Poppies and ANZAC events in Ryde April 2015

Knitted poppies have been popping up across the country this year and Ryde is no exception with the City of Ryde's Ryde Remembers 2000 poppy project. More information on Council website here

Details of  Commemorate services to be held across the district can be found here 
including the City of Ryde Anzac Service, Friday 24 April 2015, 9.30-10.15am service,
Location: Ryde Cenotaph, Ryde Park, Blaxland Road, Ryde.
For more information, contact the City of Ryde Events Team  on link above.

We have also been asked to share the details of the Ryde Hospital ANZAC service.
The service will be held at 10am on April 24. It will be conducted at the Flag Pole next to Denistone House, Ryde Hospital, Denistone Road, Eastwood. Following the service will be a short presentation about the history of medical and nursing care at Ryde Hospital.
Denistone House will be open as a museum on April 24 and 27 from 10am - 2pm, the public are welcome to attend during these hours and enjoy a cup of tea and ANZAC biscuit.

Last Sunday was the final Poppy making day at Ryde Library and it was wonderful to see so much interest form all ages across the district and to know that more than the original anticipated 2000 poppies have been completed. In the past week the poppies have made a home on the large letters R Y D E at different library branches. Next week they should come back to the main Library at Ryde and also be at the City of Ryde Anzac Service on Friday 24 April 2015.

Ryde's 2000 Poppies letter Y on display at Ryde Library, Sunday 12 April 2015.

Emmeline and Elizabeth Murrell, the Ryde sisters who both joined the Australian Army Nursing Service

Week 18 :  11 February 2015 - The Northern District Times, page 17 - tells of Emmeline and Elizabeth Murrell, who both joined the Australian Army Nursing Service and continues from the previous week's article on their brother Henry George Murrell.

The large Murrell family lived in a house named Wonga on Victoria Road, Gladesville. Emmeline was 31 when she joined as a Staff Nurse in 1916. Elizabeth had nursed at Ryde's Home for the Incurables [later to become the Royal Rehab Centre, Sydney] and had been appointed Matron of Denistone House at Eastwood in May 1916 before she also enlisted in June 1917.

By the end of the war both had served until they were suffering from debilitating illnesses. For a glimpse of their story read :
Nursing sisters served until they also fell ill
[if you click on the title -- it should take you to the on-line edition of the newspaper]

* as the newspaper link doesn't appear to open the complete article  it will be added here;