Prince Henry Hospital, Sydney facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Prince Henry Hospital site
Part of the old Coast Hospital.
Location	1430 Anzac Parade, Little Bay, City of Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1881–
Architect	NSW Colonial Architect; NSW Government Architect
Owner	Landcom
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: Prince Henry Site; Prince Henry Hospital; The Coast Hospital
Type	State heritage (complex / group)
Designated	2 May 2003
Reference no.	1651
Type	Hospital
Category	Health Services
Builders	NSW Public Works Department
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The Prince Henry Hospital site in Little Bay, Sydney, was once a very important hospital. It was known as the Prince Henry Hospital and before that, The Coast Hospital. It started as a place to treat people with serious infectious diseases. Later, it became a major UNSW teaching hospital and a special unit for spinal rehabilitation. The hospital was built starting in 1881 by the NSW Public Works Department. Today, the land is owned by Landcom, a government agency. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 2003 because of its important history.

History of the Site

Early Aboriginal History

The land around Sydney has been home to Aboriginal people for at least 20,000 years. Evidence shows they lived along the coast and in the Blue Mountains. Many ancient sites near the coast might have been covered by rising sea levels over thousands of years.

Archaeologists have found signs of Aboriginal life in the Sydney area dating back 7,000 to 8,000 years. These include old campfires and rock shelters. More evidence, like shell middens (piles of shells from meals), shows that Aboriginal people used the coastal areas a lot in the last 2,500 years.

Over time, Aboriginal tools changed. Early tools were often large cores and scrapers. Later, smaller, more detailed tools appeared. This shows how Aboriginal people adapted to their environment and developed new ways of life. Recent studies have focused on how they lived by the coast and used its resources.

Colonial Settlement

The area where the hospital stands today was first settled by Europeans in the 1820s. One of the first landowners was Captain Francis Marsh. Later, Simeon Pearce, who came from Randwick in England, bought land here. He named the area "Randwick" after his hometown.

Randwick grew slowly at first because it was far from Sydney, with swamps and sandhills in between. Travel was difficult, and buses often got stuck. Society was divided, with wealthy people living in large homes and working-class people in market gardens or piggeries. Some poor immigrants lived in makeshift homes in an area called Irishtown.

In 1859, Randwick became one of the first suburbs in NSW to form its own local council. This allowed it to collect money and improve the area. The establishment of Randwick Racecourse in 1863 by John Tait helped the area grow much faster. Trams soon connected Randwick to Sydney, making it a busy and successful place.

Why The Coast Hospital Was Built

The Prince Henry Hospital, originally called The Coast Hospital, was very important for public health in New South Wales. It was built in 1881 because of a smallpox outbreak. It was the first public hospital run by the government after the convict era. This hospital helped the government learn how to manage health services across the state.

The hospital's location was chosen carefully. In the 1800s, people were very afraid of infectious diseases. They believed that sick people should be kept far away from healthy ones. Also, fresh ocean air was thought to be good for healing. So, The Coast Hospital was built in an isolated spot at Little Bay, away from the main city. Even within the hospital, patients with different illnesses were kept separate.

Because it was so isolated, The Coast Hospital also started the first complete ambulance service in New South Wales. This service was a pioneer for ambulance services across Australia.

The hospital had a cemetery, used from 1897 to 1952. It was located away from the main hospital to prevent the spread of disease. This cemetery is now a special place for the Aboriginal community, known as the Dharawal Resting Place. It is where the remains of Aboriginal ancestors, returned from museums, can be reburied. The first reburial happened in 2002.

Prince Henry Hospital's Growth

As Sydney grew closer, the hospital became less isolated, and more people needed its services. In the early 1900s, the hospital began a major expansion. Between 1914 and 1920, many new wards were planned. These new wards were named the Flowers Hospital, after the Minister for Health, Fred Flowers.

By 1929, the hospital was the largest in NSW. In 1934, it was renamed the Prince Henry Hospital, honoring a visit by Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester. The hospital became known for its expertise in diagnosing and treating infectious diseases. Its staff were highly respected worldwide.

Training nurses was a key part of the hospital's work since 1894. From 1937, new nurses had to spend two months in a special training school before working in the wards. In 1936, Prince Henry Hospital became an official postgraduate teaching hospital. In 1960, it became the first teaching hospital for the new University of NSW.

The hospital also offered special services during World War II, treating soldiers, including American troops. It even had a special ward for police officers and a secure ward for prisoners from Long Bay Gaol.

Important People at Prince Henry Hospital

Many important medical professionals and administrators worked at Prince Henry Hospital. Some buildings were named after them, like Matron E McNevin, Matron CM Dickson, FW Marks, Bob Heffron, and JE Delaney.

• Matron Clarice Dickson joined the hospital in 1909. She served in France during World War I and was awarded a medal for bravery. She became Matron of Prince Henry Hospital in 1936, and a new nurses' home was named after her when she retired.
• Matron Ethel McNevin started as a trainee in 1915. She became Matron in 1937 and introduced the Nurses Preliminary Training School. This school became a vital part of nurse training at the hospital.
• Bob Heffron was a local politician and served as Chairman of the Hospital Board for many years. He later became the NSW Premier. A new ward block was named after him in 1961.
• FW Marks was also a Chairman of the Board, and an infectious diseases ward was named the FW Marks Pavilion in his honor.
• Dr CJM "Cec" Walters was the Medical Superintendent for many years. He was known for his loyalty and dedication.
• John E. Delaney became Chief Executive Officer in 1973. He worked to improve access to the hospital.
• Dr Neville Stanley led a virus research team that became famous in Australia for studying viral meningitis and the polio virus.

The Hospital's Closure

The closure of Prince Henry Hospital was announced in 1988. Its services were gradually moved to the Prince of Wales Hospital. From the early 1970s, services had slowly been reduced. By the 1980s, many buildings were run-down due to a lack of funding and uncertainty about the future.

In 1999, the Minister for Health confirmed that all remaining services would move to the Prince of Wales Hospital. The Prince Henry site was then planned for redevelopment, including new homes, aged care, and some medical services. This plan also included restoring the historic buildings on the site.

The Masterplan for the site was approved in 2001, and the site was officially listed on the State Heritage Register in 2003. The plan aimed to balance new development with preserving the site's important history and natural beauty.

What the Site Looks Like Today

The Prince Henry site has many different buildings and open spaces. It also has archaeological features that show its long history as a hospital.

The natural landscape includes Little Bay, sandstone rocks, and native plants. There are also planted trees like palms and Norfolk Island pines. You can see beautiful views of Little Bay and the coast from the site.

The buildings show the different stages of the hospital's development. They include old hospital wards, operating rooms, research facilities, administration buildings, and homes for nurses and doctors.

Some important parts of the site include:

• The main entrance gates and Pine Avenue, lined with tall pine trees.
• The Water Tower, Wishing Well, and World War II Memorial Clock Tower.
• Old hospital buildings like the former Pathology Laboratory and Nurses Homes.
• The Flowers Ward Group, which were large wards built in the early 1900s.
• The Coast Golf and Recreation Club Clubhouse, which used to be the hospital's steam laundry.
• Little Bay Beach and the surrounding headlands.
• The North Cemetery, which is a significant burial place.

Items from the Past

Many items from the hospital's history, like old medical equipment and nursing tools, are now kept in the Prince Henry Hospital Nursing and Medical Museum. These items help us understand how medicine and nursing changed over time.

The Coast Hospital Cemetery at Little Bay is a sad reminder of past epidemics. It was used from 1897 to 1952. Most of the graves are unmarked, but it's estimated that over 2,000 people were buried there. It's also the Dharawal Resting Place for Aboriginal ancestors.

Site Condition and Discoveries

The site still holds evidence of Aboriginal life before the hospital was built. This includes old campsites, rock engravings, and places where tools were sharpened. There's also a chance that more undiscovered Aboriginal artifacts are still there.

The Prince Henry site is also important for its archaeological evidence of the hospital's own history. This includes remains from the original Coast Hospital and the Male Lazaret (a place for people with leprosy). These findings help us understand how the hospital operated over 120 years.

Changes Over Time

The Prince Henry site has changed a lot since it first opened. There have been four main periods of development:

• Early Years (1881–1914): The site started as a temporary place for smallpox patients. It was designed to keep infectious patients separate. Few original buildings from this time remain, but archaeological evidence shows where they were.
• Expansion (1915–1934): The hospital grew significantly, with plans for many new wards. Even though not all were built, it became the largest hospital in NSW.
• Prince Henry Hospital (1935–1959): The hospital was renamed Prince Henry Hospital and focused on becoming a major general hospital. Many of the distinctive brick buildings you see today, like Heffron House and the Matron Dickson Nurses Home, were built during this time.
• Teaching Hospital (1960–2001): The hospital became a key teaching hospital for the University of NSW. New buildings were added, and existing ones were renovated to support medical research and training.

In 2008, the Prince Henry Masterplan, which guides the site's redevelopment, won a major award. It was praised for balancing new homes with keeping open spaces, preserving heritage buildings, and providing community benefits.

Why the Site is Important

The Prince Henry site is very important for many reasons:

• History: It was the most important place for treating infectious diseases in NSW from the 1880s. It was the first public hospital in NSW after the convict era. It also played a big role as a teaching hospital.
• Ambulance Service: The first permanent ambulance service in NSW started from this hospital.
• Design and Beauty: The hospital's location by the sea, its spacious layout, and the design of its buildings create a unique and beautiful place. The old buildings show how ideas about health care changed over time.
• Natural Environment: The coastal landscape, including Little Bay, is very scenic. There's even a special geological area that helps scientists understand the coastline and climate from millions of years ago.
• People and Community: The site is important to Aboriginal people, who have a long history and spiritual connection to the land. It's also valued by thousands of nurses, doctors, and staff who trained and worked there. Many former nurses still visit the site's chapel and museum.

The Prince Henry site offers a rare chance to learn about the history of medicine, public health, and Aboriginal life in New South Wales. It shows how our understanding of health and disease has changed over more than a century.

See also

• Prince of Wales Hospital (Sydney)