Located at 19-21 Belmore Terrace, Woodville, Mareeba Hospital was a purpose built hospital for convalescents but later became a babies’ hospital. It was founded by Marion Gun, Wife of Port Adelaide publican Townsend Gun.
Mr Townsend Gun and Mrs Marion Aid Gun (nee Thyer)
Mr Townsend Reinhart Gun was born on 8th October 1861 in Queenscliff, Victoria to parents William Townsend Gun and Hannah Gun (nee Jacobson). He was the third child of six. When he was 7 years old Townsend’s father and younger sister passed away within the span of 8 weeks. He went onto become a publican working at several hotels in Port Adelaide including The Britannia Hotel (Dockside Tavern) and the Royal Arms Hotel. On 21st November 1893 he married Marion Aide Thyer. Townsend and Marion had 2 sons.
Marion Aide (Ada) Thyer was born on 4th November 1869 in Mt Pleasant, South Australia. She was the oldest of three children to parents Thomas Thyer and Harriet Thyer (nee Stoneham). Marion’s father passed away when she was only 11 years old.
Marion passed away suddenly at home on 5th May 1924. Townsend passing on 2nd November 1939.
Dr Helen Mary Mayo
Born on 1st October 1878 in Adelaide to parents George Gibbes Mayo and Henrietta Mary (nee Donaldson). As the eldest of seven children she was educated at home by a tutor. Sometime later she spent time at the Advanced School for Girls. In 1896 she studied at the University of Adelaide. Having firstly being enrolled in an Arts degree she went onto study medicine in 1898. Miss Mayo was the university’s second woman to graduate in medicine.
Her medical career began when she was appointed as a house surgeon at the (Royal) Adelaide Hospital. After a year she left for London. Upon her return in 1906 she went into private practice. This combined midwifery as well as management of women and children’s medical problems. In 1909 she wrote a paper on infant mortality envisaging a close relationship between mothers, doctors, nurses and social workers.
Harriet Stirling
Harriet was born on to parents Sir Edward Charles Stirling and Jane Stirling in 1878. Sir Edward was instrumental in founding the School of Medicine at the University of Adelaide. He was also a great supporter of rights for women. Having such an influential and outspoken father provided advantages for Harriet and her siblings. Some of her high profile friends included Catherine Helen Spence and Dr Helen Mayo. Spence had formed the State Children’s Council and had support from Harriet. Harriet became a member of the Council from 1907 as well as serving as president from 1922-1926.
The School of Mothers
Mayo and Stirling were both determined to reduce infant mortality. Dr Helen Mayo, Harriet Stirling and Mrs P Morice founded the School of Mothers in 1909. The School provided training and support for mothers and aimed to improve the lives of them and their children. It was originally ran as a small clinic out of the Franklin Street Kindergarten and offered advice to mothers. New mothers who were unable to breastfeed were also trained in other techniques.
Another concern for Mayo and Stirling was that children under the age of two were not admitted to the Adelaide Children’s Hospital. It was reported that this was due to the risk of infection and they were only allowed in for urgent surgery). From 1913, both Mayo and Stirling campaigned for a babies’ ward to be added to the Adelaide Children’s Hospital. Their request was denied so in 1914 the women established their own hospital dedicated to babies.
The School of Mothers was later taken over by the Government and relocated to Woodville and becoming the Mareeba Babies’ Hospital in 1917. Harriet was actively involved with the framing of the policies for Mareeba as well as serving as its secretary from
The Hospital
Designed by architect JH Cranna and Sons and built by Mr H Slade it sat of three acres of grounds and was “equipped with every appliance medical science can suggest”. In 1912 an article in The Register (17 September 1912) describes the features and layout of the hospital.
The two storey building had a wide verandah on the ground floor and “spacious balconies on the top floor to take in the views of surrounding countryside”.
Each of the bedrooms – some to accommodate a single patient or up to 3 or 4 – open onto either the verandah or balcony. Beds could be rolled out for the patient to get some sunshine and fresh air, to help them recuperate.
Both the xray and anaesthetic rooms were adjacent to the operating theatre and “were probably the most modern in the Commonwealth.”
Hot and cold water service was laid out in seven of the rooms and the obstetrics ward was located on the first floor.
History
July 1911 – The Central Board of Health approved plans of septic tanks for Mareeba Hospital (Daily Herald, 18 Jul 1911)
August 1912 – Mareeba Private Hospital was advertised as available for maternity and other cases, and as an ideal home for convalescents.
September 1912 – Miss Carter (of Wallaroo) has taken charge of Mareeba Private Hospital
November 1913 – Leased to Sister Love (Grace Lacy Love) for three years
1915 – The hospital was used as Red Cross No 1, convalescent hospital for soldiers. The building was offered as part of the ‘homes and buildings conversion into hospitals for wounded soldiers’.
August 1915 – Formally opened by the Governor Sir Henry Galway on 5th August 1916 as Mareeba Convalescent Hospital. Many additions and alterations were carried out.
May 1916 – Purchased by SA Government to be used as a Babies’ Hospital, but first leased to the Red Cross for use as a Soldiers’ Convalescent Hospital.
December 1916 – Defence Department decided to close Mareeba Hospital as sanatorium for sick soldiers.
April 1917 – Handed back to the Government for the original intended purpose – babies hospital.
May 1917 – State Government took over control of the St Peters Babies Home on April 1 and will concentrate the work at Mareeba, once renovated.
July 1917 – The government handed over the running of the hospital to the Mothers’ and Babies’ Health Association. The MBHA included Lady Galway (President), Mrs. Teesdale Smith (hon. treasurer) and Harriet Stirling (hon. secretary). The committee comprised Miss Macaulay (Lady Galway’s companion), Miss Annie Hornabrook (1865–1938), Mrs. Alfred W. Styles, Miss Amy Jessop, Mrs. Austin Hewitt, Dr. James A. Bonnin, Dr. Hampden Carr, Dr. C. T. C. de Crespigny, Dr. Harry Gilbert, Dr. Frank S. Hone, Dr. Helen Mayo, and Stanley H. Skipper
August 1917 – On 1st August 1917 Mareeba Babies Hospital opened. With Matron WE Steward and Dr Violet Plummer.
Room for 30 sick babies.
Ground Floor Wards:
Ground floor wards named Lady Galway Ward and Katie Smith Ward (after Mrs Teesdale Smith’s little daughter). No infectious cases are taken – majority of babies suffering from diseases of the digestive system. Ground floor also has two observation wards.
Food Room:
The food room has electric food heaters. Feeding bottles care carried to the ward on a special trolleys with a framework of wire with spaces for half a dozen bottles, and a calico cover fits over the top thus ensuing immunity from dust. After they have been used the bottles are boiled before being taken back to the food room.
Store Room:
Storing sheets, blankets, babies clothes, flannelette, cottons, crockery and one room filled with rows of tinned foods.
Laundry:
Replete with washing troughs and up-to-date electric irons. Drying Room and airing room, which is heated by a coke furnace. This same furnace also ensures a constant supply of piping hot water to the various bathrooms.
Sewing Room:
Contains two sewing machines and several voluntary helpers come and help in the fashioning of the necessary garments for the tiny patients and of the sheets and pillow slips for the bed.
1918 – Six wards: Lady Galway, Katie Smith, Harriet Stirling, Helen Mayo, Catherine Spence and Annie Hornabrook. Staffing: Matron, 2 charge nurses, three staff nurses, and 10 probationers. Wages: Matron £120; charge nurse £70, staff nurses 15/ per week; probations £20 per annum.
January 1919 – restricted visitor due to Spanish Flu epidemic
March 1919 – With the exception of a little mending, all the sewing of the hospital had been done voluntarily. There were several sewing circles, responsible for the greater part of this work.
1920 – Mareeba became a teaching hospital for nurses.
1921 – A Senior Charge Nurse at Mareeba received a salary of 110 pounds per annum. Also used as a part-time training hospital for nurses.
April 1921 – Gastroenteritis Epidemic – accommodation over-taxed at Mareeba by infant sufferers, mortality heavy.
August 1922 – Matron Miss M Higgins – Miss Steward resigned Dec 1922 to become Matron of Pirie Hospital. Nurses Uniform: Pink.
At Mareeba we had – cotton fabric dress, with a white apron. The ‘Adelaide’ uniform was pink check. I think this was the same. The uniforms were laundered and ironed for us. – Miss Nora Jacob (Mareeba Nurse 1922-1925)
March 1923 – Medical appointments in connection with Mareeba Babies’ Hospital. Honorary Medical Officers: Drs Helen M Mayo, Hugh S Coverton, Frederick N Le Messurier and Cyril F Pitcher. Honorary Consulting Oral Surgeon: Dr Robert H Pulleine; Honorary Pathologist: Dr Frank H Beare; Honorary Assistant Pathologist: Dr Richard LT Grant; Honorary Masseuse: Miss Eileen Delbridge; Honorary Medical Registrar: Dr Helen Mayo.
June 1924 – Miss M Higgins resigned position and Miss Florence Knight appointed. A new day nurses bedroom had been made adapting part of the pavilion. A portion of the verandah at the side of the building had been wired in, making a little sitting-room where then nurses on duty could have morning and afternoon tea. The room had been called the Lucy Birks room.
June 1925 – Duplication of the accommodation from 25 to 60 babies.
February 1926 – Cyclone collapsed semi-detatched portion of the maternity ward at Mareeba Hospital.
February 1926 – New Nurses Accommodation Wing:
Builders: FS Warner & Son, Gilbert Street Adelaide. Cost £11,000. Building: Brick with all outside walls will be plastered and finished in white Medusa cement, toned with spirits. The chimneys will be finished in neat cut and struck work. Shaped in the form of the letter L, 116 ft in length on one side and 102 ft on the other. Ground floor accommodation for 3 RMOs, matron, 5 charge nurses, sub-matron, housekeeper and 6 probationers. Included was a nurses sitting room 28 ft by 18 ft containing 2 fireplaces, a domestic laundry and a kitchenette where nurses would be able to prepare light refreshments. The ground floor will also contain hot and cold water baths. The first floor will have one end partitioned off for 6 night nurses, and 22 nurses. Several of the room swill have French windows opening on to a spacious balcony, which may be utilised for sleeping-out purposes. Accommodation for 53 members of staff. There are 19 rooms together with large boiler room, linen room and spacious laundry. There are also 4 lavatory blocks with modern conveniences. Five Doulton baths, wash basins and showers will be installed. A hot-water service will be connected throughout the building. A roomy kitchen will be fitted with draining board, ironing table, shelves, and other modern kitchen equipment. An essential adjunct is the laundry, in which will be gas popper, wash troughs and other essential fittings. Entrance to the building leads to a large vestibule and hall measuring 38 ft 6 in by 12 ft. A corridor 5 ft wide running both sides of the building divides the rooms. In the vestibule a polished maple stairway gives access to the upper floor. Fireplaces are t be built with green glazed bricks in pleasing design. Strong Oregon joists separate the ground and first floors. On the top floor, above the boiler room is a boxroom. There is also a sick room heated with electric radiators, together with a linen and spare rooms. Lavatories on both floors have concrete floors. Floors on the bottom floor will be of jarrah. Those on the top and the balconies will be of Baltic deal. The whole of the mouldings, doors, window frames and sashes will be of deal, with four coats of paint. Ceilings on both floors will be of fibrous plaster covered with red pine cover moulds andcornices, stained and flat varnished. The whole of the inside walls will be plastered and finished with two coats of kalsomine. The ceilings are also to be treated in the same manner. Circular ventilators have been placed at intervals in the ceilings. Each room will be aired with 9 in by 6 in vents. Pained galvanised iron ventilators will be carried through the roof to the dormers and louvres. The doors in the building are of French casement design. Box-framed windows are also installed. Wire screens will be provided to all outside doors and windows. Power point plugs for heating and domestic purposes provided. 10ft verandah erected at the front of the building. At the back a 9ft verandah with a stairway leading to the top floor. There are balconies front and back. The floors will be covered with malthoid. The underside of the balconies will be lined with Oregon matchenboard oil finished. A panelled frieze filled in with asbestos is to be fitted. The roof is of galvanised iron and is built on a light framed principle. Located in front of the hospital facing the railway.
Additions to existing hospital:
Bathrooms transformed into sterilising rooms. Three rooms made into a long ward running the length of the building on the north side and another three rooms made into two. The laundry will be enlarged. Installation of hot water in the hospital. Facilities for preparing food extended. A ward on the ground floor turned into a food room and the original room is used for sterilising.
May 1926 – Nurses carrying water upstairs to first floor every drop of water had to be carried up and downstairs to the wards – request for pipes.
September 1926 – Erection of two storey quarters for medical officers and nurses.
June 1927 – staffing: 4 sisters and 22 probationary nurses
1928 – Redevelopment completed, cost 13000 pounds. Double the size of accommodation for nurses from 42 to 84 beds and baby beds from 35 to around 70 beds
August 1930 – Miss Alice Jane Kimber is Matron. Miss Florence Knight (Miss Knight awarded an MBE in 1947) takes up position of Superintendent of Nurses at Adelaide Children’s Hospital.
1933 – Additional rooms added and made “available for mother and baby, especially country mothers ” (Nursing in Australia First Hundred Years 1837-1937 pg 331)
Oct 1938 – Matron Miss A J Kimber retires and Sister Daphne Davis becomes Matron
1939 – Establishment of an operating Theatre at Mareeba Babies’ Hospital (Advertiser, 15 May 1940)
May 1941 – the Estate of the late Sir Joseph Verco and the State Government provided funds for a new ward to be opened. It was called the Sir Joseph Verco Ward (Advertiser 14 May 1941)
May 1941 – At the annual meeting of the Mareeba Babies’ Hospital the following appointments were made: the following officers were elected: — Advisory committee. Drs. C. Pitcher (president), M.Cockburn, C. Finlayson, F. N. LeMessurier, Helen Mayo, Mesdames J. Astley. A. G. Barrett, Ian Hayward, Guy Lendon. F. LeMessurier, G. V. Portus and Misses D. Gilbert, and C. Young (hon. secretary), Dr. Helen Mayo (hon. consulting physician), Drs. Le Messurier. Constance Finlayson. and Mildred Mocatta (hon. physicians); Drs. R. H. Elix and H. A. Goode (hon. assistant physicians), Dr. D. G. McKay; (hon.consulting surgeon), Dr. R. H. Elix (hon. pathologist), Dr. H. A. McCoy (hon. radiologist) Dr. WC. T. Upton (hon. dermatologist); Dr. B.Moore (hon. ophthalmologist) Mr. M. E. H. Scbefer (hon. dentist) Dr. E. Sandford Morgan (registrar); .Miss Daphne. Davis (matron): Miss D. Paynter (secretary of advisory board.?. Babies’ Hospital Association)-^-ady Muriel Barclay-Harvey (Patroness).Dr. C. Pitcher (president) ; Miss G. Young (hon. secretary) Mr. S. H. Skipper(hon. solicitor), Mrs. G. V. Portu (Hon Treasurer)
May 1946 – Deputy Matron Doris Richards leaves to take up position as Inspector, Children’s Welfare and Public Relief Department.
October 1949 – Helen Mayo Wing officially opened by Lady Norrie and Chief Secretary Mr McEwin. Named in recognition to Dr Helen Mayo’s work for the hospital.
November 1951 – Premier Thomas Playford proposes Mareeba Babies’ Hospital be leased to Adelaide Children’s Hospital – mainly for the accommodation of child polio cases.
1951 – Mareeba officially comes under the management of Adelaide Children’s Hospital (now known as the Women’s and Children’s Hospital).
1954 – Miss Hazel Elizabeth Fallows is appointed Matron.
1959 – Nurses came to Mareeba to be trained in children’s nursing.
1960 – The Hospital became an annex of The Queen Elizabeth Hospital – the children’s section of The Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
January 1960 – Death of Matron Miss Hazel Fallows (nee Curtis) on 22nd January.
1968 – Paediatric services at Mareeba were being closed and Mareeba and surrounding properties were used to further develop a rehabilitation and geriatric service. This service was moved eventually to Alfreda on Port Road and the Pregnancy Advisory Centre was housed at Mareeba.
1981 – Approval for the use of Mareeba for the temporary accommodation of 30 intellectually retarded patients from Estcourt House
1982 – TQEH assume responsibility for the administration and management of the Western Domiciliary Care Service (Mareeba) and Western Regional Rehabilitation Service (Alfreda), combining both of these under the newly formed Department of Community Services.
Memories
“Premmies – Oh, I loved them ! And they were very well nursed at Mareeba. Matron Florence Knight was the matron by the time I started, and she was a very good – one of the best nurses I have ever known, and an excellent matron, who ruled without being a despot. And I think she was universally loved.
No. But it was what could be a theatre. It was called – it was a ward in those days. We did no surgery. (sotto voce ) Except circumcisions, now and then !That was excitement!(laughs) Changing the babies’ napkins, and taking the nappies out, putting them to soak in disinfectant, taking out the ones that had been in long enough, from the time before, rinsing those, then they went to the laundry. We spent a lot of time in our early days doing what we called ‘bins’. Oh, yes, that was part of your training. Then you had more to do with care of the babies, feeding them, oolding the bottle for some, supervising some of the others. Giving spoon feeds to the bigger ones. And of course you had your usual ward duties of sweeping, and dusting. That sort of thing.”
Nora Jacob, Mareeba Hospital Nurse from 1922-1925 (Memories taken from her Oral History in 1985)
” I have memories of a 6 (or 8) week rotation as a student nurse at Mareeba in 1973 or early 1974. The babies had moved to the main hospital (around 1971) on Ward 8C. The patients were elderly, mostly bed bound with post stroke or medical conditions. Every day we, the nurses used to wrestle the beds (& patients) out through French doors on the ground floor and onto the verandah for fresh air and sunshine. This apparently was hangover from when babies were accommodated at Mareeba and were on the first floor and every day their cots were taken to the verandah. All patients were on the ground floor as there wasn’t a lift to access the first floor.
The Charge Nurse was Sister Mengler – she used to smoke in her office with the ashtray in the top drawer and smoke billowing out. Another sister was Sister Graetz – not sure what she did but she spent a lot of time in the old operating theatre area.
Outside were extensive and productive vegetable gardens that the cooks used for meal preparation. Not sure who did maintenance on these gardens.
Another memory is living in the nurses home at Mareeba, there weren’t many of us – in the phone book (remember them) it was listed as Mareeba Nurses Home so whenever a naval ship was in port the phone didn’t stop ringing with sailors looking for a ‘friend’ for a night out! Nurses were fair game.” – Robyn Johnston RN
“My first placement as a student nurse was in early 1971. At that time is was a Baby Hospital accommodating Wards of the State and babies awaiting adoption.
My first recollections of this majestic building was the beautiful surrounding verandas, the classic wooden staircase and the expansive veggie gardens set out the back of the hospital. The Nurses living quarters were humble and unassuming. Basic accommodation, laundry facilities and not a lot else.
Sister Mengler was the Sister in Charge and ran a very regimented program where tasks were carried out in a structured manner and all babies were required to spend a period of time basking in the sun and fresh air under the veranda on the first floor. This exercise occurred every day regardless of sunshine, rain or if bitterly cold!
Sister Mengler was a quirky person who was difficult to ‘read’ or understand. However if you where a smoker and she liked you she often invited you into her office to have a cigarette and a ‘chat’. I was that ‘lucky’ person on several occasions.
Only two patients remain in my memories of this placement. One was a baby girl up for adoption who I had to prepare of prospective parent viewing. The joy and love of these two prospective parents when they first set eyes on this baby girl was something I will remember for ever. I often wonder where she is today and what career path she chose.
My second placement came much later in my training (late 1972/73). Mareeba was now an establishment for the elderly. My memories are not as vivid as during my first placement, however I developed a ‘bond’ with an elderly lady who was very talented creating wonderful garments by knitting and crocheting. Prior to the end of my placement she presented to me a beautiful pair of hand crocheted silk booties…”Keep them dear, one day you will get married and have children and they can wear them.” To this day I still have those beautiful booties and both my daughters wore them on their respective Christening Days.”
Memories by Retired Registered Nurse – Glenda Schomburgk. Formerly Carr, nee Peterson
Written by Robyn Johnston, Richard Venus and Kellie Branson
