Research Notes

Florence Helen Spicer

1883 - 1950

Born 1883 to Archibald Spicer and Ellen Williams. Birth is registered in the name of Ellen Florence Spicer. The middle child of three children.

August 1888 Archibald is in business with George William Byleveld and with him owns a furniture business in South Geelong – See Geelong Advertiser, 27 August 1888.

Spicer – On the 6th October at Strawberry Hill, Helen, the beloved wife of Archibald Spicer, aged 33 years.

The funeral will leave her late residence, Strawberry Hill, on Tuesday, the 8th inst. at half past two o’clock p.m. for the Highton Cemetery. Friends please accept this intimation.

W B King and Sons, Undertakers, 97 Moorabool Street. Geelong Advertiser, 8 October 1889.

February 1891 – Archibald becomes the sole owner of the furniture business. See Geelong Advertiser 19 February 1891.

1892 Archibald marries Emily Powell who subsequently dies in April 1893, buried Geelong Eastern Cemetery.

6 March 1894 Archibald married Rosa Ada Clayton of Wandong with whom he had four children.

1909 ER Florence is a machinist living at 136 Latrobe Terrace, Geelong with her sister Emily, father Archibald now a traveller, her step mother Rosa ànd her half siblings.

From the ODH minutes of board meeting July 20, 1914 - On the motion of Mr Armstrong and Mr Carnsew, the seal of the hospital was affixed to the indentures of Nurses Jarvis, Cameron & Spicer.

From the ODH House Committee 19 October 1914 - The secretary reported that Nurses Cameron, Jarvis and Spicer had been examined by the medical officers as to physical fitness for nursing, and had passed. Their indentures were ready for signature. From the ODH Inpatient Register 1 January 1906-28 April, 1925. Admitted as a patient with gastric influenza, on 19 March 1915. 29 March 1915 discharged to her father, Archibald Spicer, Newtown Geelong.

From the June 1917 Una Journal - R.V.T.N.A. EXAMINATION RESULTS. Successful candidates at the final examinations of the Royal Victorian Trained Nurses’ Association on 15th and 16th May, are announced, by hospitals, as follows: — … BEECHWORTH (Ovens District).—Mabel Ruth C. Jarvis, Florence Helen Spicer.

From the ODH House Committee report 18 June 1917 – Nurses Jarvis & Spicer have passed their final examinations as trained nurses …

From the minutes of ODH board meeting 18 September 1917 - The seal of the hospital was affixed to the nursing certificate of Nurse Spicer …

From the ODH House Committee report 19 September 1917 – Nurse Spicer had left the hospital, having completed her training and Miss Warry had been engaged to fill the vacancy.

Date of qualification – 15 September 1917.

From the November 1917 Una Journal General Register, Spicer, Florence H., Club Hotel, Temora, New South Wales —Cert. Ovens District Hospital, July, 1917. Exam., May, 1917.

On 1919 electoral roll, Florence is listed as a nurse living at 152 Power Street, Hawthorn – a Trained Nurses’ Home.

August 1920 awarded Midwifery Certificate – Women’s Hospital, Melbourne.

1921 & 22 at Daisy Street, Geelong with her sister, Emily, and brother-in-law.

Married Thomas Samuel Nevett, 4 November 1922. A farmer from Winchelsea.

From March 1923 Una Journal: Miss Florence Spicer, Daisy-street, Geelong, was married on November 4th of last year to Mr. Thos. Nevett, of Winchelsea, where they will in future reside. The marriage was quietly celebrated at the home of Mr. Lewis Hirst, Newtown, Geelong, the uncle of the bride. Mrs. Nevett will continue her membership of the Association.

July 1927 – address ‘Roasay”, Winchelsea – Vic GG Nurse’s Register Supplement, October 1928.

1931 – 1943 address is Westham Private Hospital, Rowan Street, Wangaratta.

1949 ER still has Florence and Thomas at Westham but not sure this matches up with newspaper clipping below

Mrs. Florence Helen Nevett, who for several years conducted Westham Private Hospital in Rowan Street, Wangaratta, died in her home at Green Street, early on Saturday [25 March 1950]. She had not been in good health for the past 12 months, and for the past few months had been very seriously ill. She was a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs: A Spicer, of Geelong, and was aged 66. She spent her early life at Geelong. and Beechworth, training as a nurse at the latter place. In 1928 she came with her husband, Mr. Thomas S. Nevett to Wangaratta, and acquired Westham Hospital. Mr. and Mrs. Nevett had been living retired since Westham was closed as a hospital, and Mr. Nevett had lately purchased a property at Nagambie, and they intended to reside there as soon as their new home was completed. However, not long after this decision was made, Mrs. Nevett was stricken with illness. Funeral will be today at Fawkner Crematorium. Border Morning Mail, 27 March 1950.

 

NEVETT, On April 26 at Mooroopna Hospital, Thomas Samuel Nevett of 24 Kerferd Street, Tatura, beloved husband of the late Florence H. Nevett; aged 90 years. At Rest. The Age, 27 April 1960.