The following memories and stories about the Maitland Hospital emerged from background research, and from being shared by artists, staff, volunteers, patients and community members.
Nurse Finney.
Nancy Finney’s daughters share photographs and memories about their Mum’s training and work as a nurse at Maitland Hospital from 1933 to 1944.
Shot off a finger top.
Kelvin Russell shares the story of a cousin who ended up in Maitland Hospital after using a somewhat extreme first aid technique for snake bite.
A grand ruckus.
Kelvin Russell on his great-great-grandfather James Charles Russell who was resident surgeon at the Maitland Hospital for a short and tension-ridden period in 1859-1860.
Cutting the cake.
Suzanne Martin shares memories and memorabilia of her father, Bill Martin, and their family’s association with Maitland Hospital.
Horse-drawn ambulances.
Denise Porter’s research on the ambulance service provided to Maitland Hospital by her ancestor, Thomas Judge, from 1890 to 1922.
Provided great enjoyment.
Rocking horses in the children’s ward from the mid-twentieth century provided some distraction for young patients.
Three generations.
Tom Healy on his family’s association with The Maitland Hospital over three generations.
A tax on his time.
Faith Simon and Brigette Uren on their ancestor, Thomas James McClelland, secretary of the Maitland Hospital in 1845 and 1846.
Supporting those less fortunate.
Tony Clift shares his research about the Clift family’s significant support of the Maitland Hospital.
Served the hospital for over 40 years.
Glimpses of Robert (Bob) Brown’s life and work shared by his daughter, Wendy Beasley. Bob Brown was the hospital’s chief executive officer from 1960 to 1981.
Long hard hours.
Leanne Debenham shares her fond memories of the stories her grandmother, Muriel Morris, told about training and working at The Maitland Hospital.
My aunts trained at the hospital.
Diane Klasen tells the stories of her aunts, Reta and Pat Fleming, who both trained as nurses at The Maitland Hospital.
The smell of freshly washed sheets.
Greg Parrey shares his memories of The Maitland Hospital.
Discovering all of this.
Michael Cavanagh shares his research into his ancestor Dr Andrew Liddell, a founding member of the Maitland Benevolent Asylum and The Maitland Hospital.
That’s him there.
Kerrie Steward shares the story of her great-great-grandfather, Samuel Fairhall, who died after a fall from the hospital verandah.
A practice of doctors.
Holly McNamee shares family history insights about her three doctor ancestors who all worked at Maitland Hospital.