A COLLECTION of autograph books, dating from the First World War and bought at auction, has prompted author Barbara Fox to delve more deeply.

For two of them belonged to a Rawtenstall woman called Nellie Coates, and were signed by her friends and family, then later by soldiers she cared for during the war years, when she worked as an auxiliary nurse.

Barbara wants to find out more about Nellie, her family and Pike Law military hospital, right, in Rawtenstall in the hope that her research may lead to a new book.

She said: “My husband bought a collection of photograph and autograph albums a few years ago, but I only looked at them properly a few months ago, when I realised how special — and timely — the collection was.

“Any information about Nellie, her family, or the hospital would be welcome. So far, most official inquiries have drawn a blank.”

Nellie was born Helen Gilbert Coates in Rawtenstall in 1895 and lived in Olive Terrace with her family. Her father, Milton Hamer Coates, was a cotton manufacturer, according to the 1911 census, and his business, Coates Brothers at Holmes Shed, had 200 looms. He died suddenly in 1912 aged 45. In 1920 Nellie married Thomas Harold Booth, 32, who lived in Burnley Road, Rawtenstall. According to the marriage certificate, he worked as a calico print works clerk.

Barbara believes the couple had two children, Rex born in 1921 and Barbara, born five years later. It is, however, the time that Nellie was at Pike Law that interests Barbara the most.

Like thousands of women during the Great War, she worked as a VAD — Voluntary Aid Detachment, carrying out all sorts of tasks, but in her case as a nurse, when part of the infirmary of the town’s old work house was taken over as a military hospital. Later the buildings became part of Rossendale General Hospital.

Barbara said: “What an experience it must have been for a young woman of that time to suddenly find herself in such an environment, to meet men from all walks of life and from all over the world.”

Nellie seems to have forged a particularly strong friendship with a pair of cousins, called John and Billy Marcus, from South Australia, who had enlisted together, both been injured at the Battle of Fromelles on the Somme, in July 1916, and were now in the same hospital.

She continued to keep in touch with Billy, the younger of the pair, even after he had returned to the battlefields of France.

Barbara continued: “It has been interesting to see from local newspapers of the time, how generous the whole community of Rossendale was to the strangers in their midst — donating foodstuffs and small luxuries to the hospital as well as organising social events for the men.

“These autograph books are fascinating and, using a family history website, I am able to uncover some new piece of information every time I look at them.

“I have just discovered, for instance, that two Booths who signed Nellie’s book in December 1914 were her future husband’s sisters, Florence and Annie, and I am wondering if they were nurses with her at the newly opened Pike Law.”

If you have any information about Nellie, her family, or the military hospital, you can contact Barbara at barbarafoxuk @yahoo.co.uk l It is believed that Nellie died in Paddington, London, in 1966, but as yet this hasn’t been confirmed.