DOB 8 December 1884, Oatlands, Tasmania. Third of nine children born to James Edwin Grant, a wheelwright and Mary Elizabeth Hayes. Oatlands, a village on the shores of Lake Dulverton in the centre of Tasmania.

1909-1913 ER - nurse at Inglewood, an old gold mining township on the Calder Highway about 42 km north-west of Bendigo.

Date of qualification – July 1912, Inglewood Hospital.

1914 - nurse at Warrnambool

24 April 1917 - enlisted at R.A. Show Grounds, Moors Park, New South Wales. Aged 32 years 9 months. Small in stature, dark complexion, hazel eyes, dark hair..

9 May 1917 - Left Australia.

29 July 1917 - Disembarked Plymouth.

18 August 1917 detached for duty at Croydon War Hospital.

The Croydon War Hospital consisted of five divisions, namely the Council School buildings in Davidson Road, Ecclesbourne Road, Ingram Road, Stanford Road and the Boys' and Girls' Secondary Schools in The Crescent, which had been requisitioned by the War Office. The children normally attending these schools were distributed among the other schools and buildings in Croydon.

The Hospital, under the Eastern Command, opened on 30th June 1915. It had almost 1,000 beds. The Medical Officer Commanding was Colonel Morris, who was succeeded a year later by Col. H.E. Deane, R.A.M.C. The medical staff consisted of R.A.M.C. doctors, but they were too few and it was arranged that the local General Practitioners would also undertake regular duties at the Hospital. The nursing staff numbered 80, many of whom were members of the local Voluntary Aid Detachments. (However, at one time, the entire nursing staff consisted of nurses from Australia.)

The divisions were originally intended to provide treatment for troops in the Eastern Command suffering from nerve, joint or jaw injuries, diseases of the ear, or needing general medical care, and to provide for sick servicemen in the neighbourhood. As the war progressed, ear and nerve cases were transferred to other centres and the accommodation was then used for the reception of wounded and sick servicemen from overseas.

Few amenities existed for the men when the Hospital first opened; no books or games existed. A War Hospitals Comforts Fund was established and, in a short space of time, the public had provided five full-sized billiards tables (as well as many not full-sized) and several bagatelle boards. The first and subsequent Christmases were celebrated with turkey dinners, Christmas puddings, cakes, apples, nuts and other provisions. In October 1916 the King and Queen visited the Hospital. Owners of motor cars volunteered to take patients for drives, or allowed their cars to be used for the purpose. Local inhabitants helped on the wards with nursing assistance, while others provided amenities and comforts for the patients. Theatrical and other entertainments were laid on for the patients, organised by a local committee. Croydon War Hospital

14 January 1918 - admitted to Southwell Gardens Hospital.

15 February 1918 - Attached to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital (AAH) at Harefield.

26 June 1918 - admitted to Southwell Gardens Hospital.

17 July 1918 - returned to 1st AAH, Harefield.

8 January 1919 - Left England (nursing staff) on the Morvada.

20 August 1919 – Discharged.

1921 - nurse at Queens Memorial Infectious Diseases hospital - Fairfield Victoria.

1921-July 1923 - Matron at Inglewood Hospital - See Argus 18 Jul 1923.

ER 1924 -1925 - Nurse Bairnsdale Hospital

From the ODH House Committee reported 16 October 1925 – The Secretary reported that according to directions received at least meeting he had advertised for the position of matron and about 14 inquiries had been received. 2 applications had come to hand.

From the ODH House Committee reported 18 December 1925 – The Secretary reported that Miss Grant the newly appointed Matron had arrived on the 15th inst. and that she had taken over from the acting matron on the following day.

From minutes of ODH board meeting held 27 November 1925: Mr Warren moved that Sister Grant of Bairnsdale Hospital be appointed and if she did not accept that Sister Johns of Ballarat Hospital be offered the position …

From minutes of a special ODH board meeting held 16 April 1926: Reference was made to the good work done by the Matron since her appointment and it was agreed to forward her a letter of appreciation.

BEECHWORTH - Sister Grant, of Bairnsdale, has been appointed matron of Ovens District Hospital. Beechworth. Sister Grant served with the A.I.F. during the war.

The Age, 2 December 1925.

From the ODH House Committee Report, 18 December 1925 – The Secretary reported that Miss Grant, the newly appointed matron had arrived on the 15th inst., and that she had taken over from the acting matron on the following day and that Miss McVeigh had left the institution on the 17th.

… The matron informs me that there is a shortage of cutlery and crockery. This is hard to accept as supplied are continually being obtained, some system is needed whereby a proper check can be kept on these things and some system of condemning articles would be an improvement.

 … It was agreed that the necessary crockery and cutlery be obtained. It was recommended that matron examine all articles before they are destroyed and that no article be destroyed until condemned by the matron.

… The matron suggests an alteration in connection with the accommodation for nurses, she has inspected what is known as the “Night Nurses” Quarters, which she says is admirably adopted for the accommodation of a sister and senior nurse, there are rooms and they could have separate bedrooms and also a sitting room. Their quarters were renovated some 2 years ago and have been practically unused with the exception of 2 night nurses sleeping there. Matron also suggests accommodating the night nurses in the balcony room nearest the accident ward over the X-Ray room and the Junior day nurses in the middle balcony room adjoining her own bedroom. She says that if you will approve of this arrangement that each and all will be very comfortable. She also says that the nurses would like it.

DR. MACEACHERN'S TOUR.

Ovens District Hospital.

BEECHWORTH, Friday - The Chief Secretary (Dr Argyle), Dr MacEachern, Dr Marshall Allen, and the Secretary of the Charities Board (Mr R J Love) inspected the Ovens District Hospital yesterday. The party, on arrival, was welcomed by Mr Zwar, MLC, on behalf of the committee, Mr Neil Sutherland the secretary, Mr James Ingram, the vice President and several members of the committee were present expressed his opinion that the institution was eminently suitable for an intermediate hospital, and that one special ward was particularly suitable for midwifery cases

Later in the month Dr Allen and Mr Love will visit the hospital and make a report Dr Argyle said that the Ministry had granted £350 to the hospital for an extension of the hot water system and for additions to the laundry.

Dr Maceachern was greatly interested in Mr Ingram who is aged 98 years, and has given 70 years in the interests of the institution. Mr Ingram gave an interesting history of the hospital since its foundation. He is thought to be the only person living who was present at the foundation.

The party were entertained at afternoon tea by Matron Grant

Argus, 9 January 1926.

From the ODH House Committee Report, 15 January 1926 – … the matron asked for an extra nurse as there was a rush of admissions. I obtained permission from the Chairman and President and wired for a nurse and Sister Atkinson arrived yesterday.

From the ODH House Committee Report, 19 February 1926 – Mr Wendt has completed the painting and papering of Matron’s room at a cost of £9-17-6.

From the ODH House Committee Report, 19 March 1926 – In accordance with resolution at last meeting the President and Mr Sambell visited the institution last week. Mr Anderson, the carpenter, was present and received instructions to remove the partition in the nurse’s quarters and also to attend to the minor repairs. He has since removed the partition and a square of lino has been purchased at Mantons and laid in the Matron’s sitting room at a cost of £4-10-0 and the lino from this room has been laid in the nurses sitting room in the quarters. Some more is required for the bedrooms but if another square is obtained for Matron’s bedroom at a cost of about £3-10-0 the old lino from this bedroom will do for the nurses’ rooms as they are much smaller. …

Matron is anxious to have the wing in the old female ward upstairs partitioned off for a nurse’s bedroom. The timber door that has been taken down from the Nurses’ Quarters will do for it … She also asks if you would please allow the ‘Round House’ in connection with female ward to be covered around with calico for the purpose of isolation any female patients requiring such.[1]

From the ODH House Committee report, 16 April 1926 – … Matron informs me that she rang up the Nurses Club in Melbourne a few days ago and was told that nurses would not come to do general ward work, they would only come for special cases.

From the ODH House Committee report, 16 April 1926 – Matron works hard to ensure every comfort for the nurses and employees as well as the patients, she has covered old furniture, laid linos and painted some of the old tables. …

Recommended that … also to record a note of appreciation of Matron’s good work in the interests of the institution …

Minutes of a Special Board Meeting held 26 April 1926 for the purpose of conferring with the nursing staff to endeavour, if possible, to ascertain and eliminate the cause of any rumours of discontent amongst the nursing staff.

The staff who were called to the meeting were:

1)      Matron Grant – who put it down to the complaints re the lectures of the medical officers. The nurses had not received any lectures from her since her arrival and she had no record of lectures given for some time prior to her arrival.

           See minutes for further details.

2)      Nurse Polmear – perfectly satisfied – except having to walk between the wards in the hot weather. She liked the Matron, food good and plenty of it.

3)      Nurse Schmidt – no grievance or complaint of any kind, food good, could not find fault with the conditions. Could not account for so many probationers leaving.

4)      Nurse Morrison – no faults with conditions, not overworked, plenty of good food & supper for the night nurses.

5)      Nurse Greenwood – no complaints to make and no fault with the conditions except that she got hot feet crossing from the kitchen to the wards in the hot weather. Satisfied with the lectures. Had no complaint to make against the matron, was working agreeably with matron, did not agree that the hospital was too small for trainee nurses to receive proper training.

6)      Nurse Creighton – perfectly satisfied with the matron, the food, the training and the conditions. Had tendered her resignation a few weeks ago because she did not like night duty. Had been at the hospital for 11 months. Had decided to complete her training.

7)      Nurse Stella Lang – questioned as to why she resigned – due to her father’s ill health. Was quite satisfied with the matron, the food, and the conditions and had no fault with the method of training.

8)       Matron was recalled and informed of what the nurses had said.

Sister Lynda Neely, probationer nurses Hempenstall and Elliott were not interviewed as they had only commenced duty during the last week.

From the ODH House Committee report, 18 June 1926 – The matter of visitors to the institution is a problem as they want to come at all hours and practically every day! Some come and force their way in even when patients are not in a serious condition. I conferred with Matron[2] and she thinks that if you would please consider the advisability of fixing Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. and one evening in the week it would meet the trouble with a condition that people from a distance or those whose relatives or friends were in a serious condition be allowed in at any time.[3]

From the ODH House Committee report, dated 18 January 1927 – Matron proposes taking her annual leave in a day or two and Sister Moroney (?) has been engaged to relieve her.

… The Chairman[4] moved that a recommendation be made to the General Committee that in future no holidays be allowed to matron and nursing staff during the months of January and February in each year, except in what the Board would consider to be an urgent case and applications for holidays be lodged with the committee at least 5 weeks before they are required and that all appointments of relieving staff be made by the House Committee.[5]

From the ODH House Committee report, 15 February 1927 – Matron Grant is expected to return from her holidays on Thursday. [17th February]

From the ODH House Committee report, 19 June 1928 – Matron had returned from her holidays – she had taken an extra week and had refunded £3-3-0.

… Relating to the order of the Board at last meeting that the practice of causing the junior night nurse to wait and carry breakfast to the day nurse who was off duty. Sister Mathieson in the absence of the matron arranged matters according to the direction of the board. When matron returned, she asked me what it meant and I explained to her that the committee had decided to have the practice discontinued as they did not approve of a nurse being kept practically on duty for about 2 hours for the purpose. She said that there was no one else to do it. I said it is an order of the committee. She told me that the committee could do it themselves. It was recommended that the matron be asked to furnish an explanation as to her reason for carrying out the order of the board.

From the ODH House Committee report, 17 July 1928 – It was recommended to the committee that Sister Mathieson remain as acting matron  … that Matron Grant’s services be dispensed with completely and that she be paid in full to the 31st August … and it was recommended that new rules be drafted and submitted to the Board for approval.

Matron at ODH 16 December, 1925 to July 1928

From the ODH House Committee report, 21 August 1928 – The secretary reported that as directed he had sent a cheque for £6-0-0 to Matron Grant and a letter informing her that her services were no longer required. Sister Mathieson who has been acting matron is leaving on Thursday morning.

…  Sister Earl arrived today and will take charge and another Sister will arrive on Thursday.

ER 1931 - nurse, 22 Marlton Crescent, St. Kilda West

ER 1936 - Sister at Greswell Sanatorium, Mont Park – see Greswell Sanatorium

ER 1937 – 1946 nurse at Repatriation Hospital, Caulfield.

ER 1949-1954 – 25 Balcombe Road, Sandringham.

ER 1967 - 588 Balcombe Road, Sandringham.

Died 17 April 1969. Death certificate reveals Ada died at Kew Lunatic Asylum aged 85.  Inquest held 1 May 1969 – Bronchopneumonia  and chronic  cystopyelonephritis were found to be the cause of death. Cremated Springvale Crematorium 19 April 1969.

Left a will.

[1] The House Committee duly recommended these requests to the Board.

[2] Matron Ada Maud Grant.

[3] Matron’s recommendation was accepted.

[4] Richard (?) Warren.

[5] Motion carried.

©  Anne Hanson 2023