Norah Neilson Gray (16 June 1882 – 27 May 1931) - Scottish artist

Nora Neilson Gray
Self Portrait, 1918

Born in Helensburgh in 1882, Nora's p arents were George Gray, a Glasgow ship owner, and his wife, Norah Gray, nee Neilson. 

During the First World War, Norah volunteered to serve with the Scottish Women's Hospitals and was sent to France..  As you can see, Nora managed to find time to paint and sketch. She offered a painting entitled “Hôpital Auxilaire 1918” showing the SWH Hospital in Royaumont Abbey to the Imperial War Museum but the Women's Work Sub-committee of the Museum refused to accept it and requested a painting showing a woman doctor instead.  

Shown below is Norah’s second painting of Royaumont Abbaye, entitled “The Scottish Women's Hospital In The Cloister of the Abbaye at Royaumont - Dr Frances Ivens inspecting a French patient” was accepted by the IWM in 1920.

Royaumont Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey, located in northern France near Asnières-sur-Oise in Val-d'Oise, approximately 30 km north of Paris. From January 1915 to March 1919 the Abbeywas used as a voluntary hospital – L’Hôpital Auxiliaire 301 – which was operated by The Scottish Women's Hospitals(SWH), under the direction of the French Red Cross. It was especially noted for its performance treating soldiers involved in the Battle of the Somme. After the war, the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Frances Ivens CBE MS(Lond) ChM(Liverp) FRGOG (1870–1944), was awarded membership of the French Légion d'honneur.

Nellie Issac (1886 – 1955) - artist

With thanks to Historian Debbie Cameron for discovering Nellie for  us

Nellie Elizabeth Isaac was born in 1886 in Hampstead, London, UK, the birth being registered in the third quarter of that year. Her father, Percy Lewis Isaac, was a naval architect and marine engineer. Her paternal Grandfather was the Liverpool artist and lithographer John Raphael Isaac (1809 – 1870), who became medallist to Prince Albert. Her mother – Florence Maud Isaac, nee Alexander – was born in Clapham.   John Raphael Isaac did commercial work for some of the major shipping companies - Holt Shipping Line and the White-Star (Packet) Line (Liverpool-Melbourne). These commissions could explain how his son Percy became a naval architect and shipbuilder.

Nellie’s siblings were Rose Amelia, who also became an artist, and John Robert. According to the 1901 Census, the family lived in Dennington Park Road in West Hampstead. By the 1911 Census Nellie and her sister were both living with their parents, with their occupations listed as artists.

A Performance in the factory Canteen
Theatre

During the First World War, both Nellie and Rose Isaac gave up their art and design business and worked in the factory of Gordon, Watney and Co., Aeronautical Engineers, in Weybridge, Surrey fro two years. 

The factory specialised in the repair and overhaul ofmotor vehicles. The factory’s wartime production included aeronautics and munitions and the factory also worked with the Canadian army in refurbishing some of their vehicles.

The Imperial War Museum came into existence in London in 1917 and in April of that year Agnes Conway – the daughter of the first Honorary Director of the Museum, Sir Martin Conway – was invited to form a Women’s Work Sub-Committee. Nellie Isaac contacted Agnes Conway to contribute some of her work to the effort. 

Receiving the News of the Armistice,
November 11th 1918

Paintings by Nellie Isaac h eld by the Imperial War Museum include:

A Performance in the Factory Canteen Theatre

Factory Tug O’ War 

Receiving the News of the Armistice, November 11th 1918

Armistice Week in the Canteen. November 12th, 1918: A victory dance organized for women workers. Bunting hangs from the ceiling. A large Union Jack at the far end.

Sources:

Find my Past

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1468972083412699 – Remembering British Women In WW1 – The Home Front and Overseas created by Debbie Cameron 

https://www.josieholford.com/women-artists-of-ww1-nellie-isaac/

https://matt-houghton.squarespace.com/john-raphael-isaac

NOTE: Debbie Cameron’s Facebook Pages: Remembering British Women in WW1 – The Home Front and Overseas  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1468972083412699/

and

RBL Women’s WW1 Remembrance Badge https://www.facebook.com/groups/1767775906637896/