On International Women’s Day we take a moment to look back in time to a very special woman who made a real difference to lives of so many Erskine Veterans.

Maureen Lundie was matron of the Erskine hospital from 1977 to 1999.  From the very beginning Maureen wanted to make a difference to men in her care, some of whom would be with Erskine for 30 or 40 years. On her appointment she spoke of the importance of creating a family atmosphere in a hospital which was also home to the majority of her patients.

The hospital matron had always been a pivotal figure in the success of Erskine Hospital. However Maureen Lundie was different. Her firm belief that this was her patients' home and that they should not become institutionalised was key to her becoming a much loved figure, doing things her way.  She started her time at Erskine by moving into the matron’s quarters in the Mansion House with her husband Peter and their six children, who ranged in age from 18 to six. 

Maureen Lundie’s guiding principle was to ensure everyone co-operated with each other. “It’s just a question of knowing how to handle each person according to his particular temperament or needs. One thing above all everyone on the staff must remember is that Erskine is not just a hospital to most of the men here, it is their permanent home.”

Nothing it seemed was too much for Maureen.  When in the late 1970s the hospital was faced with a severe financial crisis and the Effort for Erskine fundraising scheme was launched Maureen took her role in the fundraising very seriously. After her all the fact that Erskine could be unable to remain independent and could be absorbed into the NHS, thus losing its unique role and her Veterans their home was extremely worrying.

Be it visits to local groups or to drum up support among more scattered branches of the Royal British Legion or Veterans’ associations Maureen took it on.  It was a necessary, sometimes onerous task but one which brought dividends. In 1978, donations from the public reached a high of £336,055.

All six of the Lundie children worked in Erskine at various times, mostly in what was known as the students’ job, a role which ranged from care assistant duties to cleaning. Part of the learning process for these young people was that the camaraderie among residents and staff was often expressed in practical jokes. Maureen’s son Stuart was the butt of one particular prank when told to help an old soldier with dinner.  When told it was “baked rice” for pudding the soldier ranted that he had spent years as a Japanese prisoner of war and never wanted to see another bowl of rice!  Much to the mortification of poor Stuart who thought he had truly upset the man!

It was just one more instance of the family atmosphere that residents, their families and staff all say is a distinguishing feature of Erskine. Although the military camaraderie has always been an important part of that, Maureen Lundie wanted to avoid the hospital being run on militaristic lines. “I always thought it was important that there was a lot of laughter because I wanted the residents to think of the place as their home.” she said. Clearly far from being a battle-axe, she nevertheless fulfilled the traditional matron’s role of knowing absolutely everything: “if there was a problem in the laundry room, you knew about it”.

That commitment led to her staying on for a short while after retirement age to see the old hospital through its final stages before the patients were transferred to the new buildings. Her eventual retirement in 1999, brought heartfelt tributes to one of the hospital’s best-loved matrons.

To find out more about Erskine’s work please visit our website at www.erskine.org.uk, follow on twitter @ErskineCharity via Facebook www.facebook.com/ErskineVeteransCharity or listen to Erskine Veterans Radio at Erskine.org.uk/radio or Paisley FM 107.5