St Margaret’s Hospital was established in Strawberry Hills [Surry Hills] in 1894 as a lying-in home, by a religious community led by Gertrude Abbott. It grew and became a maternity hospital, lying in home and provided midwifery nursing training. In 1910, St Margaret’s moved to Darlinghurst. From 1937 was run by the Sisters of St…
The Queen Victoria Hospital for Women and Babies in Annandale was founded by George Lewis in 1895 and run by Matron Attenborough from 1896 until 1924. It catered to both married and single mothers. Many children of single mothers were adopted from the Hospital. In 1930 it temporarily moved to Herbert Street, Dulwich Hill before…
The Mater Misericordiae Hospital for Women and Children was a maternity hospital established at Crows Nest by the Sisters of Mercy, North Sydney Congregation, in 1906. In 1910 the Mater moved to North Sydney. It cared for mothers who were unmarried, and destitute before and after the birth of their babies. Babies for adoption were…
The Royal North Shore Hospital was established in 1885 at St Leonards. It was a general hospital and took maternity cases. Many adoptions were arranged from Royal North Shore Hospital and it holds the adoption records of the nearby Mater Misericordiae Hospital. The Royal North Shore Hospital continues in 2013 to meet the health needs…
The Royal Hospital for Women is a maternity hospital that was established at Paddington in 1901 by the Benevolent Society. It was designated the Royal Hospital for Women in 1904 and a new building opened in 1905. The Royal Hospital for Women organised many of the adoptions of babies in New South Wales. Since 1992…
Crown Street Women’s Hospital was established in Hay Street in 1893 and moved to Surry Hills in 1897. It was a public women’s and maternity hospital. In addition to being a general women’s hospital, Crown Street accommodated many single mothers, including state wards and Aboriginal wards, and its staff arranged a high proportion of New…
The Renwick Hospital for Infants was opened in 1911 by the Benevolent Society. The building had been the Thomas Street Asylum, but was converted to a babies’ hospital to deal with the epidemics of gastroenteritis that hit crowded Sydney streets in summer. It had 60 cots and also appears to have catered to lying-in mothers….
Hillcrest Hospital was a maternity hospital in Curry Street, Merewether that was run by the Salvation Army from 1933. Previously, the institution was called the Maryville Mothers’ Hospital. Adoptions were arranged from Hillcrest. Hillcrest Hospital closed in 1977. Hillcrest Hospital was described in a newspaper article from 1939: “Hillcrest” nestles in the hills at Merewether,…
Maryville Mothers’ Hospital, in Curry Street Merewether, was a maternity hospital run by the Salvation Army. As well as providing services to local women, this was a hospital from which adoptions were arranged. Maryville Mothers’ Hospital had its name changed to Hillcrest Mothers’ Hospital in 1933. Maryville Mothers’ Hospital was established in the building formerly…
Newcastle Maternity and Rescue Home was opened in Albert Street, Islington (in Newcastle) in July 1897 and was also known as ‘The Lighthouse’. It provided accommodation for homeless girls and women, including unmarried mothers, and married mothers. In May 1924 it moved to Merewether, and became known as Maryville Mothers’ Hospital.