Monthly Archives: March 2016

Nurses and Midwives in Victoria

29 Tuesday Mar 2016

Posted by in Uncategorized, Victorian Government Gazette entries

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Nurse B.P. Frankston, VictoriaI spotted a post on Facebook and was going to check my files when I realised that I should do a blog with the details for others to research their nurses or midwives.

And while we’re at it, someone might know the identity of the nurse in the photo.  The image is from the State Library of Victoria collection [H2006.188/34] and it states she is a young woman, identified only as “B.P. from – a nurse from Frankston, Victoria”.  The photo was taken in 1900.

The files I mentioned?  Some years ago I spent many hours searching for and finding these files – hence I recorded them in a couple of spreadsheets.

The Victorian Government Gazette included lists of Midwives and lists of Nurses generally annually in the 20th century – it wasn’t always easy finding them hence my reason for keeping a record of them.  The two best places for finding and downloading the relevant Victorian Government Gazette :

Most of the lists are alphabetical BUT DON’T STOP at “Z” because you may be reading the initial list of those added to the register, then there may be a list of those removed from the register, then those who changed their names [i.e. by getting married], and others who changed their address.  All wonderful information for family historians and researchers.  Now and again the Gazette will include the entire list of everyone registered and year of registration.  Some lists include their date of registration.

I haven’t had the need to search but I presume that all states would have had this type of register in their Government Gazettes.  And of course Nurses and Midwives weren’t the only lists: Railway employees being one occupation that comes to mind.  If they had to be “registered” or were Government employees, then LOOK FOR THEM!  There are Dentists, Doctors … the list goes on and on.

So back to my lists – the reason I looked for them and then downloaded them was to select [with help from some of my wonderful volunteers] any nurses or midwives and therefore add them to my Geelong & District Database.  Women aren’t easy to trace and midwives in particular were some of the women who didn’t have to give up their job when they married.

You also learn what files may contain by being observant – e.g. I included page numbers / ranges – this might give you the clue as to whether it was a yearly register or a complete register.  Have a look at the Nurses board for 31 December 1935 – page range is 2051-2135 – that’s more than 80 pages – whereas 1929 is less than 20 pages.  The 1935 list includes ALL nurses registered at that time.

As the tables didn’t transfer well into this blog, I’ve created a PDF file for each which you can download:

Enjoy researching your nurses and midwives!

Norfolk Island library

28 Monday Mar 2016

Posted by in Books for sale, Important news

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NorfolkIslandMy library is still too large and this time I’m putting up my Norfolk Island collection of books for sale – there are 99 items available.  It is a VERY large collection that covers Norfolk Island, Pitcairn Island, HMS Bounty, Van Diemen’s Land, and convicts.  Many of the publications are very rare and not readily available.

Prices are less than, and often considerably less than, second hand online prices.

You can download the Norfolk Island list and decide if there are any that you want to move to your library!

Guidelines:

  • If someone requests and pays for any items, they are no longer available for others – first in, best dressed.
  • Items can be collected from me on the Bellarine Peninsula [in Victoria] or posted – obviously I will need to check the weight and destination to confirm postage costs which will be added to the price of the book(s).
  • Items must be paid for before they can be posted or collected – direct Internet banking is the preferred option – other options charge too much which considerably reduces the amount I receive.
  • If you wish I can provide contacts of others who have purchased some of my books – they will vouch for me!

If you wish to get in touch and/or purchase any books, you can CONTACT ME HERE.

In case you haven’t worked it out yet, the majority of my books are for history, genealogy, and research.

Ask a librarian – it’s wonderful!

21 Monday Mar 2016

Posted by in My Family, Personal History

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1955cGrahamandSueatGraftonI have just had THE most exciting day and it’s really all about Social Media, Blogs, and research and this photo from about 1955 of me and my brother in Grafton, New South Wales.

I’ve used the “Ask a Librarian” service before – State Library of New South Wales, State Library of Victoria and National Library of Australia to mention a few.  I don’t over-use it but there are times when it is the right option.

It all started here when I posted the Blog yesterday about no ice cream on Sundays!  I mentioned that ice cream was part of my life.  Overnight I woke up thinking about ice cream and Grafton where my Dad worked at the Peter’s Ice Cream factory before we ended up transferring to Adelaide.

The one gap in my own life – I didn’t know where we lived in Grafton – but you can read all about that on my other blog.  Needless to say Grafton and Ice Cream were at the forefront of my mind this morning and I was determined to find the answer.

I decided that Pluto was a different angle that just might work.  Then in the process of looking for photos of Pluto I found the photo above – me and my brother in what MIGHT have been our house but with a building in the background that looked like old photos I had found of the Peter’s Ice Cream factory in Grafton.

That’s when I decided to try “Ask a librarian” at the State Library of New South Wales.  I wasn’t expecting an answer for about a week but the reply arrived this afternoon.

Why am I babbling on about it here?  Because I’m so excited I needed to share it with some of my friends and followers.  Did “Ask a librarian” work?  You bet it did – absolutely wonderful.

They found an address in the electoral roll for me – and just have a look at the Google Maps street view of the house where we lived and compare it with the photo above!

Now you understand why I’m so excited!  Yippee … thank you Pluto, Blogs, and “Ask a librarian”!

No Ice Cream on Sundays!

20 Sunday Mar 2016

Posted by in My Family

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Peters float in paradeSome things just stop you in your tracks – especially with something so dear to my heart.  My late Dad was Production Manager at Peter’s Ice Cream and amongst other treats he was the inventor of the Drumstick.

In the Geelong Advertiser Thursday 11 February 1915 I read this disturbing news:

Authority was given to the city inspector yesterday to prevent the sale of ice cream from carts on Sundays

This council decision followed complaints from Sunday school authorities and “other people”.

I have trouble comprehending this – I grew up surrounded by ice cream!  The photo above is my Dad driving the “ice cream block” in a parade!  You can read more about him in my blog ‘History: the men in my life’.

And you’ll find even more on my Memories Pinterest board.

Where’s the postman?

20 Sunday Mar 2016

Posted by in Important news

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Leopold Post OfficeWe would be living under a rock if we hadn’t heard the grumbles about mail deliveries – or delays!  BUT turn the clock back 100 years and read about the mail that arrived in Geelong by train at 6.30 am AND didn’t get delivered until the AFTERNOON delivery service!

This appeared in the Geelong Advertiser, Tuesday 9 February 1915:

MAIL DELIVERIES

Mail matter arriving by the early newspaper train from Melbourne is sent out by the carriers on the first delivery, but it is complained that letters come by the 6.30 a.m. train and are not delivered till the afternoon. In 1912 the Chamber of Commerce was assured that practically all the metropolitan letters are carried by the newspaper train. A sub-committee was appointed by the Chamber to make inquiries, and it was informed that on the 27th ult. 500 letters without newspapers had arrived by the 6.30 a.m. train, and were not sorted for the first delivery. Yesterday the council of the Chamber considered the sub-committee’s report, and eventually decided to let it stand over till the next meeting in order to make further inquiries, and ascertain the public feeling. Mr. J. Blakiston said in these times employers were requested to work fell handed, but they had the spectacle of the Geelong Post Office undermanned both in respect to letter carriers and sorters. The carriers had big rounds, and had to carry heavy bags. The amount of mail matter coming into Geelong must have nearly doubled in a comparatively short period but practically the staff was the same. That was the whole trouble. People on the outskirts complained of receiving their letters late, but it was not the fault of the carriers, who were very much overworked. Most people wanted the mail service by the newspaper train to be continued.

How shocking!  Such terrible service?