Wide Bay Hospitals Museum Soc. Inc.

29/09/2025

The museum had a pop up display at the Mary Poppins Festival yesterday. Lots of people visited our display and we had a great time chatting with many. Thanks to Marilyn, Colleen, Deb and Helen who helped with the display.

25/09/2025

Last Thursday we had a visit from a a wonderful group of ladies from the Chirpy Plus Hervey Bay/Maryborough group. Two of the group were past nurses so a few memories were sparked during the visit. A fun informative time was held by all. As always, group visits are welcome as we enjoy sharing our hospitals' history.

19/09/2025

The Wide Bay Hospitals Museum Soc Inc held their AGM on Tuesday, 16th September, during which the officers for the next year were elected:
President - Marilyn Jensen
Vice President - Deb Carroll
Secretary - Cathy Baker
Treasurer - Colleen Pitt.
Congratulations to all.

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06/09/2025

A wonderful group of 20 happy Probus Club members from Burpengary visited our museum on Thursday. After looking around the museum and learning about our local hospitals' history as well as marvelling at the old medical equipment and old surgical instruments, many look advantage of a 'good sit down' on our verandah.
Thanks everyone. We hope to see you again.

04/08/2025

The majority of early photographs of the Maryborough Hospital in Walker St show a large ornate triple lamp standing high above a four sided drinking fountain in the front of the central building. It was known as the Sim Memorial and was erected in memory of William Sim.
Sim and his family settled in Maryborough in 1863 in order to establish with Pettigrew a saw milling business at Dundathu on the Mary River. Sadly Sim was killed by a log in Tin Can Bay in November 1873. Sim's association with the Maryborough Hospital (MH) then in Lennox St commenced soon after settling in Maryborough when he became a subscriber and a member of the MH Management Committee. In early 1873, Sim was elected President of the MH Management Committee, a position he held at the time of his death.
Funds were raised for a memorial to Sim, but unfortunately nothing eventuated until 1886.
At this time a new hospital was being built in Walker St and Wiliam Sim's son, William Simpson Sim, was a member of the MH Management Committee. The Sim family presented the funds raised to the hospital for the er****on of a memorial and furnishing a ward in the new hospital. By mid/late July 1887, the Memorial Lamp in the front of the new hospital was erected.
The lamp for the Sim Memorial had a drinking fountain attached. It was made of cast iron, mounted on a concrete foundation and was over 20 feet (just over 6 metres) high. The lamp was lighted by three globes, the drinking fountain, one on each of the four sides of the lower section had drinking cups mounted on a chain The lamp pole and with the lamps were painted white with the lower section painted in contrasting colours highlighting the ornate features. The letters 'SIM' were painted on at least two sides of the lamp pole base above the drinking fountain. The Sim memorial fund with a Government endowment by this time was £280 (around $44,000 today). The lamp with water and gas supplied cost £130 (around $21,000 today). The balance of the Memorial funds were put toward fitting out and furnishing a ward in the new hospital which became known as the Sim Ward. In 1888, a marble plaque was erected in the Sim Ward and is now in the Wide Bay Hospitals Museum collection.
Over successive years the Sim Memorial Lamp and Drinking Fountain remained a feature of the Maryborough Hospital as it was located directly in front of the central building and was surrounded by gardens.
Unfortunately, after several decades and certainly by 1940, one has to wonder if the memory of William Sim Snr and reason for the lamp at the front of the hospital had been lost to time. Photographs in 1941 show the drinking fountain part of the lamp as unpainted.
Sadly the lamp and drinking fountain is no longer a feature at the front of the hospital. When exactly it was removed is uncertain. What is known is that the land at the front of the hospital and eastern wing was cleared and levelled in preparation for the building of a new Administration block and Outpatient Department in late 1940s. Was the Memorial removed then? If so what became of it? Does anyone know?

27/06/2025

100 years ago today (28th June), Maryborough lost a popular medical practitioner who died at the age of 48 years. That person was Dr Henry Lee Garde known as Lee Garde. Lee initially arrived in Maryborough as an infant when his Irish parents (Dr Thomas William Garde Jnr and Jane Henrietta nee Lee) spent a short time here in 1877 before settling in Toowoomba. Lee gained the medical degree of Bachelor of Medicine, Master of Surgery (BM, ChM) from the University of Sydney in 1901. From 1901 – 1903, he was a Resident Surgeon, later Medical Superintendent at the Toowoomba Hospital. In July 1903, Lee Garde was appointed as locum Resident Surgeon for Dr Henry Croker Garde (Lee's half uncle) at the Maryborough Hospital and later in February 1904 appointed Resident Surgeon when H.C Garde resigned. Lee held this position until April 1911 and had an active involvement in the management of the 1904 and 1905 Plague outbreaks treated at the hospital. At this time in history the hospital doctor was also allowed to have a private practice within a certain radius of the Post Office and Lee had built up a 'good following'. After leaving the Maryborough Hospital he initially ran his surgery from next to the St Mary's Hospital (later St Stephens Hospital) in John St and from 1914 from rooms in his newly built house across the road from the same hospital. He was Visiting Surgeon to the Lady Musgrave Hospital for a time and had major involvement with ownership with the St Mary's Hospital and St Margaret's Hospital.
Dr Lee Garde was the Municipal Health Officer,1915-1917 and a Member Municipal Council from 1919 - 1923 during which time he was a Member of the Municipal Health Committee and had major involvement with the Council's management of the 1919 flu pandemic in Maryborough.
Lee was involved with many of Maryborough's organisations and had held office in many of them, some included - Maryborough and Wide Bay Club, Maryborough Jockey Club, the School of Arts, Maryborough Technical College, Wide Bay Rowing Club, Wallaroo Football Club, Maryborough Sailing and Motor Boat Club, where there had been a Lee Garde trophy at one time, Tennis, Motoring, and Shooting. It seems that his biggest sporting interest was golf and Lee was member of Golf Club for many years. In fact after his death, the Dr Lee Garde memorial trophy commenced in 1926 to be contested for 10 years. The final winner from 1937, Dr Bendeicht, re gifted the trophy to be played on for another 5 years.
Dr H. Lee Garde was married to Margaret Crombie in 1904 and they had 3 children.
The photo is of Dr H. Lee Garde, date unknown.

22/05/2025

Pleased to be able to share our local healthcare history with Maryborough's local MP.

11/05/2025

Today 12th May Is International Nurses Day and always celebrated on the birth date of Florence Nightingale.
Members of the Wide Bay Hospitals Museum Soc. Inc. trust that all nurses both past and present have a wonderful day. We appreciate what you do and thank you.
Photo is Maryborough Hospital nurses who graduated in 1955.

04/05/2025

Today, the 5th May, is the International Day of the Midwife. The Wide Bay Hospitals Museum Soc. Inc acknowledges all midwives both past and present. A big thank you to each and every one of you.
Photo: Nursing staff of the Lady Musgrave Hospital, John St, Maryborough, 1924. Gwen Larsen photo. Gwen is in the back row, 2nd from the right.

24/04/2025

This ANZAC Day, the Wide Bay Hospitals Museum Soc. Inc. acknowledges the military service of all staff, both past and present, of Maryborough's Hospitals.
To date we know of at least 30 staff who served during WW1 - 20 Nurses, 6 Doctors, 3 Wardsmen, the Hospital Secretary, and the Hospital Committee President (who was also a local Pharmacist and past staff member)
During WW2, to date we know of 57 Maryborough registered nurses (or nursing sisters), 16 of these were Maryborough born. All served in the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS), except for one who served in the Royal Australian Air Force Nursing Service (RAAFNS). We also know that up to 10 medical doctors with Maryborough connections also served in the Australian Army Medical Corp (AAMC) during WW2.
Lest We Forget

15/04/2025

On this day on the 15th April 1885 (140 years ago) the foundation stone for the new Maryborough Hospital being built in Walker St was laid with some pageantry. A procession went from the town to the new hospital site. Large groups of spectators lined the footpaths of the main streets or congregated at various vantage spots along the line of route and the Town band furnished lively music. The full strength of the Fire Brigade who looked splendid in their new uniforms took part. Various Societies also took part and included the P.A.F. Society, the Oddfellows, the Temperance bodies and the Scandinavians. After the societies came a buggy containing the Ministers and Members of Parliament, followed a large bus containing the Hospital Committee, Aldermen, and "Sundries," after which the Mayor and the President of the Hospital, Mr H Palmer, escorted the Premier. One can only imagine the sight.
For the ceremonial laying of the foundation stone, a platform had been erected in front of the stone which hung from shear legs with flags waving aloft. When everyone had settled into places around the spot, those present were informed that a sealed casket which contained coins of the realm, copies of the three local newspapers, and a parchment bearing a inscription (see copy taken from the Chronicle), was to be placed in the cavity under the stone. This was done by the Premier, the Hon. S. W. Griffith, the mortar was spread, and the stone lowered. The Premier then with a handsome silver trowel and mallet provided, and declared the stone "well and truly laid.'' (Maryborough Chronicle 16.04.1885, p.3). And yes, the stone is still there under the original centre block of the hospital.
Unfortunately there are no known photographs of the occasion. If there is one, we would love to see it.

07/03/2025

Today, 8th March, is International Women's Day. The WBHM Soc. Inc. celebrates the achievements of all the women who have been associated with our hospitals in the past up to the present day. We know that female nurses were the major presence in our hospitals in the past but we should never forget the domestic staff and other support services that feature women.
The photo is of some of MH domestic/kitchen staff from a 'few decades ago'. L-R: Gloria Lange, Beryl Baker, Sheila Bull, Lexie Cockburn, Gwenda Murphy.