Arch Hill, Auckland CBD, Avondale-Waterview

Arch Hill

Nurse Nellie Lavina Beard (c1882-1938), "St Kilda", 239 (now 387) Great North Road (c.1914-c.1934).Married to Herbert Beard, brassmolder. Died 25 November 1938, buried at Howick.

Nurse Norris (c.1906)

Auckland City

Mrs Elizabeth Cassin, Alexandra Cottage, Grey Street (1894-1900)

"Mrs Cassin, ladies nurse, Alexandra Cottage, Grey Street, Auckland, receives ladies from the country for accouchement. Mrs Cassin has excellent testimonials from ladies who have been under her care and also from Auckland doctors." (BOP Times 20 July 1894). Auckland, ladies nurse. (NZH 26 June 1894) Formerly from Alexandra in the Waikato.

"Hohipere" Private Hospital, Wynyard Street (1896-1900), Hohipere Lane off Upper Symonds Street (1900-1912). Miss Phillips, certified from Charing Cross Hospital, London (1896)

The "Hohipere" Private Hospital, Lower Symonds-street, has been removed to Mrs Wallace's new house, "Hohipere," off Upper Symonds-st. (Auckland Star 30 June 1900). This appears to have been just behind the later Lyric Theatre. Sold at auction January 1912, seventeen-room house, 1 1/2 acres of land (NZ Herald 25 January 1912, p. 12)

Mrs Copeland, “experienced nurse”, Vincent Street, Auckland (Ohinemuri Gazette, 11 January 1899) 1899-1900

Mrs Reading, Studley House, Wellesley St West (c.1900-1901)

Nurse Grace, Sussex House, Vincent St (c.1906)

Mt Pleasant Private Hospital. Began 1906 on corner Mount and Wakefield Streets run by Miss A E Green as a general medical and surgical hospital. This property belonged to J J Craig and was put up for sale as part of his deceased estate in 1919. By 1932, Miss A G Mander and Miss J C Keyes appear to have been the proprietors, and transferred the name "Mt Pleasant" to "Wickford", 24 Princes Street, formerly the home of Nathan Alfred Nathan. The house was originally designed by John Currie; in 1932 it underwent alterations to the design of Kenneth Aimer. It was acquired by the University of Auckland as the registry in 1958.

Wakefield Private Hospital, 84 Wakefield Street (1932-1949), continuation of the Mt Pleasant Hospital (above) business under new management. Matron: Miss M E Gott. Another staff member there was Sister Winifred Wall (1934-1939). By 1950, appears to have been vacant, but renovated, and was being looked at as a police barracks.

Nurse Mary Ann Kemp. Arrived in New Zealand c.1887 with Dr Dalziel from England. (NZH 14 August 1907). Hobson Street (1900-c.1903). Moved to Thornewood Private Hospital, Dominion Road Mt Eden, 1906, George St, Kingsland 1908, then 31 Wanganui Ave, Ponsonby 1911. No further record found.

Mrs Caroline Waltho, 11 Union Street (1895-1896), 52 Shortland Street, (1896-c.1900). "Certified accoucheuse." Trained at Upper Edward Street Private Hospital, Brisbane. It appears she shifted back to Brisbane -- was resident there, and serving as a certified midwife living in Redcliffe, in 1909. (Truth, Brisbane, 11 April 1909 p. 5)

Tiri View Private Hospital (1899-1911). At Liverpool Street/City Street a boarding house run by Mrs Cuming, 1893. Building owned by architect H G Wade. In 1899 Nurse M Andrews started the Tiri View Private Hospital. Moved to Grafton Road/Park Road 1902, then to Lower Symonds Street 1911. No further information.

Awanui Private Hospital, upper Symonds Street, behind Lyric Theatre, (c. 1917-1922). Proprietor: Miss Rose. Business shifted to Epsom.

Avondale/Waterview

Nurse Alice Edwards, 1798 Great North Road, Avondale (1936-1940). House owned by Harry Alexander Darrow, retired former headmaster of Avondale Primary School from 1920 to 1946.

Nurse Gibson, Waterview (1901-1904). The first nurse I’ve found so far in the district is one Nurse Gibson, in practice from 1885 until at least the 1920s, and resident at Waterview from just 1901 to 1904. She shifted around quite a bit, working with doctors in Ponsonby, Parnell, and New Lynn.

Nurse Jane Newman (1915-1919). 71 Blockhouse Bay Road, Avondale. At 71 Blockhouse Bay Road, Nurse Jane Newman (married to Joseph, a train engine driver) operated the first of Avondale’s maternity homes from 1915-1919 from an 11 year old villa, allowed to have a mother at a time on the premises before requiring a license. From 1920 until 1935, the Newmans’ house was used by Nurse Alice Edwards. Today, the house is gone, replaced by flats.

Avonlea Maternity Home (1928-c.1932). 17 Powell Street, Avondale. Practioner: Kathleen Addison-Saipe

Another maternity home here in Avondale was “Avonlea” at 17 Powell Street (another surviving building). Probably built in the mid 1920s by builder Thomas Herbert Copsey, John and Kathleen Addison-Saipe appear there as occupiers by 1928, which is when the “Avonlea Maternity Home” begins to appear in birth notices published in the Auckland Star. Nurse Addison-Saipe operated from Powell Street only through to c.1932. She died 1 February 1952, aged 65.

Previously at Lincoln Maternity Hospital, Henderson, located at 200 Lincoln Road by today's maps (1923-1928). John Addison-Saipe ran the Lincoln Poultry Farm from c.1920 - c.1928, likely the one between Lincoln Road off-ramp and the creek, later Manifold's.

"LINCOLN MATERNITY HOSPITAL, HENDERSON, Patients taken with or without doctor. Every comfort and personal attention. NURSE ADDISON-SAIPE, Phone 80." (NZH 21 July 1923). The Addison-Saipes finally sold the Henderson property in 1937.

Erinville Home (1920-1928), The Puriris (1940-1946), 6 Roberton Road, Avondale. Practitioner(s): Nurse Mary Manning (1920-1928); Nurse Alice Edwards (1940-1946)

At 6 Roberton Road, Nurse Mary Manning set up and ran “Erinville” from 1920 until her death in 1928. “Erinville” was Avondale’s most equipped maternity nursing home, having a total of five bedrooms, nursery, and birthing theatre. This isn’t that surprising, as it had been the home of Avondale’s first chemist/dentist, Robert Allely. Mothers from as far away as Kumeu had their babies at Nurse Manning’s. After her death, the property was purchased by the Richardson family, who lived there until they decided to swap over with Nurse Edwards at 1798 Great North Road. Nurse Edwards assisted women giving birth at Great North Road from 1936 to 1940, then at Roberton Road until around 1946.