Grace Valentine Boucher

The Ovens District Hospital board of management made a ruling in January 1899 that all probationer nurses who commenced on or after 16 January 1899 would 'serve for three years' rather than two as part of the requirements for a general nursing qualification. In April 1899, twenty-six year old Grace Boucher, travelled from her home in Gippsland to begin her training. 

Qualifying in June 1902 she stayed on at the ODH as a staff nurse until February 1903 when she accepted an offer to undertake midwifery training at the Women's Hospital. After gaining her midwifery qualification, she nursed at public and private hospitals in regional Victoria and southern New South Wales before taking up a position as Matron at Hobart's Alexandra Hospital in 1915. Her resignation in October 1916 was received 'with regret' as 'she had rendered excellent service and had given the greatest satisfaction.'

The Warrnambool Standard, a regional Victorian newspaper in it's reporting  of the 1917 Warrnambool Hospital Annual Meeting wrote: 

…  Matron Boucher was appointed and the Hospital was decidedly the better for her coming to it. She resigned to join in a private hospital enterprise, and the committee wish her every success. Her short stay was marked by great efficiency. ... Once again, all the trainees who went up passed their examination, qualifying them as trained nurses, thus reflecting credit on the medical staff and matron for the care and attention in their training. - Warrnambool Standard, 28 July 1917.

The 'private hospital enterprise' was Crathre House, a private hospital in Gipps Street, East Melbourne owned by Jessie McHardy White who at the time, was serving overseas with the Australian Army Nursing Service. Grace spent more than ten years as the principal of Crathre House before finishing her career as Matron at a private hospital in Malvern.  

One of eleven children born to Thomas Archer Boucher and Mary Campbell Cavanagh in the small Gippsland town of Stratford, Grace never married. She died on 11 November 1956, aged eighty-three and was buried with one of her brothers at the Stratford Cemetery.

Research Notes

Born 14 February 1873 to Thomas Archer Boucher and Mary Campbell Cavanagh at Stratford in Gippsland.

From the ODH House Committee report 17 July 1899 – The matron reported that Nurses McFadyen and Boucher were physically fitted to undergo three years’ training as probationer nurses having been examined by Dr. Skinner.

From the ODH House Committee report 25 February 1901 – The reported stated that on 19th, 20th & 21st February the annual examinations of nurses was held. … Among the junior nurses, Nurse Moore passed with credit and Nurses Cameron, Boucher and McFadyen passed.

From the ODH House Committee report 19 May 1902 - It was recommended to ask Nurse Boucher, who completes her training in a few weeks, to stay on as staff nurse for a few months on account of the large proportion of probationer nurses on the staff.

Date of qualification 3 June 1902.

From the ODH House Committee report 29 December 1902 - … Staff nurse Boucher has received an offer to enter the Women’s Hospital for midwifery training and would very probably be leaving in a month. It was decided to re-engage one of our own trained nurses for the vacant position.

Left ODH February 1903 to commence midwifery training at the Women's - see Ovens & Murray Advertiser, 3 January 1903

1906 ER is a nurse at Geelong Hospital

Appointed Alexandra Hospital, Hobart, Tasmania January 1915. See Hobart Mercury 9 January 1915 circa February 1915

Resigned from Alexandra Hospital (Tasmania) October 1916 – The Matron (Miss Boucher) resigned in October last, in order to accept a similar position at the Warrnambool General Hospital. Miss Boucher's decision to leave was received with regret by your committee, for during her tenure of office she had rendered excellent service, and had given the greatest satisfaction. - see Hobart Mercury, 7 September 1917.

Resigned as Matron from Warrnambool Hospital, July 1917 - WARRNAMBOOL HOSPITAL ANNUAL MEETING. …  Matron Boucher was appointed and the Hospital was decidedly the better for her coming to it. She resigned to join in a private hospital enterprise, and the committee wish her every success. Her short stay was marked by great efficiency. There is a reflection of her care. and that of the superintendent in the figures of the balance sheet. Once again all the trainees who went up passed their examination, qualifying them as trained nurses, thus reflecting credit on the medical staff and matron for 'the care and attention in their training. - Warrnambool Standard 28 July 1917

1917, 1919-1928 ER at 118 Gipps Street, (Crathre House) East Melbourne.

1931- 1935 nurse’s reg address is 459 Wattletree-road, East Malvern. This is the residence of her widowed sister Ella May Turnbull who died at home 5 September 1931

According to the East Melbourne Historical Society, East Melbourne Historical Society Grace was principal of Crathre House from 1917-1930.

1931 ER address is 303 Glenferrie Road, Malvern, nurse.

1936 - 1939 ER is at Willoby Avenue, off Wattletree Road, Gardiner, Matron.

1942 ER is at 9 Malakoff Street, Caulfield – home duties

1949 ER is at 15 Knox Street, Caulfield – home duties

1954 ER is at 41 Ingelsby Road, Camberwell – home duties

Died 12 November, 1956 - See Argus, 13 November 1956

FUNERAL NOTICES

BOUCHER. — The Funeral of the late Miss GRACE VALENTINE BOUCHER will leave her sister's home, McAlister street. Stratford, THIS DAY (Tuesday), after a service commencing at 2 p.m., for the Stratford Cemetery. LE PINE & SON PTY. LTD JB4148. The Argus, 13 November 1956.

©Anne Hanson, 2024                                                                                                  E-mail:  Anne Hanson