October 1904, UNA Journal - OVENS DISTRICT HOSPITAL. The final examination of senior nurses was held on the 6th and 7th inst. The following nurses were examined:— Nurse Mary Munro passed with credit; and Nurses Julia Brown and Anna Christiansen passed well. We are all very pleased with the results.

Nurse Anna Christiansen, having finished her training, severs her connection with the hospital on the 11th inst. She was the recipient of a nice umbrella and photo frame from the nursing staff and myself, as a token of our goodwill. She intends taking up private nursing, and we wish her every success in her work.

Date of qualification 31 October 1904.

December 1904, UNA Journal - THE OVENS DISTRICT HOSPITAL. Nurse N. F. McFadyen has resigned her position as staff nurse, to enter upon a course of training at the Women’s Hospital. Nurse Anna Christiansen, who has just completed her training, has been appointed to the vacancy.

May 1906, UNA Journal OVENS DISTRICT HOSPITAL - Nurse Anna Christiansen resigned her position as staff nurse. She was presented on leaving with a silver-mounted purse from the nurses and myself. We wish her every success now she is starting private nursing. Nurse Edith Horsfall has been temporarily appointed to the vacant position.

From the ODH House Committee report 19 March 1906 – The report stated that Nurse Christiansen was resigning her position as staff nurse at the end of the month ...

From the ODH House Committee report 13 March 1911 – The Secretary reported that he had received the resignation of Nurse Kerr as Sister and that Nurse Christiansen had been engaged in her place and would commence duty on 16th inst.

From the ODH Inpatient Register 1 January 1906-28 April, 1925. Admitted as a patient with influenza on 17 June 1911. 19 June 1911 discharged to her father, M. Christiansen, Three Mile.

From the ODH House Committee report 10 June 1912 – The resignations of Sister Christiansen … were received.

February 1913, UNA Journal, List of Members … Christiansen, A. L., Ovens District Hospital, Beechworth.

Miss A. L. Christiansen, ... who has been on the nursing staff of the Ovens District Hospital, has been appointed visiting sister of the missions connected with the Collins-street Independent Church. These missions are situated in Latrobe, Queensberry and Boundary streets ... Ovens and Murray Advertiser, 13 July 1912.

Nurse Christiansen.

L.M.S. MISSIONARY FROM BEECHWORTH.

A most impressive service was held at the Collins-street Independent Church, Melbourne, on Tuesday evening, when Nurse Anna Christiansen, daughter of Mr. James Christiansen, of Three Mile, Beechworth, was ordained to the work of a missionary in connection with the London Missionary Society. A large and representative audience entered most sympathetically into every portion of the service, over which the Rev. Meredith Davies, M.A., B.D. of Kew, presided. Dr. E. J. Stuckey, principal of the Union Medical College of Pekin, China, under whose auspices Nurse Christiansen is to work as matron of the women's hospital in which the students practise, described very vividly the field of service: this described not only the matron- ship of a hospital which had women patients from every class of the community, but the training of nurses, influencing and assisting the Chinese medical students, and much work in the homes of the women. Dr. Stuckey voiced his own personal gladness at being privileged to have such a colleague returning with him and Mrs. Stuckey, the gift for Christ to the people of China from Victoria, and also the thankfulness being expressed by those in Pekin to whom he had been able to send word of her coming. Rev. G. J. Williams, organising agent of the L M.S. for Australia. gave the charge to the candidate, emphasising among other important points the fact of the great society which she would represent, her special work as a missionary first of all, to which the medical features were but as the net whereby she would be able to become in Christ's words "a fisher of men," and the great and primary need of keeping herself in tune with the Eternal. On behalf of the board of directors in London, Mr. Williams accorded a warm welcome from the staff of the L.M.S. to Nurse Christiansen. Rev. W. J. L. Closs, of Brighton, offered the prayer of dedication, a prayer so sympathetic as to draw all into communion and satisfy the most lonely heart. On behalf of the diaconate and membership of Collins-street Church, of which Miss Christiansen has been mission sister for two years, Mr. W. N. Pratt gave good wishes and loving sympathy, and Rev. Henry Joyce, chairman of the Congregational Union of Victoria, spoke in warmly appreciative terms of the denominational joy and pride in their new representative for the foreign mission field. Mr. Joyce also referred to Miss Christiansen's parents in glowing terms, concluding a brief pointed address which had touched every heart with the wish ''that the example of the Christiansen household may inspire every Christian household in our churches to follow in their train. Nurse Christiansen will be remembered in the Beechworth district as one of the many successful trainees of the Ovens District Hospital, having also been a staff nurse and acting-matron here. Her genial disposition and musical gifts have endeared her to all who had to do with her, and we are sure that very hearty good wishes and earnest Godspeeds will follow her to China. The date of sailing is fixed for the end of August, when Dr. and Mrs. Stuckey and their family return, after furlough, to their work in that marvellous city of mystery, “the London of China”, Pekin. Ovens and Murray Advertiser, 27 June 1914.

December 1914, Una Journal, PERSONAL - Nurse Anna Christiansen, who went to China [via Japan] on 26th August by the “Nikko Maru” in connection with the London Missionary Society Medical Work, is preparing to take her position as Matron of the Women’s Hospital, Pekin. Dr. Stuckey, who is Dean of Faculty a t the Union Medical College in which Miss Christianson is studying, speaks well of her general ability.

BEECHWORTH NURSE’S STORY

SERVICE IN SIBERIA

Had she the inclination, Miss Anna Christiansen a Beechworth nurse, could write an interesting; diary. For some months she served as a Red Cross nurse in Siberia.

Toward the end of 1918 American Red Cross Society in Siberia sent out an urgent call to Japan, Korea. and China for helpers. Four mission sisters and one doctor comprised the unit that set out from Pekin, in answer to the call. Miss Christiansen, who had served four years with the London Missionary Society at Pekin, was one of the volunteers accepted. Hospital necessities were provided by the various Red Cross societies of the East and early in October the unit started for Harbin to link themselves with volunteers from other places.

Miss Christiansen, who has come to Victoria on furlough, was recently induced to relate some of her experiences on this relief expedition.

LONG JOURNEY BEGUN

"After a ten days' wait in Harbin." confided Miss Christiansen, “we were notified that the Red Cross chief had arrived and that we must be prepared to leave at a moment's notice. We were awakened at 1.30 a.m. and told that our train would leave in a few hours. It was necessary to aboard early to hold the train so that it would not be whipped off by some military party. Passing the Mongolian desert we came through miles of devastated country, the houses being either burnt down or deserted.

"At one village someone had provided a hot water kitchen, so that the refugees might be able to get a hot drink. Rows of these poor unfortunates were patiently waiting their turn. The scene on Manchuria station is something I will never forget. There hundreds of refugees from the far north were gathered about the ticket windows waiting to get the precious card that would take them to Vladivostok or Harbin. Some had been waiting for weeks. The weather was freezing and there was little food for them.

"Further north we passed through the tunnelled country, where the Czech and Bolshevik forces came into conflict. The Bolsheviks held one of the tunnels with the object of checking the march of the Czechs. We were told that this battle led to a tremendous loss of life on the Bolshevik side. Later we reached Matelinsk, the site of another Czech victory, and then we came to Taiga. From here begins the famous large forests, through which it took the train two days to pass. Though often ravaged by fire the supply of timber seems to be inexhaustible. The trees are mostly pine, but cedars and larches are plentiful.

ARRIVED AT OMSK

"Whenever we reached an important town we began to be curious as to whether our chief would select this particular place for our destination, but it was not until November 10 when we reached Omsk that we made our first halt to render service. On our first ramble through the town we came across a hotel and a cadet school, both of which had been converted into hospitals by the Czechs. The places were clean and the patients appeared to be well tended, but no drugs or medical necessities were available. Then we visited several refugee camps.

"These places were built underground on the system of a digger's dug-out. All were fearfully overcrowded and insanitary. There was a great deal of sickness and distress. It was only the wealthy people who could afford to live in these camps, but otherwise their money was of little value. Omsk was a town of empty shops. We found doc tors and nurses doing their best to relieve the misery. They had managed to secure an old barracks for sick refugees. This was the first place we visited. The conditions were hideous.

"On straw covered floors men. women and children lay huddled together. There was no ventilation and very little light. The patients had only their own clothes to cover them. Some of them had fled from their homes two years previously.

NOT A FIGHTING CHANCE

"Without a change of clothes, bedding. or an ounce of medicine, those in charge fought desperately to give their patients a chance for life. They gave their lives for the cause. In the end all died from typhus.

"When we got used to the darkness of this stable-like building we found victims of fever, pneumonia, starvation and neglect, some dead, and others in a pitiable plight. One mother, almost distracted, appealed for aid for her family of four. All were too sick to be aware of our presence.

"Our mission was really to help the sick soldiers, but we felt that we could not ignore the needs of these poor refugees. The first thing to do was to gain Government permission, for red tape is of the deepest dye in Russia and Siberia. Eventually two old barracks were placed at our disposal, and in a few days we had the satisfaction of seeing numbers of sick refugees cleanly housed. Our doctor allowed us pyjamas, wadded bed spreads, and mattress covers, out of the supply we had brought with us. We were also supplied with medicine and hospital necessities. There was not a thermometer nor a grain of quinine available in Western Siberia.

"The mattress covers were filled with either hay or grass, our shelter could not boast pillows, but extra hay in the top of the mattress cover provided an excellent substitute. Each patient was given a pair of pyjamas and a wadded cover. The covers were most acceptable, for the temperature was 25 degrees below zero.

AN UNRELIABLE ALLY

"Our next task was an endeavor to equip a hospital, but as the Government collapsed three times in five weeks the building negotiation was held up for some time, and we had to continue using the train for our living quarters. Eventually permission was given to use an agricultural college, in the Birch woods, six miles from Omsk station; and early in December the American Red Cross Society converted this into a hospital with 500 beds.

"I was given charge of the kitchen and the home for the staff. Housekeeping in Omsk was not easy. I took a sleigh into town to see if I could get anything for the Christmas fare, and managed to get some poultry and cranberries. My Christmas pudding was mixed with nuts, table raisins, and a lemon, which I collected from our own comfort boxes.

"Several of the Consulate staff and officers from the British barracks were unable to accept our invitation to Christmas Dinner owing to political disturbances. They did not dare risk riding in the dark. It was pitch dark at 3.30 p.m.

On December 22 there was a big riot in Omsk and 100 Bolsheviks escaped, prisoners painted the town red. Several people were killed and many wounded- At our hospital when everything was ready for the reception of patients a division of Bolsheviks were marched into the basement and our work had to be held up till they were removed.

A NOVEL PUDDING CLOTH

"The matron had to exercise her ingenuity when fitting out the hospital. Towels and pillowslips had been overlooked in the stores that had been sent out, but thousands of abdominal belts were provided. These strips of calico were converted into pillow slips, towels, kitchen towels and cook's aprons. One provided me with a cloth for the Christmas pudding. Pyjamas were our most valuable asset They not only served as sleeping suits for the patients but as surgical overalls for the doctors and uniforms for the staff.

"It was a difficult task to equip a hospital with 500 beds in a country where the shops could not oblige with even a cup and saucer. Pannikins, spitoons, candlesticks and innumerable articles were made out of discarded tins. Our first patients- French officers - had to have their meals served in enamel dippers, it was most amusing to see them dipping into the bot tom of these two-quart billies with short spoons.

"With such a cosmopolitan crowd the language was a great difficulty. Several Czechs were employed as interpreters. I was fortunate in having as head cook a Chinese who understood Russian. He could translate from Russian to Chinese, which I could then translate into English. Several of the staff understood Chinese, and many could speak German, so we managed to get along.

BOUND FOR HOME

"As our unit was only an emergency band, we felt that our services were no longer essential once the hospital was fully equipped, and in February, 1919, we made preparations for our return home. Admiral Koltchak gave us a written document to the effect that we were not to be molested and were to be taken safely through. We had a German prisoner to act as porter, two Czechs as guards, and a Y.M.C.A. secretary in charge.

"It was just as well we were safely guarded. Several times we were awakened by rioters trying to break into our compartment We never unlocked our doors unless the guards were at hand. On several occasions we were shunted on to a railway siding and had to use our persuasive powers to get our compartment re-attached to the train. In Harbin many of us parted company and I reached Pekin in April 1919.

On her return to China, Miss Christiansen will take up duty at the London Mission Hospital in Ts’ang Chou, North China. She was born at Beechworth and trained as a nurse at the Beechworth Hospital. In August 1914, she left Australia under the auspices of the London Missionary Society to undertake medical work in Pekin. Weekly Times, 10 April 1920.

BEECHWORTH (From a Correspondent) …Sister Anna Christiansen who has returned on furlough from North China, where she worked under the auspices of the London Missionary Society since 1914 was given a welcome home. A well-attended meeting of the Australian Women’s National League, she gave an interesting address on life and work in the mission fields of North China. The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, 7 August 1925.

BEECHWORTH (From a Correspondent) …Miss Anna Christiansen who has been engaged for the last 10 years in missionary work in Northern China, gave an interesting address at the Presbyterian Hall on the work in China. Miss Christiansen who is also matron of the Hospital at Tsang Chow, received a quantity of linen towards the equipment of her hospital.

The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, 15 October 1926.

FOUNDED CHINESE NURSlNG SCHOOL

Matron's Experiences.

NINETEEN years ago when Miss Anna Christiansen first arrived at the London Missionary Society's hospital at Tsangchou China of which she was to be at once matron and nursing staff the hospital although it provided excellent treatment and surgery had no bedding or linen so that the patients had to bring their own with them.

And when I left Tsangchou a short time ago there were an up-to-date hospital and an up to-date nursing school the development of which I have seen going on since those early days" said Miss Christiansen who is in Australia on furlough, and left Sydney on Tuesday by the Nankin for Melbourne where she will visit relatives.

Coolie Assistants

When I first went to the hospital it was carried on in a primitive style with no nurses so that the patients in brought their relations with them to look after them. However the medical treatment was very good The hospital had been started in 1900 after The Boxer Rising and I was the first nurse ever sent there. A few Chinese coolies and one or two Chinese women were my only assistants

"There was no such thing as sterilised dressings - all the dressings and towels we used had to be boiled a slow process. When we bathed the patients every drop of water had to be carried from the river and there were only tin baths.

However, after I had returned to Victoria on furlough the London Missionary Society Girls Association of Victoria provided me with a full supply of hospital linen to take back to Tsangchou. This was a great blessing and I was also able to buy beds for the Chinese patients. At first they objected strongly to European bedsteads and bedding as they were accustomed to sleeping on brick kangs wrapped in wadded quilts.”

Objected to having Baths

“I began by equipping one small ward with European beds bedding and hospital linen and gradually my patients began grow used to their new surroundings and to like them. At first too, they objected to being bathed but finally grew to like that also.”

In 1923 Miss Christiansen started a nursing school at the hospital, her first pupils being Chinese trainees who were practically uneducated, but learned in a mechanical way and became quite good nurses.

“Now the standard of training for nurses is very high”, she said. “This year the Ministry for Education in China took over the control of nursing schools which now have to register with the Government. Our nursing school was made quite separate from the hospital with a registered board of directors.”

Nurses’ Curriculum Includes Music

'The nursing trainees ’curriculum has been extended to languages, psychology chemistry and even music and singing. The idea of the Chinese Government is to bring the nurse’s training standard up to that of a university college where ordinary education is concerned as well as the training ordinarily associated with their profession.

“For the first year the trainees study lessons from a teacher of university standing doing no nursing work at all then in their second year they are permitted to carry out only four hours’ practical nursing work a day, the rest being devoted to educational subjects. In their thirsty year they work eight hours a day at practical nursing”.

The hospital and nursing school at Tsangchou were housed in good and comfortable buildings well equipped and were run entirely on the mission’s funds without Government grant,” said Miss Christiansen.

Hospital Area Occupied by Japanese

“The last news I had of the hospital was that the Japanese were in occupation and the staff were gone” she added. I saw that in the Hong Kong newspaper before I came to Sydney.

The news was a bitter disappointment to me after spending so many years at Tsangchou, as I do not know when I will be able to go back there again. Before the hostilities broke out, I went on leave as was at the seaside a Pei-tai-ho when they started. I was forbidden to return and so came to Australia without even being able to collect most of my clothes and other belongings from the hospital station.”

The war in China was a terrible thing.  Miss Christiansen said “The people of Japan are a nice, kindly, lovable people and they really know nothing about the war. The militarists are the cause of the trouble,” she added.

It is cruel that this war should break out just when the Chinese were making such marvellous improvements unifying their country, getting on their feet. They have done wonders in the past few years. The Chinese peasants who form about 85 per cent of the population want nothing more than food, clothes and peace.”

In addition to nursing for 23 years in Chinese hospitals, Miss Christiansen also helped during the Great War to establish the American Red Cross hospital at Omsk Siberia which cared for wounded soldiers.

“The hospital took 1000 patients,” she said. "When we first arrived, there was no accommodation for us and so we stayed on the train for six weeks. Supplies did not exist, you could not buy an ounce of anything and typhus was raging. We founded typhus hospitals." The Sydney Morning Herald, 28 October 1937.

Miss Anna L Christiansen, member of the Collins Street Independent Church, who has done notable work for the London Missionary Society and who recently returned to Melbourne has retired from active missionary work. She served with the L.M.S. in China for 26 years, for the most part as the matron of the hospital at Tsangchou, 70 miles in land from Tientsin.

Soon after the outbreak of war in 1914 she joined an American Red Cross Unit and went to the help of refugees in Siberia stricken with typhus and other ills. In latter days she has been working for the welfare of refugees in Tientsin, but her health gave way under the strain and she retired under medical advice. The Herald, Melbourne, 18 January 1941.

From 1942 until her death in 1953 Anna lived n the family home, ‘The Firs’, at Baarmutha, a small settlement south of Beechworth with her mother, Emilie Augusta and her sister Emily Elizabeth.

In the publication, The Baarmutha Story [1] Anna in her later years is described as ‘a dignified old lady with a crown of beautiful silver hair and flowing dresses; surrounded by her Chinese possessions …’  and whom it seems had developed a taste for opium.

The writer also claims Anna was denied opium by a doctor who was treating Anna when she sustained a broken leg whilst painting the roof of the house and that the denial of opium caused Anna ‘to die in great distress.’ This claim is contrary to Anna’s death certificate which states:

1)      Anna died at the Ovens District Hospital, Beechworth on 15 December 1953, aged 73

2)      COD: Coronary Occlusion,[2] Arteriosclerosis, Essential Hypertension

3)      Buried Beechworth Cemetery, 16 December 1953.

Also the ODH patient record book states Anna was admitted on 11 December 1953 and four days later.

[1] Published 2011, author Joan Hilderbrand.

[2] The partial or complete blocking (as by a blood clot) of a coronary artery.

Also see A Look in at the Ovens District Hospital 

©Anne Hanson, 2024                                                                                                     E-mail:  Anne Hanson