Freemans Bay, Grafton, Greenlane

Freemans Bay

Mrs Gibson, Sale Street off Wellesley Street West (c.1905)

Mrs Shaw, Union Street, Freeman's Bay (1865). She appears just briefly in the records, but in offering accommodation at the "house of an experienced midwife", Mrs Shaw is a contender for the earliest known proprietor of a private nursing home in Auckland.

Mrs Boyle, midwife, Freeman’s Bay (SC 16 April 1875). Fernleigh Villa, Fernleigh Ave, Ponsonby (Ak Star 6 July 1885)

Mrs Cooper, lower Wellington Street, Auckland (Waikato Times, 5 May 1894) 1893-1894.

Mrs Richmond, lower Wellington Street, Auckland (Waikato Times, 5 April 1894)

Nurse Mills, Kia Ora Nursing Home, 11 Upper Union Street (1910-1913). Sold as a going concern 1913.

Grafton

Puriri - Private Hospital and Convalescent Home, 84A Grafton Road (1895-1906)

PRIVATE HOSPITAL AND CONVALESCENT NURSING HOME For Ladies and Gentlemen, "PURIRI," Grafton Road, Auckland. Telegraph Arnaboldi, Auckland. Telephone No. 805. MISS BATES, Certified Maternity Nurse, London, and MISS ARNABOLDI, Medical and Surgical Nurse (Hospital trained), wish to intimate to their friends and the public generally that they have taken "Puriri", a large and convenient house which, standing in its own grounds, overlooks the Domain, and has a full view of Auckland Harbour and its picturesque scenery. Having, as far as possible, sanitarily adapted, furnished and equipped "Puriri" with the modern appliances of a private Medical and Surgical Nursing Hospital Home, Miss Bates and Miss Arnaboldi are prepared to receive Medical, Surgical, and Maternity Patients. No infectious cases admitted. Convalescents and patients from the country will find home comforts at "Puriri",' and experience sympathetic care and attention. Massage Treatment, when required, will be efficiently carried out. Terms moderate, dependent upon the nature and requirements of each case. Special accommodation for Trained Nurses who may wish to make "Puriri" their home whilst disengaged. Medical and other recommendations, testimonials, and references submitted when required. (NZ Herald 7 March 1895, p.1)

Nurse Arniboldi left by 1896.

An abandoned child was left at Puriri, Grafton Road, during last night. It is it is one week old and is alive. The police are making inquiries into the matter.  (Auckland Star 5 January 1898)

In 1899, Nurse Bates moved to Te Aroha, taking over a convalescent home there. By 1900 she was Mrs Stanley Smith, and running a tourist accommodation house there.

1901, Puriri operated by Mrs Povey.

Reopened 1903 by Nurse Hale, "from Wellington, and late of the Women's Hospital, Sydney." (NZ Herald, 20 March 1903, p. 1)

Image: 1497-905, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries

Mrs O'Grady, Ladies Nurse, 82 Grafton Road. (1912) "Good accommodation for ladies during accouchement."

Nurse Wilkinson, 11 Claremont Street, Grafton (1914-1915)

(Above) Rawhiti Private Maternity Home, corner Grafton and Park Road (right). Detail from Auckland War Memorial Museum library image, Vaughan Collett Cooper, 1912, PH-NEG-B2795 

Rawhiti Private Maternity Home (1904-1916). 2 Park Road, Grafton. Practitioner(s): Nurses Emma Jane (1861-1932) and Helen Margetts (1863-1956). They were born in England, and lie buried at Mangere Cemetery.

In 1896, Helen Margetts was a nurse living in Karangahape Road.

"Sister Margetts, late Matron of the Auckland Hospital, has resigned her position, in order to join her sisters in their private hospital for maternity cases, which they have recently greatly enlarged". (Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume II, Issue 2, April 1909, Page 67)

"The Misses Margetts's maternity hospital is comfortable and homelike..." (Report on the Hospital and Charitable Institutions of the Colony, AJHR, 1907, H-22)

(My father, William James Bruce, was born there 23 February 1916).

Helen Margetts briefly operated at Ngaruawahia 1917-1918. From that year, the Park Road business became Rawhiti Surgical Home, operated by "Sister Wheeler" (trading name used by Mrs Priscilla Lovegrove). The Rawhiti name was shifted to premises at the corner of Fairview and Mt Eden Roads by Lovegrove in 1924.

Tere Ora, Park Road (1918). Practitioner: Nurse Kerr

Nurse Hill, Euroa, 73-75 Carlton Gore Road (1924-1927). From Ponsonby Road. House burned down. Shifted to 661 Manukau Road, Epsom.

HOSPITAL DESTROYED.

OCCUPANTS' LUCKY ESCAPE. 

BOROUGH BRIGADE HAMPERED.

POOR PRESSURE OF WATER.

A nine-roomed building in Carlton Gore Road, known as Euroa Private Hospital, was destroyed by fire about 4.30 yesterday morning. Two patients and their babies were removed from the building just before the roof fell in, and Mr L Hill, son of the owner, Mr W Hill, had a particularly narrow escape. The Newmarket fire brigade ran out several leads of hose, but on connecting with the plugs discovered there was only sufficient pressure of water to supply one hose. As the flames were beating against Mr. Russell Eccles' house next door the firemen concentrated their efforts in saving this house, and the one on the other side. The alarm was given to the occupants by a neighbour. Mr L Hill, the last to be awakened, was aroused by violent knocking on the door of his bedroom. The whole room was in flames. Unable to escape by the door he made for the window, and was severely bruised in clambering through. A minute later the walls of the room collapsed. Mr. W. Hill and the staff had no difficulty in removing the patients to Mr Eccles' house, but when it was found this building was threatened they were taken to another house out of danger. "It was one of the hardest fights we have had for a long time," said Captain T. J. Watts, superintendent of the Newmarket fire brigade, yesterday. "We did our best, and a good save was effected with Mr Eccles' house." Questioned regarding the shortage of water Mr. Watts said blame was attachable to someone, but he was not in a position to say who it was until tests had been made with the mains. He did not consider the bursting of a main in Khyber Pass Road shortly after the outbreak was responsible for the poor pressure. Mr. Hill estimates the damage at nearly £4000. He states the fire started in the kitchen at the rear of the house. The building was insured for £2000 in the Sun Insurance Office, and the furniture for £600 in the Atlas Assurance Company. Mr. Eccles' house, one side of which was badly gutted, was insured for £800 in the Royal Insurance Company, and the contents for £300 in the Mercantile and General Insurance Company. (NZH 21 June 1927)

Nurse Marion Agnes Fox (1901-1974), St Ann(e)'s Private Hospital, 17A Khyber Pass (1933-c.1945). She was a widow as at 1938 (electoral roll). Street numbering changed drastically along Khyber Pass Road, so by 1949, the private hospital was at number 83 (two doors from Nugent Street). By 1963, she was a nurse at 126 Grafton Road.

Greenlane

Nurse O'Hagan, St Anthony's Maternity Home, Greenlane (1911-1916). Moved to 29 Carlton Gore Road 1916 "St Anthony's Home". In 1919, she moved again, to Oakleigh, Symonds Street.

Nurse Britton, Rahiri (now Puriri) Road, Greenlane. (1914) Married to Thomas Albert Britton?

Nurse Ethel Dora Jakeman, "Wendlebury", 57 Green Lane Road (1916-1920). Then Nurse Shepherd, "Whare Atea" (1920-1922), who was previously at Shelly Beach Road, also "Whare Atea", 1917-1919.

Nurse Adams, 15 Sunnyvale Road, Greenlane (1921)

Nurse King, 232 Great South Road (1931-1933)

Nurse Molloy, 205 Great South Road, Greenlane (c.1934-1944).Operated from 1920s before settling at Greenlane as midwife.

Nurse F A Ward, "Ranui Obstetric Hospital", 17 Wairakei Street, Greenlane (1941- at least 1950). Also advertised as Ellerslie. Became Hillcrest Convalescent and Rest Home by 1954.

Nurse Phyllis May Miller, 184 Campbell Road (1931-at least 1945). Wife of Gordon. Still residing there as at 1958.