Honoured Volunteer, Betty Stevenson

The portrait of Betty Stevenson given to the Imperial War Museum’s Women’s Work Sub-Committee in response to the appeal for photographs of women who had died in the war. ©IWM (WWC K4-1)

Bertha Gavin Stevenson, always known as Betty, was born in York on 3 September 1896. She was educated at boarding school in St George’s Wood, Surrey and also studied music in Brussels.

On the outbreak of war in August 1914, Belgian refugees flooded into Britain and Betty and her family were among many who worked to assist them. Her family were keen supporters of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) which was expanding to meet the needs of a country at war using a workforce of volunteers. The organisation provided recreation and welfare facilities for servicemen, with their huts providing a homely atmosphere where soldiers and sailors could get away from their usual military environment. As the war progressed they catered to munitions workers, and also provided a service that enabled the relatives of the badly wounded to visit them in hospital.

Betty’s aunt worked at a YMCA canteen hut in St Denis, near Paris, and despite being only 19, Betty joined her in February 1916. Betty’s mother replaced her aunt a month later, and they worked together until November when both returned to Britain. Betty missed the work and in April 1917 went back to France, this time to work as a driver based in Etaples. The War Office initiated a scheme to allow relatives to visit dangerously wounded or ill servicemen in hospital. In France, Betty was one of the drivers asked to meet family members after their channel crossing and take them to their hostel accommodation. Along with the other drivers, Betty would escort relatives from hostels to hospitals, and sometimes to cemeteries for funerals. She would also have the less emotionally draining work of transporting staff and stores.