Sister Florrie Manson Perkins

  • Date/Place of Birth: 1883, Penrith.
  • Date/Place of Death: 27 May 1968, Mosman, NSW
  • Australian Army Nursing Service
    Enlisted: 10 August 1915
    Discharged: 13 October 1917
  • Memorial Details: No known local memorial

Biographical details

Florrie Manson Perkins was born in Penrith in 1883, the youngest daughter of Linus and Sarah Perkins. Her family had lived at Mount Capicure, Rooty Hill since the 1860s. Her father was an active community member both at Penrith and Parramatta. In 1900, he applied for his daughter Florrie to be admitted to Nepean Cottage Hospital as a probationer so that she might gain experience as a nurse. By the time of his death in 1908, she was nursing at the Coast Hospital, Little Bay (later Prince Henry Hospital).

Military Service with AANS

Perkins enlisted with the AANS on 10 August 1915 and embarked for Egypt on 21 August. In March 1916 she left Alexandria for Marseilles, France. By June she was on duty at the No. 2 Australian General Hospital at Wimereux, France. In January 1917 Perkins was sick and was sent to the Hardelot convalescent home. By the end of February she had returned to duty.

In July Perkins along with sister Jessie was sent to England for duty on a transport ship back to Australia. On 18 July 1917, along with her sister Jessie, Perkins was transferred to the AIF Headquarters, London and returned to Australia aboard HMAT Demosthenes. They disembarked in Melbourne and completed the trip to Sydney aboard A14 Euripides. On 13 October 1917, on the same day as her sister, Perkin’s appointment was terminated.

Perkins married solicitor Richard Watkins Hooke on 11 December 1917 at St Stephen’s Presbyterian Church in Sydney. Two children were born to them, Richard and Frederick. Florrie died on 27 May 1968 at Mosman.