Friends of Ipswich Hospital Museum in Ipswich, Queensland | Museum

Friends of Ipswich Hospital Museum

Locality: Ipswich, Queensland

Phone: +61 492 995 178

Address: Jubilee Building, Ipswich Hospital 4305 Ipswich, QLD, Australia

Website: http://www.ipswichhospitalmuseum.com.au

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25.01.2022 It is the graduating group of 1969 that the IHM salutes today. 1969 saw an all Australian men's singles final of the U.S. Open when Rod Laver won over fellow Aussie Tony Roche. Police procedural drama series Division 4 made its TV debut. We were all glued to the TV to watch man takes his first steps on the Moon. The rock musical Hair opened in Sydney.

24.01.2022 Welcome to the latest virtual tour of a portion of the current display at the Ipswich Hospital Museum. We regret we are still unable to open to the public. Today we are informing you of the first elective surgery performed at the Ipswich Hospital. We are referring to the surgery as elective as it was not an emergency operation. Most of the operations at the time would have been on patients who has sustained trauma. The patient was John Sheriden, a young local man. The op...eration was performed in early April 1860. The surgery was performed by Dr Francis Lucas and assisted by Dr Thomas Rowlands. Mr Sheriden was suffering from a fungoid tumour of the leg which required amputation of the leg just above the knee. The surgery was performed using chloroform as the anaesthetic. The chloroform liquid would have been dripped onto a lint-gauze covered facial mask frame placed over the nose and mouth of the patient. Forceps would be used for grasping the tongue to stop it falling backward and obstructing the airway during the operation. The museum has on display the solid scalpel, amputation knives and amputation saw. The scalpel would have been used to cut through the skin and create a flap of skin to cover the wound and decrease blood loss post operation; the knives to cut through the muscles, tendons or ligaments and the saw to cut through the bone. All the instruments of the time were solid so would need to be washed and sharpened between operations. The doctors would have worn their street clothes but most probably wore an apron for protection. Germ theory and transmission of infection was still a contentious concept. There would have been morphia for pain relief after the operation. Blood loss and infection were the major complications of surgery in these early days. Blood transfusions were not being used as there was still no understanding of blood groups. The operation would have been performed as swiftly as possible in attempt to lessen the blood loss. Antibiotics were only a wish in these times. However, John Sheridan recovered and was discharged less than a month later. Next time we will tell you more about Dr Francis Lucas, the hospitals first surgeon. A very young and gifted doctor. See more

24.01.2022 Today, IHM recognises the general nursing graduates of 1987. It was in 1987 the title of 'Nursing Superintendent' (the senior nurse in charge of nursing at the hospital) was changed to 'Director of Nursing'. The term 'Matron' had been dropped in 1975. One hundred years before in 1887 work commenced on the first Children's Ward of the hospital - the Jubilee Ward. It opened in 1889. The second story to the Jubilee Building was added in 1907 as accommodation for nurses.

24.01.2022 Just in time for another virtual tour of our current display Infections, Fevers and Epidemics of Ipswich at the Ipswich Hospital Museum. Today we are looking at the medicinal treatments of infections and fevers. In the early days of the Ipswich Hospital most of the medicines would have been of a botanical/organic origin. Willow bark, quinine and mercury and later salicylic acid. At the turn of the 19th/20th century, aspirin was derived from salicylates and the sulphur drugs b...ecome available. In the 1950s, antibiotics became readily available for prescription. Later came the ibuprofen and paracetamol. The museum has been donated boxes of Bex and Vincents powders which were used in the treatment of fevers in the 1950s and 1960s but were also used to self-medicate for headaches, anxiety and as a general pick-me-up. Bex was marketed as a Mothers little helper and some of our followers may recall shopping centres offering free cups of tea and a Bex to attract shoppers. Having a cup of tea, a Bex and a good lie down was another of their marketing slogans. In the 1960s doctors started to notice severe kidney disease in patients who took Bex and Vincents regularly. Bex and Vincents preparations contained aspirin, phenacetin and caffeine it was the phenacetin that was found to be causing the kidney damage. Hospitals opened dialysis units to keep patients with kidney failure alive and the Bex and Vincents were legislated to remove phenacetin from their preparations See more

23.01.2022 The Ipswich Hospital Museum continues its tribute to Ipswich Hospital Nurses in this the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife with a salute to Mary Purser who described her career as one of excitement and wonder! Mary Pursers early career started as a receptionist at a GPs surgery in Maryborough. There she developed an interest in surgery, as one of her tasks was to book operating theatre cases for the practices doctors. This was her motivation to pursue a career ...in nursing. Mary trained at Footscray and District Hospital, Melbourne in 1964-66, a hospital similar in size to Ipswich Hospital. After completing her Midwifery certificate and working at St Stephens Private Hospital Operating Theatre in Maryborough for a couple of years, she joined the Army in January 1970. One of her first postings was to 1st Australian Field Hospital in Vung Tau, South Vietnam, as a member of the Royal Australian Nursing Corps, to nurse sick and wounded soldiers. She is proud to be one of the forty-three nurses who served in this theatre of war. From 1974-76, Mary worked at the Royal Melbourne Hospitals Operating Theatres in charge of the ENT Operating Rooms. It was there she developed her love of head and neck surgery. She re-joined the Army in 1976, working as officer in charge of the Operating Theatres at 2nd Military Hospital, Ingleburn, NSW. Mary commenced working at Ipswich Hospital in 1994 on a return to work program with the goal of returning to working in the Operating Theatre. An aim she obtained in January 1995. Mary was the Ipswich Hospitals Perioperative Nurse Educator for 10 years saying the highlight of that role was seeing novice nurses become experts in that specialty. During that time, Mary completed a post graduate certificate in Operating Room Nursing, a Bachelor of Nursing and a Masters in Nursing. Mary had the opportunity to travel to Port Moresby in 2006 and 2013 with Dr Frank Szallasi (Head and Neck Surgeon) on the Royal Australian College of Surgeons aid program. Mary described this as a wonderful experience, teaching and working with PNG nurses and doctors. They worked long hours operating on patients with predominantly head and neck tumours. Mary retired in May 2014 but continued to contribute her nursing expertise and knowledge by becoming a volunteer at the Ipswich Hospital Museum. See more

23.01.2022 Today we recognised the nurses who graduated in 1972. Congratulations. The nurses are wearing the flat top, paper veils in this photograph.

22.01.2022 The Ipswich Hospital Museum pays tribute to the graduating nurses of 1971. Congratulations Looking back on that year: Ipswich Hospital employed Assistants in Nursing to make up for a shortage of student nurses. Queenslanders were first asked about the introduction of daylight saving in the state. Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen declared a State of Emergency to allow the touring South African Springboks football team to play. ... Sonia McMahon, wife of Prime Minister William McMahon, captured international attention when she wears a daring full-length dress, with a long slit down the sides revealing her legs, to a White House reception. Australia withdrew our troops from Vietnam. Neville Bonner became the first Indigenous Australian to sit as a member in the Parliament of Australia Pick-A-Box, hosted by Bob and Dolly Dyer, aired for the final time. See more

21.01.2022 Aerial photograph of the Ipswich Hospital taken in 1966. The photograph is taken from the ENE with Churchill Street at the bottom and meeting East Street at the bottom right. Chelmsford Ave can be seen to the to the south and left of the hospital campus. Nicholas Street can be to the west and top of the photograph and Court Street to the right and running down the right side of the photograph to meet East Street. At the very top of the photograph and backing on to Nicholas S...treet is Trumpy House the nurses quarters; to the right of that and at the right edge of the photograph is the Medical Superintendents residence. In front of Trumpy House, on the left is Chelmsford House and to the right of that is Barnett House all nurses accommodation. The Nurses Laundry was to the rear of Chelmsford House. Below the Med Supers residence on Court Street is the Night Nurses Quarters. Continuing down Court Street below Night Nurses is the Doctors Quarters and below that is Passionfruit Villa, then the Education Centre (A.E. Wilcox School of Nursing) and at the front of there is Jubilee Building with Matrons flat on the first floor and the Catherine Evans Nurses Library on the ground floor. Are you still with me or have your eyes glazed over? In front of Barnett House is the Sunshine Ward with Womens Medical on the top floor and Childrens Ward and Childrens Operating Theatre on the bottom floor. To the left on the Chelmsford Ave side is the Boiler House and Laundry. Across Chelmsford Ave at the top left of the photograph is the Morgue. I am sure a few of the staff can tell some funny stories about taking bodies to the morgue when it was OVER the road. In front of the Laundry is the original Female Ward. To its right is the original hospital building. The octagonal wing on its left was the original operating theatre and in 1966 was the Red Cross Rooms and part of Pathology. At the back of the original hospital building was the other part of Pathology. The right wing was the Male Ward with Xray at the front just near the walkway from the East Street building. The kitchen and dining rooms were also on ground floor. In front of the Female Ward is the Tennis Court. We need some help to identify the building beside the tennis court. Right of the Tennis Court is the old Kiosk. To the right of that is the East Street Building with the Operating Theatres at the rear, top floor was Orthopaedics, Male Surgical, Intermediate and Intensive Care; middle floor was Womens Surgical and Intermediate; ground floor was Casualty, Administration and Switch at the front and OPD bottom left. At the bottom of the photograph is the Maternity Hospital with the Private Ward on the upper floor and Public Ward on the ground floor. See more

21.01.2022 Our readers and followers may enjoy this presentation by Steph Shannon.

21.01.2022 Today, it is time to recognise the graduating nurses of 1965. Congratulations.

21.01.2022 The volunteers love finding stories that can only be described as Treasures. This story was given to the Museum by Val Jackson (nee Jones) who trained at the hospital 1938-1942. Firstly, she had to provide an explanation of some common abbreviations of the time. V.A.D. Voluntary Aid Detachments. Young women volunteers associated with the Red Cross organisation. They came to the Ipswich Hospital during the war to learn basic nursing skills. V.A.D. a sedative powder made... up of Veronal, Aspirin and Dover Powders. Then Val set the scene: Night Duty, Male Medical Ward, and young male patient unable to sleep. Then the action: After plumping up the patients pillows, rearranging bedclothes and providing a drink of hot milk without success, Val asked Sister if she could give the young man a V.A.D. Val returned to the patient and said Well, Ill get you a V.A.D. Thats sure to help you sleep. The young man replied, Gee, thanks! You are a real good sport, Nurse. Can I have that little blond who was here this afternoon? See more

21.01.2022 It is the 1981 general nursing graduates that we pay tribute to today.

20.01.2022 Today, the Ipswich Hospital Museum recognises the general nurses graduating in December 1959.

19.01.2022 Continuing our tribute to Ipswich Hospital nurses in this the Year of the Nurse and Midwife, the Ipswich Hospital Museum would like to recognise Bernadette (Bernie) Hartfiel (nee Elmore) who trained at the Ipswich Hospital - graduating in 1972. Bernie worked as a Registered Nurse at the hospital for 6 months after completing her training and then chose to enter the Community Nursing field. She worked for the Blue Nursing Services from May 1972 until June 1973 before leaving...Continue reading

19.01.2022 East Street approach to Ipswich Hospital in early 1990s

19.01.2022 It is the nurses of the 1957 graduating general nursing group that we recognise today. One of the changes you will note in the photograph is the nurses are now wearing veils instead of the mop caps which the student nurses wore in previous photographs. Thus, showing they were now registered nurses. The veils were made of voile. It was the time when fabric starch came in a packet and not a spray can and there were no steam irons. The starch was dissolved in a tub of water and... the item dipped in and ironed dry with a cloth over the fabric to prevent scorching and build-up of starch on the iron. Matron would not be pleased with a saggy veil. Veils made for easy identification of the registered nurses or sisters as they were called at the time. They were also impractical when giving patient care and moving between the curtains surrounding patients beds. It was a right of passage to wear a veil as impractical as it was entering the ward for the first time as a sister with a beautiful starched veil was both terrifying and exciting. See more

18.01.2022 Today the Ipswich Hospital Museum would like to pay tribute to nurse Annie Hertweck whose career was dedicated to the care of the mothers and babies of Queensland and the education of maternal and child health nurses. Annie Pauline Hertweck was born at the family farm at Mt. Marrow on 26 September 1903, the daughter of Gottlieb Hertweck and Elisabeth Krebs, both children of German immigrants pioneers who had taken up land in the Rosewood Scrub outside Ipswich in the early 18...60s. Educated at Mt. Marrow State School and Gatton High School, she completed her General Nursing Certificate at the Ipswich General Hospital in about 1930 and then her midwifery at the Lady Bowen Hospital in Brisbane . Annie studied for the Maternal and Child Welfare Certificate in the late 1930s and worked as a midwife at both Lowood Hospital and Marburg Private Hospital and did some private nursing before being appointed to the staff of the department in April, 1939. Annie worked in Baby Clinics at Bundaberg, Townsville, and Charleville where she also travelled by train to Quilpie to staff the clinic there one day per week. During the latter part of WW2, she was stationed at Charleville and lived at the Corones Hotel which, at that time, was considered to be the best and most beautiful hotel in Queensland outside of Brisbane. Near the end of WW2 Annie became the Matron of The Sandgate Maternal and Child Welfare Home, a government-run institution caring for children whose mothers were seriously ill and for whom no other suitable arrangements could not be made. The Jefferis Turner Maternal and Child Welfare Home was set up at Fairy Knoll in Eastern Heights, Ipswich in 1952 and Annie was appointed Matron. She loved training the young women who came to do their Maternal and Child Welfare Certificates. Annie was appointed Deputy Superintendent of the Department in late 1959 and Superintendent in July 1967. She retired aged 65 in September 1968. Annie spent her long retirement at Redcliffe and died in the Ballycara Nursing Home at Scarborough on November 17, 2002, aged 99. She had lived independently until she was 95 when she had a slight stroke. She then moved into the hostel and on to the nursing home a few months before she died. See more

18.01.2022 In another tribute to our Ipswich Hospital Nurses in this the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, the Ipswich Hospital Museum recognises Lieutenant Colonel Susan Lumsdaine - Australian Defence Force (Retired), former nurse and now rural GP. Her career has been dedicated to patient care, humanitarianism and caring for our defence personnel. Susan came late to nursing, graduating with a Diploma of Health Science, Nursing in 1989, aged 33. She completed her graduate RN ...year in 1990 at Grafton Base Hospital and during that year decided that she wanted to be an emergency nurse. During her time in the Emergency Department at Ipswich Hospital and with mentoring and encouragement of CNC Shirley Brown, Susan upgraded her qualifications to Bachelor of Nursing. Susan participated in an Australian-American Nurses Exchange programme to the USA. When the position of Clinical Nurse Level 2 became vacant in the Ipswich Hospitals Emergency Department, Susan successfully applied for the Clinical Nurse position. She completed a Master of Clinical Nursing in Emergency Nursing at Griffith University. Susan took on the role of vice president of the newly formed Queensland Emergency Nurses Association and produced their newsletter. In 1996 Susan was commissioned in the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps as a Reserve Nursing Officer, and when she was accepted into the first cohort of the Graduate Medical Course at the University of Queensland in 1997, Susan transferred to the Regular Army Medical Corps. She was fortunate to receive sponsorship from the Australian Defence Force for her time as a medical student, and after graduating from University of Queensland in 2000, worked an intern year at Logan Hospital and resident year at Coffs Harbour Hospital. She put her uniform on in 2003 and was posted as a Captain to the 1st Combat Support Battalion in Darwin. Her subsequent postings included the Incident Response Regiment, the 1st Health Support Battalion and Joint Health Command. She took a 12-month sabbatical in 2008 during which she completed a Master of Health Management at University of New South Wales. Susans deployments include aeromedical evacuation Medical Officer in Timor-Leste and humanitarian assistance missions to Indonesia in 2009 and to Pakistan following flooding of the Indus River in 2010. She achieved her fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners in 2012. Susan retired from the Australian Defence Force in 2016 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and now lives in Bellingen in northern NSW and works as a rural locum GP. See more

17.01.2022 The IHM recognises the Ipswich Hospital's graduate nurses of 1962 today.

16.01.2022 It is the graduating nurses of 1968 that are recognised today by the IHM. Congratulations. 1968 was the year The Monkees visited Brisbane and other Australian cities. It was the year Martin Luther King, Jr. and Senator Robert Kennedy were assassinated. The popular movies were The Graduate, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and the scary Rosemary's Baby.... The Premier of Queensland, Jack Pizzey, died in office and his deputy, Gordon Chalk was sworn in as his successor until the appointment of Joh Bjelke-Petersen as Premier a week later. Margaret Fulton's Cookbook was first released. And, Australia’s first Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet was opened. See more

16.01.2022 Just a reminder, if you have not already registered to hear Steph Shannon's Chasing our Past On-Line presentation "Listen to the Children", then please do. You can register here: https://ipswich.spydus.com//WPAC/EVSESENQ/5582099/5165437,1 It is via Zoom which is easy to use and you can participate in the comfort of your own home. It is on Tuesday evening from 6pm - 7pm.... Steph and her staff wore a tabard over their uniforms to make it less intimidating to children than the stark white uniforms. On her apron were printed the words "Listen to the Children" - it was a reminder to her and her staff that the voices of the children in their care were important. She will tell the story of paediatric nursing at the Ipswich Hospital during her time working in the Children's Ward You do not need to be an Ipswich resident to register at the Ipswich Library for the session. So wherever you are you can join in and see the presentation.

16.01.2022 We would like to pay tribute to the midwives who graduated in 1978, today.

15.01.2022 Age nor acute rheumatism did not inhibit this female patients daring and dexterity when a brown snake attempted to visit the Female Ward of the Ipswich Hospital in September 1893. A local newspaper reported: "Snake at the Ipswich Hospital An old lady named Mrs Raffles, who is suffering from acute rheumatism, was on the front veranda of the female ward of the Ipswich Hospital on September 12, when she noticed a brown snake about 4-feet long coming up the front steps. The sna...ke was making for the entrance door, near which two children were playing. The old lady called for a broom, which was handed to her through a window. Having disabled the reptile by a blow on its spine, she soon put the finishing touches to her work." The old lady seems to have had experience in dispatching snakes. Great technique. The photograph is taken from Ross Patricks book "The Ipswich Hospital 1860-1991" and shows the Female Ward on the left with the original main hospital on the right.

15.01.2022 Congratulations to the graduating general nurses of 1973. In 1973: Australians were listening to Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree and wondering who the song You’re So Vain was really about. The reclusive, Australian author, Patrick White won the Nobel Prize for Literature. The Australian Government bought the painting ‘Blue Poles’ by Jackson Pollock at a very controversially expensive $1.3 million.... We watched the Brisbane's Warana Spring Festival make its way through the streets of Brisbane. See more

15.01.2022 The Ipswich Hospital Museum wishes to pay tribute to the nurses who graduated in general nursing in 1986. Congratulations.

15.01.2022 Today, the IHM recognises the graduating nurses of 1976. 1976 was the year cigarette and tobacco advertising was banned on television and radio and Medibank Private entered the private health insurance business.

14.01.2022 This week in our tributes to Ipswich Hospital nurses in the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, we wish to acknowledge Carmel Walker whose nursing career and its flexibility later enabled her to finance her dream to become a doctor. Carmel Walker (nee Coogan) was born and raised in Ipswich and attended St Marys College for both primary and secondary school. Carmel trained at the Ipswich General Hospital, finishing in 1966. After a short stint working at the Lauristo...Continue reading

13.01.2022 The Ipswich Hospital Museum, today, pays tribute to the the graduating nurses of 1964.

13.01.2022 It is Remembrance Day - so at 11am today, please pause and remember all Australians who died or suffered in all wars and armed conflicts. We will remember is particular our WW1 Ipswich Hospital Nurses Margaret Bourke Eva Frances Coote Eileen Cowen Flora Kay ... Rose Jane Langford Emily Clarice Lilla Mardon Clara Northall Elsie Jane Pollock Helen Richie Ruth Maughan Robson Jane Selina Robson Muriel Violet Rogers Annie Scott Annie M. Watson Margaret Young Winning And all Ipswich Hospital staff who have served in any war or armed conflict. We will remember them!

13.01.2022 The Museum continues a virtual tour of one of its current displays with the story of another pandemic causing pandemonium this time 101 years ago with the Spanish Flu Ipswich was being faced with an equally devastating and disruptive contagion. Soldiers returning from WW1 were the major carriers of the disease. In May to June 1919, 2,249 cases of Spanish Influenza were reported to the Ipswich Council. Remarkably similar steps to those taken for COVID-19 were taken by the ...Queensland Government to prevent the pandemic spreading into Queensland: Spanish Influenza was declared a notifiable disease Ships entering Queensland ports were placed in quarantine Queenslands southern border with New South Wales was closed by setting up quarantine stations at Coolangatta and Wallangarra Interstate visitors from NSW were placed under quarantine for 7 days at the border quarantine stations where they were housed in tents and charged 7 shillings and 6 pence per day. Schools, churches, entertainment venues were closed and mass gatherings cancelled. Health authorities recommend the use of masks, disinfectants, isolation and ventilation Interstate travel was curtailed. Steps taken by Ipswich Hospital and associated Health Authorities to deal with the health crisis were: An isolation hospital was set up near Sandy Gallop An isolation ward was set up at the hospital; the hospital had opened the Epidemic Hospital (Old Epidemic) in 1917 across the road on Chelmsford Avenue (the site of the current Renal Unit) Volunteers were called to assist the overstretched medical, nursing and auxiliary staff The hospital provided reports to the newspapers to keep the public well informed. Even the Ipswich Hospital Matron of the time, Miss G.E. Waters, succumbed to the influenza and required an extended sick leave from the hospital. And, the recently retired Medical Superintendent, Dr Phillip Thornton, returned to assist the new Medical Superintendent, Dr Gilmore Wilson, by taking charge of the influenza patients. Dr Wilson was struck down with the flu but recovered. Dr John Flynn, the Government Medical Officer for Ipswich and founder of the St Marys Hospital in Ipswich, died from complications of the epidemic. Those who are interested in more information can register with Ipswich Libraries who is hosting a Chasing Our Past At Home session: Does History Repeat Itself? - historian Dr Margaret Cook will present a history of the 1919 Influenza Pandemic exploring its impact on the Ipswich community. Following this, Margaret will respond to selected questions from the Picture Ipswich At Home project, which is recording stories from the Ipswich community during the 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic. For this section, Margaret will be joined by Picture Ipswich Digital Archivist and Historian, Melanie Rush. It is being held on Tuesday 23 June 2020 from 6.00 pm 7.00 pm - Online via Zoom.

12.01.2022 The volunteers of the Ipswich Hospital Museum are back at work but regrettably we are still unable to open the museum to the public. We love discovering interesting documents in the collection and these instructions for Night Nurses duties at Epidemic Ward dated 1934 certainly drew comments. The Epidemic Wards in 1934 were located across Chelmsford Ave from the hospital campus where the Renal Unit is now located. Most of the patients were children with diphtheria and sc...arlet fever but also tuberculosis and typhoid fever patients. Sister Gladys Annie Harkness was in charge of the Epidemic Wards. Sister Harkness trained at the Royal Brisbane Hospital and completed her training in 1918. She served in the Australian Military Forces in 1918 and 1919. Gladys was a triple certificate nurse General, Midwifery and Child Welfare. She joined the staff of the Ipswich Hospital In 1923 and retired in 1951. Most of the time in the Epidemic Wards. Sr Harkness uses the terms infra dig after the instruction to dry polish [the floor] on your knees and describing it as thorough work to do so. Infra dig comes from the Latin infr dignittem meaning beneath ones dignity. Like many nurses duties in those days, it was just expected. See more

12.01.2022 It is only fitting that in the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, that we pay tribute to the Ipswich Hospitals first matron Ellen Raymond. Ellen was born in Riverstown, County Westmeath, Ireland. She was baptised on 21st May 1825 and was the fifth of eleven children (seven brothers and three sisters) to John and Ellen Raymond. She was educated at Killucan School near her home in Ireland and commenced employment in domestic service. She later became the housekeep...er and manager of the home of a wealthy family in Northern Ireland earning 10 per year. In 1859, her brother, Robert Raymond, who was already in Ipswich, wrote to her on behalf of the Acting Committee of the planned Ipswich Hospital asking her to come to Australia and take up the position of Matron of the brand new 37-bed hospital. She was offered a salary of 50 per year. Ellen arrived in Queensland on November 25, 1859 on board the Shackamaxon with her brother, James, and sister Eliza. Three more of her siblings were to come to Australia later. Ellen had a room and an office allocated to her on the ground floor of the new hospital. Ellen had no previous nursing experience. The hospital opened on March 2, 1860 and the 1st patient admitted the following day. Her role was to manage the day to day running of the hospital including patient care, the recruitment and retention of staff, personnel management, purchasing of consumables, management of patient care, hospital garden and farm animals e.g. poultry and pigs. She was responsible for all hospital staff other than the Resident Dispenser and the doctors. She reported directly to the Ipswich Hospitals Acting Committee. Ellen required the permission of the Acting Committee to leave the hospital at any time. All staff, other than the doctors, lived in at the hospital. It would have been a difficult position with huge responsibilities. However, she was often positively mentioned with respect to her duties in the Acting Committees meeting minutes. Ellen was reported dangerously ill with Typhoid Fever on 28th December 1865. She died 2 days later at the age of 40 years. She is buried in the Ipswich Cemetery. See more

12.01.2022 The Ipswich Hospital Museum recognises the general nurse graduates of 1980. 1980 began the last parliamentary term for Ipswich local, Neville Bonner, the first Indigenous Australian to sit in the Australian Parliament. He was elected in his own right in 1972, 1974, 1975 and finally in 1980.

12.01.2022 THOSE WERE THE DAYS Perusing the Ipswich Hospital Minutes of 6 April 1876 The hospital minutes recorded: The Secretary reported the presentation by Mr W. F. Reid of a cow and calf at present in the police paddock. He was instructed to convey to Mr Reid the thanks of the Committee, and request him to forward an order for delivery, and a receipted sale-note with description and brands. Miss Buchanan, the matron of the time, was responsible for the care of the humans (staff a...nd patients) of the hospital, she already had chickens and pigs in her care so now she has a cow and calf, too. Fresh milk for the patients and staff though. The hospital at the time certainly had enough room for a cow to graze and would cut down on cutting the grass (see photograph of hospital around the time). Wonder who broke the news to Matron. See more

11.01.2022 It is the time to pay tribute to the graduating Ipswich Hospital nurses of 1960. Congratulations from the IHM. Big wave to our good friend and advisor in all things paediatric and hospital history, Steph Shannon.

10.01.2022 We recognise the graduating nurses of 1966 today. In 1966: The Prime Minister was Harold Holt; Lord Casey was our GG. Prince Charles had arrived in Australia to attend Geelong Grammar School's exclusive Timbertop preparatory school. The Seekers returned to Australia for a triumphant concert tour. The Rolling Stones returned to Australia for their second tour... Bob Dylan made his first tour of Australia, supported by The Band Galilee won the Melbourne Cup "These Boots Are Made For Walkin''; "We Can Work It Out" / "Day Tripper"; "Yellow Submarine" / "Eleanor Rigby" and "Hitch Hiker" were playing on our brand new transistor radios. And we were watching Homicide and The Mavis Bramston Show on the tellie. Congratulations nurses of 1966 See more

09.01.2022 Today we acknowledge the graduation of the nurses in general nursing in Year 1955. Again some familiar faces amongst the group. Can anyone name the nurse in the insert for us?

09.01.2022 Congratulations to the graduating nurses of 1978, the graduates we pay tribute to today. 1978 was also the year the old Sunshine Ward was converted for the Active Geriatric Rehabilitation and Assessment Unit. An Intensive Care (Special Care Nursery) ward was opened in the Maternity Hospital.

09.01.2022 The Ipswich Hospital Museum is closed at the moment. We will let you know when we are open to the public again. We apologise for any inconvenience.

08.01.2022 1974's graduating nurses are the group we recognise today. 1974 was the year where extensive redevelopment occurred with the Tower Block being added to the Administration Building and extensions and renovations to Maternity, kitchen and dining rooms with canteen, stores and new plant room.

08.01.2022 It is the nurses of the 1956 graduating general nursing group that we recognise today.

08.01.2022 Congratulations to the graduating general nurses of 1985. Well done!

08.01.2022 We are 3/4 through the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife and today the IHM recognises the general nurses of the March 1959 graduating group.

08.01.2022 Today the Ipswich Hospital Museum pays tribute to the graduating nurses of 1961.

07.01.2022 It is the graduating nurses in midwifery in 1977 that the IHM pays tribute to today. Ipswich Hospital cared for an unusual case in 1977, the first case of cholera known to be contracted in Australia. The young patient and his mother (as a precaution) were from the Beaudesert region and were treated at the Ipswich Hospital.

07.01.2022 It is the graduating general nurses of 1977 who are recognised today. It was in 1977 Ipswich City Council opened the WG Hayden Humanities Centre as a community facility. And, Ipswich Genealogical Society formed and became Queensland’s first genealogical society to assist people researching their family history.

07.01.2022 The IHM pays tribute to the graduating nurses of the year 1967. In 1967 the Premier of Queensland was Frank Nicklin. It was the year the PM Harold Holt mysteriously disappeared while swimming off Portsea in Victoria. Ronald Ryan became the last man hanged in Australia. The postcode system of postal address coding was introduced throughout Australia. Uni students and others were protesting in the streets against not being able to protest and the Vietnam War.... We were singing along with little Johnny Farnham to Sadie (The Cleaning Lady). And we were watching the new ABC soap opera Bellbird on TV. See more

07.01.2022 East Street Entrance to the Ipswich Hospital. The East Street entrance was built in 1954 for an Administration section and a brand-new Female Surgical floor. In 1966 a second floor was added on to the block for a Male Surgical and Orthopaedic Ward. The mobile patients had a grandstand view of the ambulance entrance to the Casualty Department on the ground floor just to the right of Administration. The window to the right of the entrance was the switchboard office. The old hos...pital building can be seen to the right and the white building to the far right is the Jubilee Building. Jubilee had been converted from wards, then nurses accommodation to nurses training areas with a new tiered lecture room, nurse library on the ground floor and Matrons Flat above. The verandah on the upper level was covered in to create more accommodation for Matron Wilcox and following her Matron Macfarlane. See more

06.01.2022 This week in the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, the IHM pays tribute to Dianne Koch. Di was born at Boonah and grew up on a farm in Kalbar. She trained at the Ipswich Hospital commencing a 4-year nurse training program in August 1968. Di says, as a student nurse we were often thrown into the deep end and training at Ipswich has helped me to survive anywhere. After graduating, Di undertook her Midwifery at Queen Victoria Hospital, Adelaide. From there she nu...Continue reading

06.01.2022 Where Are They Now? For a period of 36 years the Catherine Evans Memorial Prize was awarded to a graduate nurse completing her four years general training at the Ipswich Hospital. The prize was given for general conduct, character, popularity, ward reports, practical nursing ability and examination results. The selectors were the Medical Superintendent, Matron, Deputy Matron, Tutor Sister and the Chairman of the Hospital Board. The prize was a badge with the hospital crest an...d the words Catherine Evans Memorial. Catherine Evans trained at the hospital from 1930 1934. She was a most respected nurse and mentor. She was the Deputy Matron at one time. Sister Evans died young from leukaemia in February 1955. The Ipswich Hospital Trained Nurses Association decided to honour her memory with the Catherine Evans Memorial Prize. The first Catherine Evans Memorial Prize was awarded in 1956 by Dr Trumpy to Joy McElwaine at the 1956 graduation ceremony. The last recipient, in the final graduating class of Ipswich Hospital trained nurses in 1992, was Maria Van de Weyer. As it is the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife a special year to pay tribute to all Ipswich Hospital Nurses, Ipswich Hospital Museum wants to follow up on the careers of these outstanding nurses. Are you one of them or do you know any of them? Catherine Evans Memorial Prize Recipient List 1956 Joy McElwaine 1957 Thelma Lotz 1958 Merle Jackson Mar 1959 Kathleen Hayes Dec 1959 Lynette Holmes 1960 Glenys Mary Hobbins 1961 Esme Jensen 1962 Heather Middleton 1963 Melva Welch 1964 Daphne Pocock 1965 Valmai Bradford 1966 Pamela Jane Blair 1967 Emily Weatherhead 1968 Margaret Bailey 1969 D.L. Lane 1970 Valerie Haughton 1971 Cheryl Powter 1972 Cheryl Weston 1973 Cheryl Dawson 1974 H. McKenzie 1975 Ruth Handyasyde 1976 J. Pinch 1977 B.L. Anderson 1978 H.L Huth 1979 C.I. Price 1980 K.F. Dick 1981 C.A. Horton 1982 Christina Logan-Moore 1983 D.J. Markham 1984 R.L. Pike 1985 C.R. Van Dyken 1986 O.A. West 1987 K.J. Mott 1988 V.A.G. Mather 1989 K. Gough 1990 M. Zerner 1991 Delwyn Hyde 1992 Maria Van De Weyer See more

06.01.2022 The IHM volunteers received a wonderful surprise this week a portrait of Ipswich Hospitals first matron Miss Ellen Raymond! We have a copy of one photograph of Ellen standing on the verandah of her brother, Robert Raymonds house with several other people taken during celebrations of the Turning of the Sod for the Ipswich to Grandchester rail line in 1864. This photograph is too small to show Ellens features. This portrait of Ellen is a studio photograph commissioned ...Continue reading

04.01.2022 You are just in time for another virtual tour of the Ipswich Hospital Museum. The museum has a growing permanent display of the early history of the Ipswich Hospital. The museum has obtained photographs of the original plans of the hospital which was a 2 story Georgian building housing staff (matron, hospital dispenser and nurses and wardsman) and 37 patients. There were several outbuildings including a kitchen (with a room housing the cook and her husband [? a wardsman]), ba...Continue reading

04.01.2022 The Ipswich Maternity Hospital at the Ipswich Hospital 1970s.

04.01.2022 Aerial photograph of Ipswich Hospital taken in the early 1990s.

04.01.2022 It will be a strange morning tomorrow for many Ipswichites who will not wander to the local shop or listen for the clatter of Queensland Times flying over the fence and trudging out to get the newspaper to read the LOCAL news with the morning cuppa. With the QT, if you did not know the people in the news, you at least knew of them. Hospital staff could pick up a copy of the QT at the front desk of the hospital to read during breaks. And, the Thursday copy was a must to get th...Continue reading

04.01.2022 This week the Ipswich Hospital Museum wishes to pay tribute to Ipswich Hospital nurse Sheree Richie (nee Finlay). Sheree grew up in Cunnamulla, far South West Queensland. Scrimping and saving, her parents were able to send her to board at Ipswich Girls Grammar School where she excelled winning awards for piano and for theory of music. After graduating from high school, Sheree returned to Cunnamulla where she met her husband Stephen, a schoolteacher. With Steves support, s...he decided on a nursing career. They moved to Ipswich where Sheree was accepted as one of the few mature (post 21-years old) students. She absolutely loved her time nursing at Ipswich Hospital, particularly the teamwork. Sheree was awarded the Catherine Evans Medal as the top graduating student in 1979. Sheree quickly rose through the different areas of nursing, first in education and then in the management field. At Mater Private Hospital, Townsville, she fulfilled roles as Quality Management Coordinator, Assistant Director of Nursing and Director of Clinical Services. Sheree spent several years as a Senior Lecturer at James Cook University before taking on the role of General Manager/ Chief Executive Officer at the Wesley Hospital, Townsville in 2001. During that time, she became a member of the Aged Care Complaints Tribunal. During this busy time, she obtained her Bachelor of Health Science Nursing and later a Master of Business Administration. From 2005 until 2013, Sheree became the Director of Canossa Services in Brisbane with responsibility of the Canossa Private Hospital, Canossa Residential Care and Canossa Retirement Village while becoming a strong advocate, campaigner, and champion in the area of Palliative Care. From 2013 until her retirement in 2018, Sheree took on the role of General Manager of Residential Operations for the Bethanie Group in Western Australia. Sheree is now living with Parkinsons Disease and the associated symptoms including some memory loss. She attributes her success in her career to the many wonderful educators and mentors she has had along the way. In particular, she wants to thank the ones who fostered that strong foundation during her training at Ipswich Hospital Nurse Educators - Margaret Boulter and Helga McCutcheon and the Director of Nursing, Margaret Macfarlane. Sheree smiles now when she recalls Miss Macfarlane admonishing her for giving her child a sweet to keep her quiet during her interview. See more

04.01.2022 In this the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, it is fitting that we also acknowledge all the nurses who trained at the Ipswich Hospital. The museum has many photographs of groups of nurses prior to the hospital holding a formal nurses graduation but many are not identified, and we can only guess at dates. We do have photographs of each group who graduated from 1953 until 1993 when general nursing training ceased at the Ipswich Hospital. Today we acknowledge the g...raduating nurses of 1954. There will be several familiar faces for those of you who trained at the Ipswich Hospital. Some young fresh faces of future senior nurses, too. Also present in the group is Heather Macfarlane, the younger sister of Margaret Macfarlane who was the Director of Nursing (1967-1993) and who trained at the Ipswich Hospital in the 1940s. This photograph shows the 1954 graduates: Back row: Janice Berry, Margery Herlihen (now Bulmer) Middle row: Barbara Fielding, Valerie Wombold, Margaret Boulter, Lorna Atkinson, Margaret Cairns Front row: Claire Sutching, Doreen Reeves, Barbara Stephens, Heather Macfarlane, Eulalie Domjahn, Iris Hutchins See more

04.01.2022 Today we salute the general nurse graduates of 1958. Again, a number of familiar faces.

04.01.2022 First Nurses Graduation Ceremony Ipswich Hospital held the first graduation ceremony for general nurses on March 4, 1953. Nurses had completed their general training at the hospital but never before had their been a formal ceremony. Matron Wilcox convinced the Board to hold the ceremony. The certificates and badges were presented to the nurse by the then Queensland Health Minister, Mr W.M. Moore. During his speech, he said he believed this was the first such ceremony in Queen...sland. The photograph shows the graduating nurses who were: Back row: Joan Walker. Adele Trigge, Dawn Campbell, Joan Lyle, Shirley Evans, Rosemary Greet. Front Row: Fay Barlow, Beverley Grant, Ruth Sawtell-Harrigan, Rosemary Fitzgerald, Beryl Reeves. The graduating nurses formed part of a 40 nurse choir who entertained the honoured guests and nurses families. The nurses recited the Nightingale Pledge and each carried a lantern symbolising Florence Nightingale. The Ipswich Hospital Museum will update the cover photo with a photograph of each graduation general nurses group from 1953 through to the last such ceremony in 1993 when there was no more general training at the Ipswich Hospital.

03.01.2022 Ipswich General Hospital 1957. Must have been a hot summer day - the windows are all open wide to catch every breeze and the ice-cream van is parked outside.

03.01.2022 Volunteers at the IHM were back researching today and found the Ipswich Hospital called for tenders in November 1880 for the following items: 1. Port wine per dozen or per gallon; Brandy per gallon, Geneva per case; Ale and Porter per dozen and per hogshead [a cask which today would equal 250L] 2. Groceries and sundries 3. Furnishing Funerals including cemetery fees, hearse and coffin (stained black) at per adult and child per under 8 years 4. Milk, per quart.... Now before you think it was all for staff, alcohol was frequently prescribed as a treatment for some illnesses even for children. However, from our Ipswich Hospital committee minutes, a few of the nurses imbibed on one occasion and were sacked for being drunk on duty.

03.01.2022 We have reached 1970 in our tribute to general nurses who graduated from the Ipswich Hospital. You may have noticed the graduates are now wearing disposable paper veils in place of the starched voile veils. The paper veils were usually sourced from Baxter and came in two styles - the ones you see the nurses wearing in this photograph - a stove-pipe style and a flat-top style was also available. 1970 was also the year the 840 hour curriculum was introduced into nursing education and the training reduced from 4 years to 3 years for new trainee nurses starting their training that year.

02.01.2022 Annual Student Ball July 1966 Browsing through the scrapbooks, volunteers at the Ipswich Hospital Museum came across a report in the Queensland Times of the Ipswich Hospitals Annual Student Ball in July 1966. There were many dignitaries attending, but it was the nurses and doctors wives who received the recognition in the newspaper. No photographs sadly. The old newspapers were excellent in giving details of the dresses worn in those days and they did not fail us this tim...e. The article describes the dresses of: Matron Wilcox Matron Wilcox was frocked in a black lurex crepe full-length gown styled on straight lines. With this she teamed a brown fur cape, white gloves and black accessories. Mrs Chester Wilson (wife of Dr Chester Wilson) A green lame gown simply styled, with a fitted bodice and full skirt, was Mrs Wilsons choice. A fur coat and matching green evening bag completed the ensemble. Sister Boulter A full-length black wool crepe gown styled on the empire line was worn by Sister Boulter. It featured a swathed skirt and round neckline trimmed with braided beading. A large button of the same material highlighted the centre of the bodice. She wore a silver grey fur stole and accessories of the same shade. Mrs Ted Reye (wife of Dr Ted Reye) Mrs Reye chose a green silk gown highlighted by a wide neckline with a collar and a pleated skirt. Her accessories were black. Sister Stephens Sister Stephens chose a gown with a blue silk shantung skirt and a black and gold lame bodice, with long sleeves. She completed the outfit with a black woollen stole and black accessories. Mrs Suchting (wife of Dr C. Suchting) Mrs Suchtings frock was a black ribbon lace over satin styled on straight lines with a round neckline. Her accessories were black and a fur stole completed the ensemble. The ball was held in St Pauls Memorial Hall and the report reads Balloons and streamers adorned the ballroom and ballgoers danced into the early hours of the morning. Let us hope no one was on early shift.

02.01.2022 Ipswich Hospital's Children's Ward in 1927. Children were often brought out onto verandahs and courtyards for the fresh air and sunshine. Children were in hospital for weeks and sometimes months at the time. Mosquito nets can be seen on the testers of the beds. One of the young patients is in traction - the bottom of the bed is elevated on blocks and sandbags can be seen hanging from the traction frame as a counterweight. The nurse to the left in the darker material dress (...blue) with a veil is a staff nurse (graduate nurse), the nurse in the paler fabric dress is sister (registered nurse) and the nurses with the darker material dress with aprons and mop caps are student nurses. This ward was the old fever ward. When the Infectious Hospital (Epidemic) was opened over the road (over what is now Chelmsford Ave) and a larger ward was required for the children, they moved into the old Fever Ward. This ward was demolished when Sunshine Ward was built. See more

02.01.2022 Today we recognise the graduating general nurses of 1979. 1979 saw more development at the hospital with patient accommodation extended with the building of the new High Rise. A new intensive care unit and new operating theatres.

02.01.2022 The museum is hoping one of our readers can identify these objects for us. They are 5 thin round rubber discs (3 of about 7cms diameter and 2 of about 5cms) with small holes in a circle towards the centre and half-moon cuts at regular intervals to the edges. The discs were amongst items that came from the hospitals operating theatres. Any ideas? We would appreciate your help.

02.01.2022 Today, on our virtual tour of the Ipswich Hospital Museum, we wish to share the story of the Ipswich Hospitals first surgeon. When the hospital opened in 1860, three Ipswich doctors were selected as Honorary Medical Officers doctors who treated patients in the hospital free of charge and maintained a medical practice in the town. The three doctors were Dr Henry Challinor, Dr Thomas Rowlands and Dr Francis Norman Lucas. Dr Lucas was selected as the hospitals first surgeon....Continue reading

01.01.2022 Great! You are just in time for another virtual tour of one of the exhibits of the Ipswich Hospital Museum. Today, we are going to tell you about the humble but essential bedpans and urinals. To be admitted to hospital you must be extremely ill - even more so in the early days of the Ipswich Hospital. Patients were kept on bedrest for many days, weeks and even months. Strict rest in bed was seen as essential for recovery. Chamber pots and commodes were not suitable for the b...Continue reading

01.01.2022 The Ipswich Hospital Museum pays tribute to the graduating nurses of 1975. It was that year that Medibank was introduced and colour TV came to Australia

01.01.2022 Today, the IHM pays tribute to the graduate nurses of 1963.