Lydia Ione in her Nurses Uniform
Lydia Ione was born on the 24th of August 1882 and Baptised on the 15th of October 1882 in lyttelton, New Zealand.
Lydia Ione was known by her second name and In her early days before becoming a nurse she worked in her father’s store where she sold paintings which she painted in her spare time.
Ione had a lovely personality. The warmth and detail was portrayed in her paintings which she had painted.
There are three paintings in the family that we know of; Two owned by Elaine Watt- Wyness and one which went to John Thomas Sydney Reader.
The subject of the paintings were of a classic scenery , fruit and flowers.
Ione gave one to her brothers John Thomas Sydney Reader and Ivy Alice Russ as a gift for their wedding.
While Ione lived in New Plymouth she used to visit Gwyneth Reader ( Guy Osborne Readers daughter Gwyn ) often .
Ione joined the medical profession and became a nurse. It became her life and because of this she never married . She became the matron at Braemar Hospital in Thames.
Ione was the matron at the hospital when Norine and Cedric were born.
When Ione Retired she went and lived with her sister Laura Fletcher , Whom at this stage was living by herself .
Ione also stayed with May Beale ( Nee Reader ) often.
In the later part of her life she lived at her brother Charles's home in St Helliers, Auckland.
Ione obviously missed her occupation as she use to wait outside her brothers house at four O’clock in the morning waiting for the ambulances to arrive .
When Ione was asked what she was doing, she would just reply the ambulance is coming, it will be here soon. Whether she was reminiscing or waiting for herself it is not known. She died on the 30th December 1970 in Tauranga.
