Bay of Plenty
Opotiki
Miss Eleanor Elizabeth McIlwraith, Lauriston, Ford Street (1938-1944), Unknown nurse, Lauriston Nursing Home, 58 Brabant Street, Opotiki (1945-1946). House at the corner of Ford & Brabant.
Rotorua
Miss Schofield has opened a nursing Home for maternity cases and massage cases, at Rotorua. (Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume 01, Issue 4, October 1908, Page 125)
Sunnybrae Maternity Hospital (1920-1925)
Tauranga
Mrs "Mammie" Fielding, Wharf Street Dining Rooms (1887). "Mrs Fielding acts as Ladies Nurse. Highest references. Comfortable accommodation for ladies at the Wharf Street Dining Rooms." (BOP Times 21 April 1887)
Topcroft Home, Cameron Street (1897-1908). Practitioner: Mrs B Chappell. According A C Bellamy in Tauranga 1882-1892, Mrs Chappell opened a nursing home at the family home of Topcroft in 1899. She moved across the road to "The Palms" in 1908. Topcroft Private Hospital, Cameron Road (1911-1915). Practitioner: Nurse Fountain
"The Topcroft Private Hospital, which was established by Nurse Fountain two years ago, has just been doubled in size to permit the enterprising proprietress to meet the growing demands made upon this useful institution. The hospital stands on four acres of ground, at the corner of Cameron Road West and Roberts Street, and being located well away from other buildings, is admirably suited for the purpose for which it is serving. The additions comprise new wings on the eastern and western sides of the original structure, with three new rooms on the southern end. In the western wing is a large operating theatre, exceptionally well lighted by eight casement windows and three skylights, the casements being surmounted by coloured Muranese glass headlights. The theatre is fitted with an operating table and all other conveniences necessary for the carrying out of operations. A surgical ward adjoins. It faces Roberts Street and may be entered from the theatre or the verandah. The apartment is commodious and has space for three beds. The eastern wing has been set apart for two maternity wards. The two apartments are spacious, and well lighted, and provide accommodation for five patients. The additions to the southern end consist cf two living rooms. There is also a large bathroom and up-to-date lavatories, connected with the water supply. All the drainage is conveyed to a septic tank, which has been constructed to meet the requirements of the Health Department. In the original portion of the building are two more living rooms, while three other large apartments are available for nursing or surgical cases. The interior of the building has been neatly finished. All the ceilings are flatted in white, the wells of the new rooms have been enamelled in various shades, the remaining apartments being repapered and varnished. The decorative work was carried out in a most effective manner by Messrs Mackay Bros. The Topcroft private hospital is certainly a credit to the town. It will bear favourable comparison with any private institution of the kind to be found in the provincial towns, and no doubt the enterprise of the proprietress will be appreciated by the community. (BOP Times 23 October 1913)
The Palms, Cameron Street (1908). Practitioner: Mrs B Chappell. According A C Bellamy in Tauranga 1882-1892, Mrs Chappell opened a nursing home at the family home of Topcroft in 1899. She moved across the road to "The Palms" in 1908.
Nurse Conway-Jones, Durham Street (1909)
Mrs Anderson, Cameron Road (1910-1911), Victoria House, Devonport Road (1912). Moved to Te Puke 1913.
Nurse Brown, "The Braes", Cameron Road (1911), "Lodge Pleasant", Devonport Road, between First and Second Avenues (1912-1914), Fifth Avenue (1914). Returned 1919, Willow Street (1919-1920)
Southsea Private Hospital, Cameron Road (1914-1928). Practitioner: Miss Eleanor J W Chappell. "Nurse Chappell. who, for a number of years, has conducted the "Southsea" nursing home, has taken up her duties as matron of the Te Puke Maternity Hospital." (Auckland Star, 5 May 1928). "A large gathering of members and friend assembled at the Lyceum Club, Te Puke, to bid farewell to Miss Chappell, who is retiring from her position as matron of the Te Puke Hospital. The president, Mrs. B. Vercoe. presented Miss Chappell with an afternoon tea cup. saucer and plate, and expressed the regret of members at her departure." (Auckland Star 15 April 1937)
Nurse Spreadborough, Cameron Road (1912)
St John Street, Tauranga (1915)
Nurse O'Neill, corner 10th Ave and Norris Street (1918)
Nurse Boston (1920)
Nurse Marshall, Cameron Road (1923-1925)
Nurse Rebecca Violet Crabbe-Simons (c.1876-1947), "Jesmond," Cameron Road (1925-1927), "Launceston" Cnr Cameron Road and 8th Avenue (1927- 1937). Daughter of Charles Alfred Crabbe (a storekeeper) and Rebecca Crabbe, married S L Simons 1925-1926. Her mother Rebecca died 1947, and father Charles in 1956. Ran Jesmond hospital (apparently at her parents' house) without licence 1925-1927, after training at St Helens in Auckland. This only became an issue when more than two mothers-to-be were admitted, an extra one by Rebecca's mother. After her marriage, Crabbe-Simons had been a midwife, but her husband objected to her being away from home, so she rented part of her parents' home, and together the new couple applied for a government grant to build their own place, Launceston.
In 1937, with concerns rising that Crabbe-Simons was taking on more patients than she could cope with by herself, and that records hadn't been kept properly for the previous year, the Medical Officer of Health (Dr Makgill) recommended that the hospital be shut down, and that a renewal of licence be refused.
The Inspector of Maternity Hospitals disagreed. In 1936, Launceston had received a favourable report from a Miss Mirams, stating that records were being kept properly, and that Crabbe-Simons had on staff a registered midwife and a domestic help. Under the terms of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act 1926, there was no power to refuse licence renewal. The only power was to revoke a licence, and that could only happen in the case of a default in payment, if the licensee or manager had been convicted of an offence against the Act, or any other offence punishable by imprisonment, or if the Director-General regarded the premises as unsanitary, insufficiently equipped, or if the revocation was viewed to be in the public interest. Makgill tried communicating with Crabbe-Simons as to whether she wanted to keep the hospital going, or surrender her licence voluntarily, but was unsuccessful. In May, the Inspector suggested that Makgill give her a phone call. In June 1937, she surrendered the licence. But she still took in patients. In July 1937 Makgill sent a "please explain" letter to her. The file ends at that point. (R6901602, BAAK A49 19836, Archives NZ)
Rawhiti Nursing Home, cnr Hunter Street and Edgcumbe Road (1927- at least 1930). Practitioners: Sisters Beetham and Fisk.
Nurse Lane, Roberts Street (1929). According to A C Bellamy, possibly Margaret H Lane, registered 1919, and practicing in 1929.
Mrs Elizabeth Mary Bone, Mt Pleasant Hospital, Elizabeth Street (1933-1940). Married to Thomas Foster Bone, accountant. E M Tresidder from late 1940 to 1943.
Nurse Florence Sarah Turner, Edgecumbe Road (1935-c.1940). See under Ngaruawahia.
Te Puke
Brittain's Court Nursing Home (1913-1919), Tauranga-Te Puke Road. Practitioner: Nurse F Anderson (from Tauranga)
Nurse Jones (1930)
Waihi
Nurse Gilmour (1903)
Nurse Hartwell, Moresby Ave (c.1922)
Nurse Mary Dunstan, Clarke Street (c.1924 as accommodation provider. Primarily a house-to-house midwife.) Registered and in practice at least to 1932, category B, having at least three years in bona fide practice as a midwife prior to 1904, registration number 2192. (1932 Register, NZ Gazette)
The following from Jennifer Clark, Mary Dunstan's great grand-daughter: Mary Dunstan (nee Brown) was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on 3 November 1859. She was the oldest child of William Brown (1832-1914) and Mary Carswell (1837-1925), who arrived in New Zealand on the Viola on 4 April 1865. On 9 November 1876 Mary married Richard Dunstan in Thames, where five of their six children were born. In 1891 they moved to Waihi.
Mary had had four children by the time she was 22. Mary took up maternity nursing when a neighbour asked if she would "do for me when my time comes". Thinking that meant looking after her house she agreed and when she was called over by the woman's child, she was asked where the midwife was and the women said "it's you". She protested she had had no training but the neighbour said Mary was a friend, had had four of her own babies and she trusted her. From then on she nursed until she was 70 years old and delivered at least 1400 babies. Dr Carrick Robertson worked for her as a student doctor and had great respect for her. Mrs Iris Quigg remembers nursing a few elderly patients in Waikato hospital with the middle name Dunstan. They had been named after their midwife!
Richard and Mary also had a milk run. Mary milked and Richard delivered. They also canned fruit. In the early 1930s a house in Waihi where Mary was living burnt down and all photos etc. were lost. Nothing was insured. The only room left standing was the maternity room as the walls were filled with sawdust for soundproofing! At that stage Mary Dunstan had stopped her midwifery and moved into a converted garage on her son Charlie's Dunstan's property in Waihi, as she wanted to be independent. Grandson George Dunstan can remember the renovations and said they were very nice. District Electors' List of the Borough of Waihi shows Mary Dunstan (nurse) living at 435 Clarke Street, Waihi. She later moved to Mt Eden to live with her daughter Mary Quigg.
Obituary from "Waihi Telegraph" of Friday 16 March 1951:
"OLD IDENTITY PASSES:
Mrs Mary Dunstan: Well-known nurse: Early days recalled. The older residents of the Thames and Waihi district will regret the passing of Mary Dunstan, which took place at the residence of her daughter Mary at Mt Eden, Auckland, on Friday 9th March. Deceased, who had reached the advanced age of 92 years was born at Glasgow, Scotland and came to New Zealand with her parents, the late Mr and Mrs W Brown, when a child of five years, travelling on the ship VIOLA in the year 1865. Incidentally, the Viola became a total wreck on the return journey to England. It was a long and tedious sea voyage occupying five months and within sight of the Three Kings a big gale blew the ship many miles off course, ripping its sails and demasting it. Eventually the disabled ship was picked up by another sailing vessel and towed to the Hauraki Gulf, the passengers being landed on the beach at the place named North Wairoa, since renamed Glencove. Bullock wagons were used to carry the many passengers and their luggage over a very rough track across the country to Papakura where many of the newcomers made their home.A year or two later the Brown family left Papakura to take up residence at Thames, which at that time was in the throes of a big gold rush, the township and surrounding hills being the scene of great activity and the population rising from a few hundred people to the proportion of a city. It has been claimed that at one period there were approximately 30,000 people living at the once famous centre. Mr Brown opened a butchery business and the family grew up in the town.
The late Mrs Dunstan, marrying the late Richard Dunstan,a miner who was born in Cornwall but had emigrated to NZ and eventually followed the crowd to the goldrush. Several of the family were born at Thames. In the year 1891 Mr and Mrs Dunstan decided to remove their home to Waihi. Mr Dunstan was compelled, on account of a severe leg injury, to retire from his occupation as a miner and at Waihi he made a living from his vegetable garden while his wife, who was a trained midwife, practised that profession, earning a reputation for skill and kindness to her patients that will never be forgotten by those with whom she came in contact. The roads about Waihi at the concluding years of last century were all in unformed condition and when it rained, pedestrians had to make their way through quagmires to get to their homes. On a dark and stormy night it was really an ordeal for any woman to have to face a sudden call to duty with no street lights to show the way. Telephones at that time were unknown to the residents and there were no motor cars and taxis. Nurse Dunstan had to do her visiting on horseback and rode many a mile on a dark night through all kinds of weather. It was a big blow to all when their loved nurse was compelled to retire from the profession she had so faithfully served, on account of her age.
The late Mrs Dunstan for several years past had been living with her daughter, Mrs Quigg, at Mt Eden and in spite of her advanced age was full of vitality and often travelled to different parts of the city unaccompanied to visit her grandchildren. Just six weeks before her death, nurse Dunstan attended an old folks gathering in the Eiphany Hall, Newton and at the conclusion of the proceedings waited for a taxi to take her home. Tiring of waiting, she set out and walked the long journey to Mt Eden. Mrs Dunstan leaves a family of three sons and one daughter, twenty grandchildren,forty-three great-grandchildren and six great great grandchildren, a total of seventy-three descendants of four generations. Her husband predeceased her some thirty years ago. Interment took place at Waihi cemetery following a service in the Presbyterian Church and at the graveside, conducted by the Rev. A. Keller."
New Zealand Herald, 15 December 1924. BIRTHS. OLPHERT— On December 7, at Nurse Dunstan's, to Mr. and Mrs O. C. Olphert of Waihi, a daughter - Both well. (Thanks to the doctor and Nurse Dunstan).
Waimarino
Nurse Pee's or Pec's Maternity Home (c.1912-1913)