In November 2025, we announced our success in receiving an AIM Museum Fundamentals grant funded by Pilgrim Trust and The Julia Rausing Trust to address our collection of photographic prints (more information here). In this blog post, the project team have chosen to feature some of their recent favourite photographic finds.

Joyce (Project Volunteer)

For over two years I have enjoyed volunteering with Pat Halpin in several St John Archive projects. Pat has a wealth of St John knowledge and has contributed to the organisation in many ways. So. I was delighted when a photograph of a young(er) Pat emerged from a previously unsorted box of photographs. The photograph shows Pat with other members of the No. 37 Paddington Borough Ambulance Division and a Doncaster-based Ambulance Division, all winners in the annual St John Ambulance ‘Brigade Finals’ first aid competitions. The keen-eyed amongst you might also recognise Henry Cooper, the British professional boxer who attended the competitions in 1989 to help with the prize-giving. The competitions were held at Fairfield Hall in Croydon, and the teams are pictured with the Dewar Shield and Rosewood Bowl, some of the prizes that competition participants vied for.

A colour photograph of a white man from the waist up. He has very short grey hair and is wearing a grey fleece with a green top underneath. His right hand is wearing a blue Nitrile glove, and in his gloved hand he is holding a photograph of himself with other St John Ambulance volunteers dated 1989. — Project Volunteer Pat with ‘his’ photograph

A colour photograph of seven men standing in a line. The person in the middle is Henry Cooper, a professional boxer, and the three men on either side of him are St John Ambulance volunteers wearing their uniforms. The volunteers are holding trophies and are also pictured with a large shield, all are prizes won in a first aid competition. — The boxer, Henry Cooper, with members of the No. 37 Paddington Borough Ambulance Division and a Doncaster Ambulance Division, winners at Brigade Finals first aid competitions, 1989 (Archive ref: PHO3370)

Felix (Project Volunteer)

In one of my other St John Ambulance roles as a youth leader for Forest Network’s Walthamstow Badgers and Cadets, I am continuously awed and inspired by the energy, curiosity and infectious enthusiasm our St John young people bring to the table. Having recently helped deliver elements of the “Safety Badger” programme to some of the Network’s youngest members, our Walthamstow Badger Sett, it was a happy coincidence to come across a photograph of some of the Hainault Badgers at the launch of “Safety Badger Week” in July 1989.

Granted, the uniform has changed considerably in over three decades, and the thought of Badgers-on-wheels in a royal park makes me break out in a cold sweat over the risk assessments I’d have to complete if we attempted to recreate this nowadays. Yet, that snapshot of a carefree summer’s day in Hyde Park provides a delightful illustration of how our youth programmes have gone from strength to strength over time, including helping our Badgers identify hazards and reduce risks for themselves and others today.

A black and white photograph of two young girls, both St John Ambulance ‘Badgers’, one on a skateboard and one on rollerskates. It is a publicity photograph for the launch of the Badger Safety Week initiative, and the two girls are holding first aid equipment. — Two St John Ambulance badgers on wheels (skateboard and rollerskates) during Badger Safety Week, 10/07/1989 (Archive ref: PHO4195)

Sean (Project Volunteer)

So far in this project my personal favourite is this photo of a Radar Unit. St John Guernsey (now Guernsey Ambulance and Rescue Service) has had a unique position in offering both maritime rescue and the emergency ambulance service in the Bailiwick of Guernsey. I was unaware of the use by St John Ambulance of rescue coordination or radar units, which are typically owned and operated by the coast guard. We don’t have a date for this photograph, but we can estimate that this is from the 1970S – 1980s based on the vehicle design. St John Guernsey has always been at the forefront of new techniques, being the first British ambulance service to use radio communications and an early adopter of hyperbaric recompression therapy, so seeing the use of a mobile radar site is quite impressive.

Other pictures we’ve seen of St John in Guernsey so far include pictures of Guernsey’s cliff rescue teams, the boats used across the years, and the various vehicles used in Guernsey’s fleet, all interesting snapshots of the challenges of providing emergency services for a sparsely populated island chain amongst hugely busy shipping lanes.

A black and white photograph of a Landrover which is towing a small portable office-style unit. It is parked at the top of a cliff, with the sea and an island visible in the background. On the unit are the words ‘Mobile Radar and Rescue Operation Unit’. — A St John Ambulance Guernsey Mobile Radar and Rescue Coordination Unit parked by the cliffside, vehicle registration number 10177, c. 1980s (Archive ref: PHO4028)

Sophie (Archivist)

We really have seen some exciting and interesting photographs and each day I find a new favourite, whether it’s St John Ambulance Brigade members receive injured soldiers returning to England on hospital ships at Tilbury Docks during the Second World War, to improvised first aid, St John’s range of marching bands, and everything in-between. This is a really fantastic visual collection with something to interest everyone, so here are some more photographs that we’ve worked on recently.

A black and white photograph of five uniformed male St John Ambulance Brigade volunteers with bicycles. In the background is a horse-drawn ambulance. — A demonstration of a bicycle litter, with a horse-drawn ambulance in the background, c. 1900 (Archive ref: PHO4732)

A black and white photograph of a first aid course taking place in a classroom. At the front of the room is a uniformed male St John Ambulance volunteer who is teaching the class, and in front of him are resuscitation aids. The are sitting down, facing him and listening attentively. — A St John Ambulance first aid class for the public, with Resusci-Annie and Resusci-Baby models, 1973 (Archive ref: PHO4527)

A black and white photograph of two men carrying a simulated patient on a homemade stretcher. — An Instructor from the St John Ambulance Association’s New South Wales Centre instructing a class in improvised stretchers using a demonstration, 05/03/1933 (Archive ref: PHO4730)

A black and white photograph of a simulated patient being stretchered out of a second-floor window using a winching system, while people look on. — Members of the Murray Combined Division [Western Australia] carrying out a ‘Flying Fox’ stretcher exercise, c.1970s (Archive ref: PHO3865)

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This is an AIM (Association of Independent Museums) Museum Fundamentals project. AIM Museum Fundamentals funded by Pilgrim Trust and The Julia Rausing Trust.