Do you recognise yourself in either of the photos on this page?

Former Queen Elizabeth Hospital student nurse Beryl Page recently returned to the hospital where she carried out her training with a reminder of a memorable Royal visit more than half a century ago.

Beryl was studying at the old Queen Elizabeth Hospital when Her Majesty the Queen, later to become the Queen Mother, visited Birmingham in the early 1950s.

She had previously given the hospital its name when it was officially opened by King George Vl and Queen Elizabeth in 1939.

Beryl, aged 77, from Quinton, who is pictured second from the right holding the giant Union Jack, did her nurse training at the QE after starting out as a cadet nurse in Bromsgrove.

She visited the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham with a newspaper cutting from the Birmingham Mail of the Royal visit which she has treasured ever since.

The picture caption accompanying the photo of the Union Jack said the flag, believed to be the biggest in Birmingham, would “float above the tower of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for the Queen’s visit next week”.

It added that it took 10 nurses to spread out the 30ft long flag, which was presented to the hospital by the “Women’s Linen League”, on the main steps of the hospital for the photograph.

Beryl recalled: “I did my training at the QE after starting out as a cadet nurse at Bromsgrove, which is where Birmingham patients went to convalesce. I left after my training, got married, and then did six years at the accident hospital, followed by 11 years at the Nuffield.”

She then spent several years working for Birmingham City Council, looking after their employees, before taking on a similar role with ATV, which subsequently became Central TV.

Beryl, who eventually retired when she was 63, added: “I have thoroughly enjoyed all my nursing life.

“I have kept this newspaper cutting from the Birmingham Mail ever since the Queen’s visit as it was such a special occasion.”

Do you know or recognise any of the nurses shown in these photos? If so, please email Communications@uhb.nhs.uk.