I Was Born Here Too... King Edward Memorial Hospital, Subiaco.
Recently the State Library of Western Australia's official Facebook page shared a post about King Edward Memorial Hospital in Subiaco for International Women's Day and photographs of the nurses who worked there over the years.
Members of public provided some wonderful insights into their experiences at the hospital via the comments section, either as staff who worked there in a range of positions or women and families who had their children there. I was born there in 1963.
The post is from the State Library of Western Australia's official Facebook page. The photograph of student nurses in 1912 is from the Western Australian Historical Society official online webpage. No copyright infringement intended.
"...THE FACES OF KING EDWARD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
Today is International Women's Day and an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women.
Did you know that the King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women (KEMH) was the fruit of a Committee of Western Australian women? In the early 1900's Edith Cowan, Chair Deborah Hackett and others, successfully lobbied to secure the establishment of a maternity home to serve the needs of the WA.
Buildings formerly used as a Government Industrial School in Subiaco, were converted into a hospital. Its design and equipment following the most modern ideas.
When KEMH opened in June 1916, it consisted of special reception and delivery rooms, and wards accommodating up to 20 beds. There was also an operating theatre, an isolation ward for infectious cases, comfortable nurses quarters, a fine orchard and kitchen garden.
The hospital cared for "indigent mothers" and "women in happier circumstances." Those in a position to pay for accommodation and treatment did so - a fixed fee of £3 3s for 14 days' residence, and 6s per day thereafter. KEMH also served as the state training school in midwifery.
In its first year KEMH delivered 304 babies. After a baby was born it was weighed, dressed and put into a white cot until the mother was well enough to be moved to the wards. In the ward she lay with her baby swung onto a cot at the end of the bed. Baby's clothes were provided in the hospital and included a soft woollen singlet and tucked creme flannelette gown.
Today KEMH oversees around 6000 births each year and cares for more than 5,000 women with gynaecological conditions. All thanks to the vision and determination of a group of West Australian women over 100 years ago.
Do you have memories of KEMH to share? Perhaps you were a patient, worked or were even born there!
Gallery - Portraits of Pupil Midwives at King Edward Memorial Hospital 1969 - from the State Library's Stevenson, Kinder and Scott Collection.
ABC Perth The West Australian PerthNow WAtoday.com.au Multiple Birth Association for Western Australia Nursing and Midwifery in Western Australia North Metropolitan Health Service King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women Notre Dame Nursing Society Fremantle Curtin University: Nursing and Midwifery Building Midwives Perth Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Perth Mums Group."
Group of student nurses standing outside King Edward Memorial Hospital in 1912.
