Take what you want.
The Maitland and District Historical Society has items in its collection that came from the Maitland Hospital. A number of them were collected in 2015 by Steve Bone who is now Secretary of the Society.
Steve explains:
‘I obtained the items from the back verandah of the blood bank building a few years ago. A person was throwing out some of the equipment and I said the Historical Society would be interested in the bronze plaque and I was told ‘take what you want’. I asked Keith (Cockburn), who was then President of the Society, about the dental item and he said ‘yes’. So we went back with my trailer and picked it up.’
Right: Steve Bone with the 1950s dental drill now in the safekeeping of the Maitland and District Historical Society.
The items Steve rescued included the dental drill, and a number of plaques.
A ray lamp, an early telephone switchboard and a certificate registering the Maitland Hospital as a training hospital for nurses are also in the Society’s collection and came from the Maitland Hospital.
Dental drill
1950s dental drill sitting among other items from the Maitland Hospital.
Plaques
The Historical Society has a number of plaques that were originally in the Maitland Hospital.
‘Alexander Ward This ward has been endowed in perpetuity by the Alexander family of Tocal, Paterson, June 1932.’
The Alexander Ward was the men’s surgical ward. (Maitland Mercury, 5 May 1932, p.3)
‘Aquarium. The gift of the Maitland Girls’ High School, December 1957.’
‘The Maitland Hospital Redevelopment was officially opened on Friday 26 July 1996 by the Hon. Andrew Refshauge MP, Deputy Premier of New South Wales, Minister for Health and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.’
‘Relatives Room has been furnished by The Maitland Hospital Auxiliary 1996.’
Registration certificate
Certificate registering the Maitland Hospital as a Training School for General Nurses offering a four year training period, 24 July 1926.
Ray lamp
‘Sol-Tan’ ray lamp, 1950s.
For an overview of the history and uses of heat lamps see ‘A history of heat lamps’ (blog), Skinflint, 2020.
Telephone switchboard and directory
