses abroad, writing to her sister in Gundagai, giving a
graphic description of a recent air raid on London, says :— We- had a severe raid Here last
week-, mostly Zepps. A very silent danger, as they must have shut the engines off. I had
been in to the theatre and we went to the Troc. for supper. It was a peculiar feeling, a noise
like a train going over a bridge, a thud, screams, falling glass, and then another thud in the
distance. We rushed out, but could, of course, see nothing. Special constables ushered us
into tubes for safety, but Fitz., being a doctor, offered his services, so I struggled home alone,
and it was ' some ' struggle. You've no idea how terrified the people are. Men, women, and
children just crowd into the, tubes and make them a very inferno. The closeness and the
smell almost kills one. Babies in arms, dirty women, some with babies and some carrying
dogs, just stampede. I did want to stay on top and help, but being a woman I was bundled
down and didn't get home till after 1 o'clock. One couldn't get near the trains. Of course
one can't blame the people, I suppose. I tried to hearten up some poor mothers huddled
up near me, and said, 'Just try and be worthy of our men who are under that every minute
and every second,' and then one said, ' But the poor little children, it is so awful for them.'
I said,' 'Yes, but the most awful thing for the children is to be brought up little cowards when their fathers are doing so much. Didn't they think the mothers could help also,' just by being calm.' Poor things, I am afraid it was almost useless, but they, commenced talking of other things, and' asked me questions about my home, my brothers, and Australia, and presently the ' All clear ' was sounded and they went up stairs again, while I pushed and struggled to -get into a carriage. We are expecting a ' beauty ' to night. There is an arsenal near here (Southall), and if they manage to hit that it will be good-bye for all of us. There is no where for us to evacuate to, but dare say we would have to ' dig in ' out on the lawn.”

Upon her return to Australia in 1918 Faye married Arthur Harold Hoskins, whom she had met whilst on duty overseas. Arthur and Faye worked at the Callum Park Mental Hospital in Sydney. Arthur was promoted over time to the Superintendent of the Darlinghurst Reception House, a Psychiatric Hospital where they lived on site for many years. Faye ran a cigarette and newspaper kiosk at Taylor square, Darlinghurst during this time. They had two boys (one died soon after birth - Douglas) and James Hoskins.

Faye and Arthur retired to Springwood in the 1960’s where Fay died in 1968.

Courtesy of Peter Toohey