Before there were hospitals in Rosewood, patients had to travel to Ipswich. Midwifes operated in the area and rode out on horseback to help deliver babies. Some had little training with skills being passed on from mother to daughter. By 1900 most of the larger Australian hospitals had three-year training programs for student nurses, with lectures delivered by medical staff. Some of these certified nurses set up maternity hospitals but also included care for others, especially accident victims. Augusta Phyllis Fullekrug (Stubbs) is one such nurse who became a registered nurse at Ipswich General Hospital in December 1912 and opened St Kilda Private Hospital in 1919 after nursing at other hospitals.
Hospitals known to have existed in Rosewood are:
- St Florence’s Hospital
- St Kilda Private Hospital
- Nurse Domrow’s Hospital
- Nurse Pedrazinni Lying-in hospital
- The Infectious Diseases or Epidemic Hospital
St Florence’s Hospital was built by Nurse Kucks in 1911 at the current location of 45 John Street Rosewood. She ran the hospital until her death in December 1917. Her daughter Nurse Annie Hines (nee Kucks) then opened St Florence Nursing Home in Albert Street in 1919, moved back to John Street in 1921 and changed the name from St Kilda back to St Florence Hospital and stayed there until about 1925.
- Nurse Kucks information from newspaper articles. (PDF)
- St Florence’s Hospital newspaper clippings. (PDF)
- More about Nurse Hines and St Florence Nursing Home and Hopsital.
St Florence Hospital was sold to Nurse Stubbs in 1919 and she renamed it St Kilda Private Hospital when it opened in May of that year. She took a break for a couple of years when the hospital reverted to St Florence’s and birth records at that time show Nurse Hines in charge. St Kilda Private Hospital operated until 1947. You can read more about it and Nurse Stubbs on the Stubbs Family website.
Nurse Domrow had a Private Hospital at 67 John Street, Rosewood. She was born 16 March 1876. Married Frederick August Sinai 1898. Died 1964. The electoral role shows her living in John Street 1913 – 1917, 1925, 1928, 1929, 1943, 1954 as Augusta Wilhelmina Domrow – nurse.
Photo of Nurse Domrow. (1930). Nurse Wilhelmina Christina Domrow, Rosewood, Ipswich, 1930s.
In the Catholic Advocate in 1929, an article says, We welcome to our Rosewood business directory column Nurse Domrow’s advertisement. She has been practising her profession in Rosewood for a period of 19 years. During that period Catholic mothers and others have received her attention and nothing but the highest gratitude and praise have been extended to her for the considerate and skilful service she has rendered to every patient coming under her charge. Elite Maternity Home, Rosewood. (1929, May 9). The Catholic Advocate (Brisbane, Qld. : 1911 – 1934; 1936 – 1938), p. 42. Retrieved August 12, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article261231586
It was a two roomed cottage. According to Rosewood Then and Now – A Story through time… by Susanne Ruijs, Rosewood Scrub Historical SocietyInc, 2017, the building burnt down in the 1995, however another source says it burnt down in the 1970’s. Photo and story from Trove.
It was situated next to John Turner’s house on the corner of John Street and Walloon Road, Rosewood. The land is now owned by the Turners and is covered in gardens. The most well know person born here was Gordon Chalk who became Premier of Queensland for one week. An historic marker can be found on the site. View the marker.
The Infectious Diseases or Epidemic Hospital
In 1915, an isolation hospital for infectious diseases was established in Hospital Road and this weatherboard building still survives today (A Community Visition The Cabanda Story compiled by Joyce Rieck, 2012 PDF)
It was very active during 1919 and the influenza epidemic. Here are some newspaper reports of Influenza in Rosewood.
The hospital opened and closed according to needs. In one article in the Brisbane Courier in 1924 Mr. J. Wyatte was admitted to the Rosewood Epidemic Hospital during the week suffering from enteric. Nurse Hazard is in charge of the hospital. ROSEWOOD. (1924, March 24). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 – 1933), p. 13. Retrieved August 12, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20672039
Another article in 1925 says that the Rosewood Shire Council had closed the hospital and was asking for Ipwich Hospital to take on any patients. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article218327165