Constance Stone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Constance Stone
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| Born | 4 December 1856 Hobart, Tasmania
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| Died | 29 December 1902 (aged 46) St Kilda, Victoria, Australia
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| Alma mater | University of Trinity College |
| Occupation | Physician |
Emma Constance Stone (born December 4, 1856 – died December 29, 1902) was a very important person in Australian history. She was the first woman doctor to practice medicine in Australia. She also played a big part in starting the Queen Victoria Hospital in Melbourne.
Early Life and Education
Constance Stone was born in Hobart, Tasmania, on December 4, 1856. Her parents were William and Betsy Stone. In 1872, her family moved to Melbourne.
In 1882, Constance met Reverend David Egryn Jones. He was a priest who had moved from England. Reverend Jones saw a lot of poverty in his church area. This made him want to study medicine to help people. Constance decided to follow his lead and study medicine too.
At that time, the University of Melbourne did not allow women to study medicine. So, Constance had to leave Australia to get her medical education. She went to the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania in the United States. She then earned her medical degree (MD) from the University of Trinity College in Toronto, Canada, in 1888. Reverend Jones also went to Canada to get his MD.
Making History in Medicine
After finishing her studies, Constance Stone moved to London, England. She worked at the New Hospital for Women. This hospital was run by women doctors for women patients. Working there gave her a big idea: she wanted to start a similar hospital in Australia. It would be a place run "by women, for women."
In 1890, Constance returned to Australia. She became the first woman ever to be officially registered with the Medical Board of Victoria. This meant she could legally work as a doctor in Australia.
Her sister, Grace 'Clara' Stone, also became a doctor. Clara was lucky because by her time, the University of Melbourne allowed women to study medicine. Clara was one of the first two women to graduate from the University of Melbourne in 1891. The two sisters then opened a private medical practice together. They also worked at a clinic for out-patients in La Trobe Street.
In 1895, the first meeting of the Victorian Medical Women's Society happened at Constance's house. Clara Stone became the president of this new society. In September 1896, eleven women doctors in Melbourne decided to create the Queen Victoria Hospital for women. Money for the hospital was raised through a special "jubilee shilling fund" appeal. The hospital officially opened its doors in July 1899.
Her Amazing Legacy
Constance Stone married Reverend David Egryn Jones in 1893. They had a daughter named Constance Bronwen in 1899.
Sadly, Constance Stone became ill with tuberculosis in 1902. She passed away on December 29, 1902, at the age of 45. Her husband, Reverend David Egryn Jones, and her daughter, Bronwen, survived her. Bronwen also grew up to become a doctor in London.
Today, a lane in the Queen Victoria Village (known as QV) in Melbourne is named after Constance Stone. This helps people remember her important work and how she changed medicine for women in Australia.
See also
In Spanish: Constance Stone para niños
