Our family doctors.
Sisters Dianne Morante and Lyn Morris have fond memories of their family doctors and local general practitioners, John Abrahams and Maurice Hurst. Dr Hurst practiced in Branxton and Greta; Dr Abrahams in Maitland. Both doctors also worked at The Maitland Hospital.
Right: (left to right) Lyn Morris and Dianne Morante on the occasion of Dianne’s 60th wedding anniversary, 3 June 2021.
(Dianne Morante collection)
Maurice Hurst
“He was our family doctor from the Second World War in Greta. I was a war baby, born in my parents’ home in 1944. Dr Hurst delivered me. He had a surgery in Branxton, and also worked at the Maitland Hospital. He delivered my two children there, at the hospital. … He was the only doctor in Greta and Branxton back then.”
Left: Maurice Hurst with his signature cigar.
(Dianne Morante collection)
By 1939 Maurice Hurst had established his general practice on the corner of King St and Cessnock Rd, Branxton. He, his wife Joyce and their two sons, Graham and Billy, lived there. In 1939 he was also appointed to the honorary medical staff at the Maitland Hospital.
Throughout the 1940s and into the early 1950s the local newspaper, the Singleton Argus, reported on his appearances at coronial inquiries, his activities in support of the war effort, his generosity to local causes, and his sporting interests – especially golf and bowls. By 1950, he was also a visiting medical officer at the Greta Migrant Camp.
Further hints of the personality of Dr Hurst, and of community appreciation for his medical services, are in the stories and memories Nell Pyle shares in her book History Hidden in Hunter Wardrobes (2015) to provide context for the top hat owned and worn by Dr Hurst that is now in the collection of the Australian Museum of Clothing and Textiles.
RIght: Dr Hurst’s top hat and hat box in the Australian Museum of Clothing and Textiles Collection. (Scanned from Nell Pyle’s book)
The memories and stories include:
He always went to the races on Saturday afternoons wearing his top hat and tails, cigar in mouth and carrying his black doctor’s bag “in case”.
There were no pre-bookings at Dr Hurst’s surgery. Women and children gathered in his waiting room to be seen first, while the men lined up on the verandah.
His cough medicine was renowned. “It was black, it was thick and it had to be taken in large doses.”
There was an ongoing feud between the doctor and the matron and staff at Maitland Hospital, because he smoked while doing his rounds.
Dr Hurst passed away in 1987.
John Abrahams
“Dr Abrahams was the anaesthetist in attendance at the Maitland Hospital when I was born in December 1948. When our family moved to Maitland (from Greta) in 1960, Dr Abrahams became our family doctor. He would do his house visits in a white MG sports car.
In 1967 he took my tonsils out at the hospital and then four babies were delivered by him. First stillborn at 7 months, third breech, and the fourth caesarean section and tubal ligation. In the twenty years our family had Dr Abrahams as our family doctor he looked after all my children with care and kindness.
I remember him saying back in the 1970s that with all the antibiotics around there will be a day when a virus will come and we will have nothing to fight it - so true!”
Press clippings from Maitland Mercury provided by Lyn Morris.
John Joseph Abrahams passed away in 2000.
After viewing Lyn Morris’s memories of his father, Roger Abrahams added:
Thanks for sharing this. I think we can say that Dad very generously donated his time and services in theatre and visiting patients in the wards at the hospital. He was also involved in training resident doctors and nursing staff. He was also generous with his time in his private practice, seeing people and consulting over the phone out of hours.
He was also an advocate for healthy, active lifestyles as indicated by his own active health regime.
On 13 December 2021, Faith Simon emailed:
I visited the Cunning Culinarian café last week where, so many years ago Dr Abrahams practised from, and in conversation with an employee I told him the last time I was in his premises I was seeing the doctor!!!! Isn’t history just great….
Right: Dr Abrahams’ former surgery at 245 High Street (‘Monksilver’), Maitland, photographed in 2013. (Picture Maitland, Maitland City Library)
Originally posted: 25 Sep 21
Updated: 25 Oct 21, 17 Dec 21