Previously, the Reepham Archive had no records of any of the soldiers who came to Reepham to recover from their wounds during the First World War. There are several photographs that record 30 or more faces, but no names.
In 2022 we were intrigued and pleased to receive an enquiry: “Did we have any records about Frank Leiper and Ethel Keeley who met in Reepham during World War I?” This was soon followed with further details and photographs.
Frank and Ethel Leiper, pictured around 1918.
We learnt that Ethel died young, only 36, but her daughter, now 98, wanted to learn more about her parents. This set the Archive volunteers on a flurry of research to find out more.
We found that Ethel Keeley was listed in a photograph of all the VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) hospital staff taken in the gardens of Hackford House (the present-day Bircham Centre, Market Place, Reepham).
Sadly, she is named as the night sister and must have been off-duty when the photograph was taken as none of the nurses look like her.
Red Cross records confirm that Ethel was indeed engaged as a night sister from October 1916 until June 1918 in Reepham VAD Hospital.
Frank’s army records show he was enlisted with the Glasgow Pals Battalion in January 1915 and sent overseas. He was wounded twice, in 1916 and 1917, and it is not known after which incident he came to Reepham.
Frank was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in 1917, and demobilised and transferred to the Army Reserve in 1919.
We could not find a face to match Frank in any of our photographs but we did discover that they married in Edinburgh in 1918 and that Ethel gave her occupation as certificated nurse at the Red Cross Hospital, Reepham, Norfolk.
Frank’s occupation is shown as a farmer but he is still recorded as a company sergeant major of the Highland Light Infantry.
Their grandson, who sent the initial enquiry, visited Reepham this summer and spent time walking around the town, visiting Hackford House, the gardens, the Market Place, the town hall and the churches that his grandparents would have known more than 100 years ago.
The Reepham Archive is open to the public on the first Wednesday and Saturday of the month from 10 am – 12 noon (or by appointment), upstairs in the Bircham Centre, Market Place, Reepham. For more information about opening times and current services, contact the Archive by email.
The Reepham Archive also welcomes new volunteers to support its work. If you are interested, please email.