Matron Agnes Marion McLean Walsh (1884-1967)
Sister Agnes Marion McLean Walsh was a hospital nurse and matron who worked at King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women in Subiaco. After Agnes retired she shared a house in Subiaco with Mary Carson, her long time Deputy-Matron and friend.
"...She had firm views on single motherhood. She considered that the paramount issues were the pregnant woman's well-being and her right to choose to keep or adopt out her baby. Encountering many agitated and scandalized parents, she was to say later that the young mothers' relations usually were 'too full of self-pity because of the coming social stigma, and too pre-occupied with their own broken hearts, to spare a sympathetic thought for the central figure in the drama'. She encouraged her staff to serve as witnesses at marriages performed in the hospital..." (Martyr, 2002).
Agnes was born on 10 June, 1884 at Mount McKinley, in New South Wales. Her father Richard McQueen Gibson and mother Kate migrated from Scotland. After Mary finished her education she became a saleswoman and married Edmond John Walsh on 25 October, 1910.
Following the death of her husband Edmond four years later, Mary trained as a nurse at the Royal Hospital for Women in Paddington, specialising in obstetric nursing. She graduated in June 1916 and worked in the city slums as a district midwife.
In 1917 Agnes travelled to Western Australia on holiday and stayed. She obtained a position as a probationer nurse at the Royal Perth Hospital and registered as a general nurse on 8 June, 1920 and became a member of staff at the King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women in Subiaco. Agnes was appointed matron in 1922.
In 1937 Agnes was awarded King George VI's coronation medal and an OBE in 1948. In 1955 she published her autobiography with Ruth Allen titled 'Life in Her Hands'. Throughout her life, Agnes served on many committees and advisory bodies associated with improving the conditions of nursing provided to the State and Commonwealth. She loved music and horse-racing. Agnes died on 12 August, 1967 at Shenton Park and was cremated.
Martry, P. (2002). 'Walsh, Anges Marion McLean (1884-1967). Australian Dictionary of Biography. http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/walsh-agnes-marion-mclean-11949
The article is from Trove, the database of National Library of Australia. No copyright infringement intended.
West Australian, 21 July 1949.
Matron's Outstanding Work For Women More than 27 years of skilled service to the women of this State was recognised when Matron Agnes Marion Walsh received the O.B.E. at Government House on Tuesday. Her award was in recognition of her services as matron of King Memorial Hospital Subiaco.
One of the most outstanding women in her profession, Matron Walsh's ability has been recognised by the medical profession throughout the Commonwealth and on a number of occasions she has been sent abroad by the Government and other health authorities to gain. additional knowledge upon matters associated with midwifery practice.
Matron Walsh first took up her duties at King Edward Memorial Hospital when it consisted of a number of wards in the old Industrial School, Subiaco, and where at first only 12 patients could be accepted. It is mainly due to her efforts, insistence and foresight that the present modern building is on a par with any other in the Southern Hemisphere and has a daily bed average of more than 148 patients.
This Government hospital is under the full control and management of Matron Walsh and has the remarkably low maternal mortality rate of 2.15 per 1,000 live births. More than 50,000 babies have been born at King Edward Memorial Hospital since Matron Walsh was first appointed to her present position. Today, as in the past, she is on call at any hour of the day or night.
VISITS ABROAD.
As a young woman Matron Walsh gained her general nursing training at the Perth Hospital (now the Royal Perth Hospital), her midwifery training at the Royal Sydney Hospital for Women and her baby welfare knowledge at the Tresillian centre in New Zealand.
She is president of the Florence Nightingale Scholarship W.A. Committee, president of the Florence Nightingale. Club, senior 'vice-president of the College of Nursing (Australia), a council member of the A.T.N.A., and is the only woman member of the Commonwrealth Government's National Medical Research Council.
In 1937 Matron Walsh was sent to Britain, Europe and America to study and report upon matters associated with the work of the King Edward Memorial Hospital. Many of the improved and advanced methods of treatment and midwifery training that she studied have been incorporated in the new hospital.
Last year she was sent to England by the Government and the Florence Nightingale Foundation Committee to study the latest developments in midwifery training and nursing. She has brought thousands of West Australians into the world and, in addition has been a guide, adviser and teacher to the many nurses who have gained their midwifery training at King Edward Memorial Hospital.
