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Vera Robson (1888-) - Nursing sister & Matron. Recorded 2 November 1980. Part 1/1.

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SummaryVERA ROBSON
Recorded 2nd November 1980
Part 1 of 1

0:40
Vera is sister to Alma Brown. She came from Port Macquarie where she lived for 50 years.
Her sister lived in Cessnock for 60 years.

Norm Brown who married Lorna Quayle

1:19
Father was C of E minister at Warialda. Both sisters went nursing and Alma met Tom Brown

1:45
Mrs George Beavan was the older sister. Alma came to stay with the Beavans and met Tom at that time.

1:57
Tom Brown

2:06
Awarded MBE for service to community. She applied to go to the war but she was instructed to stay in Australia at Port Macquarie

2:37
Worked at Port Macquarie cottage hospital -

3:05
Trained at Glen Innes Hospital and worked as Acting Matron. She was the only trained person in the area who could be called upon by the community services (police, doctors etc). Her MBE Award was for services to the community.

4:28
Recalls building of new hospital

4:44
John Jackson - a poultry farmer at Taree bequeathed £2,500 to Taree and Port Macquarie Hospitals.
Also donations were received from past patients. £12,000 was soon raised. A nurse's home was built first and the hospital followed. Les Kemiss was the name of the builder of the home.

6:22
Vera left Port Macquarie shortly before the interview.
A Rehabilitation Ward was opened.
Dr. MacLaren was an honorary doctor and the Ward was named after him.

7:14
Solarium, a glassed in verandah was named in her honor.

7:35
Vera was born in Cowra, 1888 where her father was the C of E Minister for 8 years. She was born in the Rectory.

7:58
Attended Kempsey Public School

8:13
Foundation member of the Port Macquarie CWA

8:25
She worked in volunteer capacity at Hastings Historical Hospital - a museum.
There was also a trained Army District Nurse called Sr. Farthing who worked there for 15 years -

9:17
Vera was also a member of Red Cross for 60 years. Her mother lived in Glen Innes whilst Vera was training.

9:32
Her sister in law died leaving her brother with five children. Her sister came along and adopted the children.
She also worked in the Far West Children Second Hand Shop to raise funds.
Recollection of a car accident and the help given her by local friends. She was given a car by the Chairman of the Wool Board. Mr Dirks.

14:02
Sir Rodin Cutler presented MBE.

15:10
Recollection of house emergency call - a locum asked her to go 4 or 5 miles out of town in the dark with a nurse. There was an old lady sitting beside a stove, crying her heart out. Her husband had died. There was also an "imbecile" child. She came face to face with poverty.

21:17
Recalls cargo ship "The Wallingby" being torpedoed - it had a cargo of butter which eventually came on shore. There were five survivors. It was coupon day and everybody got butter.

22:21
She remembers a boat came adrift at Port Hacking.
An anecdote about a life raft ashore at Shelley Beach - finding little tins of coconut in the raft which was survival food.

26:37
Recollection of going out with the Red Cross, visiting farms in flood around the Hastings River. "You'd see a little shed sail by or dead cattle".
The farmer's wife who collected antiques buried a drum in the backyard and she put the antiques in there when she heard the Japanese were coming.

30:38
Recalls family of travelling gypsies.

Tape duration: 31:06
Last edited by: Dave Trimble

SubjectRobson, Vera, 1888- Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Cowra (N.S.W.) -- History.Warialda (N.S.W.) -- History.Kempsey (N.S.W.) -- Social conditions.Port Macquarie Base Hospital.Hospitals -- New South Wales -- Port Macquarie.Country Women's Association of New South Wales - HistoryWomen - New South Wales - Societies and clubs - HistoryPersonJack Delaney Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

CreatorRobson, Vera, 1888-Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010CollectionVoices of the Hunter Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Date Created2nd November 1980 Last edited by: Dave Trimble

Location^[1]St John's Anglican Church, Cowra Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

^[2]St Simon & St Jude's Anglican Church, Warialda Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

^[3]Hospital, Port Macquarie Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

^[4]Glen Innes District Hospital Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Identifier259B Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

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