Doreen (Donaldson) Wilson (1925 - 2020)

Born 16 Dec 1925 in Darlinghurst

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 18 Aug 2020 at age 94 in Melbourne

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Bruce Donaldson [send private message] and Craig Wilson [send private message]

DOREEN ISABEL HAY DONALDSON/WILSON Second child of Mervyn and Isabel, was born on 16 December 1925 in Darlinghurst. Educated at Blaxland Public and Penrith High Schools to Intermediate level, she then attended a business college in Sydney. She worked as a comptometer operator for Sydney City Council until she commenced nursing at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, where she completed the four year course. She gained her second certificate after studying midwifery at the Queen Victoria Hospital in Melbourne where she was in charge of the premature babies’ nursery for a year.

On 10 March 1951, Doreen married Colin Bruce Wilson at the Presbyterian Church, Burwood, NSW. Bruce, the son of Robert William and Mabel Estelle Wilson, nee Diener, was born on 19 March 1922 in Mildura. Bruce joined the militia in 1940 and transferred to the AIF in 1941 where he served with many units in Australia and New Guinea until he was discharged in 1946 with the rank of sergeant. Bruce completed a degree in the mechanical and diesel engineering and was employed by the Department of Civil Aviation, in connection with airport emergency lighting and fire fighting equipment. Doreen and Bruce made their home in Melbourne where Bruce died on 10 October 1981. They had five children, all born in Victoria. Doreen died on Monday 17th August 2020 in the nursing home at Wantirna Melbourne Vic. She was a much loved member of a large extended family.

Source: “The Donaldson Family in Australia” ISBN 1 86252 991 4 Published in Oct 1987.

Doreen Donaldson's Memories of Living at Darley Road Randwick .

A Story Written for Jean Jordan. Written 2014

We moved from Cheltenham just before John was born in 1927 .All McLennan Family living at home in the house at 157 Darley Rd Randwick. This was deep Depression time and money was almost nil but the boys worked on and off. No super. My Dad had work. I don't remember moving in to the house at 159 Darley Road Randwick but very clear in my mind is Don and I going next door after our tea and bath whilst Macs having their tea; Pop Mac sitting me on his knee and giving me tea from his saucer. Have loved a good cup of tea ever since. Grew up with lots of people coming and going. Nanna Catherine McLennan and her sisters – Aunty Emily, Isabel, and when down for the Easter Show Aunty Nancy and Judy as well as her Brothers Jack and Jim lived locally, Grandma Sloane lived with Uncle Jack and Aunty Alice in Centennial Ave. Many happy memories and I loved all my Aunts and Uncles, but not always their boy and girl friends (romantic). To say we were spoilt would be an understatement; Maisie was obviously closest to us. She would taking us to Parks and the Beach. Pop Mac was an ice-berg and went regularly to Clovelly early to swim and decided that Don, John and self should learn to swim – so he made sure we did, and well – we were all good swimmers, and that's why Mum never seemed to worry about us going down to the Gully at Blaxland to swim .If only she had known how deep and cold it was – she would never have let us go. Dorothy Martin , Aunty Isabel's daughter was Maisie's soul mate and they spent a lot of time together and seemed to have so many friends and did 'mad' dressing up of we children – Mum seemed never to mind – I guess it was a help when David was such a sick baby with asthma and bronchitis regularly. .Everyone loved Maisie. From the top Jessie was the one family constant .She worked in an office but decided she wanted to do teaching and set her mind to it;. I remember not being allowed to go in when she was studying .Sheila was also doing her course but started before Jess and was well on the way before Jess got her first chance of school experiences. Sheila was the boisterous one, always having something to say about everything and was bossy, she didn't tolerate we children well, she used to call us the nuisances , which didn't please Mum and so Mum and Sheila never became close. Aunty Jean was very quiet and very generous to us. She always gave us money to go to the Pictures Saturday Matinees at Clovelly/Randwick. Saturday afternoon matinees – which always had two films and entertainment at half time. I don't even remember going with friends – just we three and we always had a few pence left over between us to buy a SMACK ice cream which we shared. The SMACK – was the forerunner, which took years to catch up, of the next choc-covered ice cream – which I can't recall the name. Both Jess and Jean were wonderful ballroom dancers – as was Mum – who was not able to carry on when children arrived. They had all learnt at Nancy's (Aunty) Dance School which she ran from a house in Alison Road. This Could have been Uncle Jim's; Nancy used to invite young men from various organisations to come along to meet girls and dance. My Dad's Mervyn and his Surry Juniors Cricket Club was one such group and is where Mum and Dad met. Sandy and Don also used to go to be partners for students, and were good dancers. Aunty Nancy had married and gone to Inverell before Maisie got to dancing stage and I can't recall Norman even going. Jess and Jean used to go to Paddington Town Hall regularly, probably every Saturday night;. I was 'crazy' about dancing and mum enrolled me in a dancing School – held at 'The Institute”, when I was three. We did the whole deal – ballet, child version of ballroom and tap – my favourite was tap – and I really disliked ballet, and I still do to this day. I stayed at the “School” 'til we moved to Blaxland. The Aunties:- well I loved Jess from when I opened my 'baby-eyes'. I feel she was so much like Mum in many ways, and had so many friends. - The boyfriend I really liked was Colin – but hard as I try, I can't recall his surname, except that it started with W. It was a very serious relationship and they wanted to get married – but alas he was a Roman Catholic and it 'couldn't' be. I have no idea which family said NO – but Colin went to USA and worked for a newspaper. To my knowledge, Jess never had another serious relationship, lots of boys, but no-one special again that I ever knew about. Sheila I have mentioned before, - we were not compatible – even as adults, but I really loved Hal – he was so special and I have always carried a curiosity about how they complemented each other – it always seemed such a contrast of personalities to me. Sheila and Hal had a small upstairs flat in Clovelly when first married, and I often stayed for weekends. Hal used to take me swimming – but I never got close to Sheila. Now, my Auntie Jean – she was always so pleasant and kind to us all; gave us pocket money and took us to Centennial Park – Pop often came also and we fed ducks and chased and seemed to be away for hours, but I don't remember food; I guess she did it to help Mum, but we loved her for it. When I was older she used to take me to town and teach me the streets – from the Railway down to the Quay. I was a slow learner but she was very patient and we did it many times and then had something to eat at D.J's. She was also a wonderful dancer and the only boy-friend that I even remember her bringing home, was a Les – he was tall and handsome and I can't recall his other name, but I liked him a lot, he just seemed so right – have no idea what happened to him, but where, when and how she met your Dad, I have no idea. I do remember being taken to meet Mrs Jacups and Treasure in town somewhere – but Les wasn't there. You probably know how, when and where they met. Maisie: I loved her; she was very popular and she and Dorothy Martin – Aunty Isabel's daughter were close mates but Martins lived in Hornsby or Chatswood. They lived there later. Aunty Emily lived at Asquith, closer to Hornsby, so they probably had limited time together. I don't know where and when Maisie met George Davidson but she was very young. Mum told me the reason Maisie was unable to have children was due to 'back-yard' abortion that George insisted she have – that went terribly wrong; Mum told me she was 17 – but I've since heard different ages – but she never stopped loving George and I must admit he was a likeable rogue. Uncle Don was hard to get to know – he was a baker and kept weird hours – but loved his bagpipes and used to march up and down the hall playing mouthpiece. Even after he was married to Violet he was quite aloof – but I liked Violet very much. She was warm and friendly and her Dad, Pop Davey a great fellow. My very strong lasting memory of my many stays with Violet – across Queens Park in Bondi or Waverley, not sure – but she was in the process of adopting Ian – and used to take me to Dr with her – and had worked out her own method of padding herself up – as she didn't want neighbours to know that baby wasn't hers, when she got him. It was quite bizarre to me at the time, but I do thank God that I had a mother who used to tell me everything in a very sensible way, and also invited me to ask any questions about anything I was concerned about – but also taught me about people's privacy and how certain things were not for open discussion. Sandy was also a hard man to to get to know – he had lots of girlfriends – but my strongest memory is of Thelma Saunders whom he married. Thelma was short and dumpy – very quiet, but of course all things changed when Thelma died having baby. I don't recall ever being told what went wrong – in fact I never asked Mum even in later years – but Sandy's life changed on that day. He had always known Glady, because her brother Bob Wheeler was his mate – so in the end he found a lot of happiness when he married Glady and they took on care of Lindsay. Dennis became a regular visitor to Sandy and Glad in Leichhardt and Bruce keeps in touch with Lindsay. You probably know that Violet's death was never explained – lots of theories but an open finding at Inquest. Norman – lovely, friendly and very popular – but also very shy – he was always out somewhere – used to take us to the park and play cricket and spent hours pushing us on the swings in Queens Park and afterwards take us to the Milk Bar for a penny ice cream. I often think that Mum's decision to leave Randwick – Dr Abraham advised her to get David away from sea air (He was a baby asthmatic) and into clear air. Having had holidays up the mountains at different times with Aunty Myra – Dad's brother Eric's wife – she always felt better for the break and I think having made the decision – it was a big break from all the ready made baby sitters next door, she did take a local girl Molly – who had had TB with her, as a house help. Overall it worked out very well. Molly Greenwood stayed with us for years. Dad was working in the City and used to come home at weekends, but because of the Depression it was difficult for the Mac family to afford to come up, but Don, John and I would go either to Burwood to Donaldson's or Randwick to Macs in school hols.All in all I have always felt very blessed to have been involved with such a large loving family.I can honestly say that in all my years of almost living next door I never heard raised voices.Sheila would always make sure she was heard – but in a dominant way – not raised voice. I don't think Grandma would have allowed anyone to raise their voice. Both Nan and Pop were very, very lovable people. Maisie had a close friend Pauline O'Conner – who married Syd Kaye – jeweler and we all knew him. Jess made close friends with the Lang family when she was teaching in Mendooran and Leeton. The Lang's Mrs Lang, part Aboriginal – I don't know how many in family, but Jean and Ivy were known to us all. Ivy became a housekeeper child minder for Sheila and family when they first moved to Blaxland – Mrs Lang came to Blaxland a few times – a big jolly happy lady. You will know more about Jean, as your Mum always kept in touch with Jean – she became a Walmsley and also strangely a girl named Phyllis Cross from Blaxland met a Walmsley boy and married and lived out there – Grenfell way. There was a piano at Mac's but only Jessie and Sandy played. Don stuck to his bagpipes.Mum had a lovely singing voice so we children sang all our Nursery Rhymes instead of saying them. The boys lived in an extension of the house – it was like a Dormitory, three small rooms, curtained off from a hall, enough for bed and side table and clothes hooks. *************************** Memories of Yallambee by Doreen Wilson The smell of creosote is my main early memory of the building of Mum’s dream home. The next is the same as John’s; the huge number of ‘old chums’ cigarette cartons and packets strewn all over the grounds and every now and again “Curly” (never knew his correct name) Miller, would start a little fire with shavings and burn all the cartons and packets; but not often enough to please other workers. Dad told me “Curly” was a “chain smoker”, but I didn’t know what that was; because I couldn’t see any chains and Dad hadn’t explained what it meant. Dad called me into the kitchen one day when we were playing outside to tell me he wanted me to stand near the sink he was putting in place: “I want to measure you against the height of the sink as you will be using it more than your mother”. I have often thought since, he didn’t put much thought into my “growth spurt” - I can still hear his words in my head.Dad fenced off a portion of the verandah for a playpen, for the young ones which we all used for various reasons. I used to put a cushion on the bar and ride “my horse” Blackie .Dad also put a blackboard on the end of the verandah for our graffiti. In the early days we did not have beds on the verandah. Dad used it as a workshop. He had his saw horses set up and used to make window frames etc. until midnight. Mum would get very angry and yell at Dad “Let the children get some sleep”. Wood for the stove and log fire was always a problem. I don’t remember Dad even chopping wood. We children used to do it, which gave Mum continual worry and she found many hiding places for the axe. Mr Cross used to bring a load of split wood occasionally but it didn’t last long. Chips for the bath heater were never a real problem as we used to gather twigs in the bush and get such a roaring fire going in it, that frequently the inside burnt out. One job I really hated was black-leading the wood stove with “Zebra Black Lead”. It was terrible chore every couple of months. It took a long time and was terribly messy. One of the best things that happened was replacing the wood stove with the eclectic one As we older children needed more privacy, beds were put onto the verandah and the playpen removed. We had up to eight beds on the verandah at times, for family or friends and cousins who came on a regular basis. Mum and Dad’s bedroom had an annexe included which was for the baby’s cot and wardrobe, which made it a really interesting room. When Don went to High School, Dad closed off the room from inside and put a door from the verandah to access the small, but adequate separate room. Chooks were a big part of our lives. Right across the back of the tennis court block to the laundry we had pens of various shapes and sizes, definitely not “builder built”. No-one in the early days was over responsible for the chooks as they just “were”. Chokoes grew wild over the chook pens. We had plenty of them and they were cooked in every possible way and used in soup, stews and even pies. The digging of the rubbish pits was “big time entertainment”. They were dug from about halfway from the back fence to outside the toilet and at various stages would stretch right down to the chook pens. There will be many purple castor oil bottles deep down there as at the time it was the cure-all for everything.The original eating nook was always too small and a real problem getting in and out. We had a long table and forms each side. Dad, if he was ever home for tea, which wasn’t often with we older children, sat in a ‘carver’ chair at the head of the table. We had a double bed in the back room and often four of us slept in it. I presume it was for warmth, because it wasn’t because of a shortage of beds. The small front entrance room was off limits to we children; Mum insisted that she had one room that was neat and tidy, into which she could invite visitors and she was adamant that it be kept so. The one person, I remember who was always invited in was the traveller from Marcus Clarkes Store. He came with a huge catalogue and Mum would purchase clothing and household goods. The next visit, which was approximately monthly, he would bring the goods. Water was always a problem. Mum wanted more tanks and Dad said they were too expensive and also there was nowhere to place them. Mum always wanted a garden and made many attempts to start them in various spots but due to lack of water she was never successful. Mum’s ‘saying’ is probably as true today as it was when she moved to the mountains.“You are now entering the ‘Blue Mountains’; where you eat when you are hungry,sleep when you are tired and work when you feel like it”.Grandparents, aunties and uncles and cousins came frequently and occasionally I would have friends stay overnight because without decent transport, Glenbrook and Warrimoo were distant places. The tennis court was a good idea that should have succeeded - but without a lot of adult help, it was not possible to realise the dream. Possibly it may have been finished if the war hadn’t occurred. Over many years our verandah was used by Mum as the village philosophy centre. People came from near and far to talk with Mum and share their problems. She had a very calming influence on everyone. She was widely read and very knowledgeable on many subjects, especially on parenting and in my opinion was years ahead of her time. The verandah was the focal point for everyone and in reality it was the front door, to a wonderful home by Doreen Wilson 1993 *************************************** A Story Of Doreen's Days of Nursing Nurse Doreen Isabel Hay Donaldson By Doreen Wilson in 2003 Preliminary Training School: We commenced P.T.S. at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (R.P.A) on 31st January 1944, which was a public holiday, Australia Day, which was at that time celebrated on first Monday after 26th January. Thirty Two (32) of us started in the Preliminary Training School. The Second World War was on & a lot of young girls were joining up for Women’s’ Forces; so it was a big surprise to all concerned, that so many young girls were prepared to sign up for four years of very arduous service. P.T.S. was for a 2 month period, held in a special training area consisting of 3 rooms; a school room, a utility room for practical lessons and a kitchen. We had two Tutor Sisters who were both wonderful to us. We had Matron Hetherington for 3 years. Sister Laurie I year .During our term of 4 years we had Sister Brownlow as Senior Tutor and Sister Moore as our Junior Tutor. Our Official Senior Tutor Sister during our general training was Sister McGarry. Matron Hetherington knew every nurse. She often rang the ward a particular nurse was working in because if she had seen her walking (away from her) to tell her “your buttons are showing nurse, please put your belt over them.” Some months before we actually commenced at R.P.A, we were required to have appointments with a Mr Dan who had a tailoring business in Railway Square. He proved to be a “peeping tom” & requested girls to undress to bare skin in some cases. The country girls were the most vulnerable. Mrs Dan was there sometimes & so some girls were spared the embarrassment. I was lucky. Families complained to Matron. Mr Dan was subsequently gaoled for lots of indiscretions. The really “funny” part of the story is that none of the uniforms fitted anyone. Some too long, too short, too wide, too skinny – so we had to all swap around to try & find something reasonable to start our first day. It was a wonderful way to get to know each other. Nurses Home During P.T.S.: Our first 2 months of P.T.S were spent housed in flats at Summer Hill, about 7 miles from R.P.A. We travelled to & from the flats by train. We had to be at the hospital by 9am each weekday & we finished P.T.S at 5pm & back to the flats again. One of the most memorable visions I have, is of 32 trainee nurses in uniform, rushing from station to the flats in a mad race to try & be amongst first home, as the hot water supply was very short. Not too many of us ever got a hot shower. We shared a room in the flats & hospital kept food provided in cupboards & we made our own breakfasts & a light tea. We had had a main meal at mid-day at the hospital. We had week-ends off & hospital cleaners serviced the flats & changed linen. We were really too tired at the end of the day to have much fun or talk, but we all got on well together & we remained friends with everyone for many years after finishing and still have after 60 years. A core group of about 16 are about to have a 60 year reunion. P.T.S. was a fun time. I have the names of all the girls who started in our group. Lectures and Learning: Our Tutors were a great help with one senior and one junior. We had Physiology, Biology, Anatomy, Bandaging, Wound Dressing & Cooking , as well as mundane things like how to put a screen around a bed, how to give a bed-pan or a bottle. It was very intense training & after the first month, we spent 1 day a week in the wards learning how to make beds, wheel the screens (on large wheels) which were kept near main ward doors. We had it hammered into us that the openings of the pillows “always had to face away from main ward doors and quilt had to be turned down a quarter & always pulled up later. During P.T.S. & for our first 2 years, we did not wear aprons or cuffs – due to war, the shortage of material & labour to make them. We had tests from P.T.S. tutors & assessment from any ward sister we were placed with to determine our suitability to be nurses. 32 Of us passed & no-one was surprised because of the shortage. But we were told that we were a very special group & we believed it then & believe it now because many of us are still friends. Our Work Hours and Some Rules: During P.T.S., because of lectures, every shift was 6am to 10am and then back at 2pm – 9pm. Sometimes shifts were 6am-6pm, with time allowed to go to lectures. Night duty was 9pm to 7am. We also had to get up when on night duty to attend lectures and also be present on days off or come back from holidays if we hadn’t managed to attend the required number of lectures. Sometimes we worked 80 hours a week & quite regularly 60 hours. No overtime was paid. We were on a 40 hour week standard wage of Seven Shillings and Sixpence with free board and lodging. Night Duty was 8pm to 6am .Supposedly our Morning Tea and Afternoon Tea was 15 minutes but we got ½ hour for lunch break, 1/2 hour for Dinner and 1/2 hour for Breakfast however because of the work load we would have lucky to get to any two meals in any one day. To speak with a Charge Sister or Senior Nurse, juniors had to roll down their sleeves & put their hands behind their backs and later when we had aprons & cuffs, we had to put our cuffs on our rolled down sleeves. Caps had to cover all our hair, except for a small wisp in front. Wards men were trained to do male catheterisations but nurses were not. This was a problem for those nurses who went bush nursing .They later found it difficult and had to learn some skills which we had not been taught. Life in The Real Nurses Home: Because of staff shortages, due to war, we would work 2 weeks & then have 2 ½ days off, but due to our very meagre wages, we couldn’t afford to go to many places. The country girls felt it most, as they seldom had relatives to go & stay with. Also because of the war, our hospital became a registered Comfort Zone for members of the services, male & female. As a result, we had a lot of social events in the Nurses Home ballroom which were mostly dances, afternoon & evenings. They were fun times & we got to meet a great number of servicemen & women from quite a few countries; a great number of Americans and British, but also many Canadians, Dutch & French. Quite a few Nurses met & married overseas soldiers at this time. In charge of the running of the Nurses’ Home was “Milly”. “Milly” was our groups’ pet name for Mabel. We dubbed her “Silly Milly” because she was always happy – when we were always tired & cranky. She had not been a Nurse, but understood Nurses very well & was excellent at protecting us from would be suitors who turned up at the door uninvited or entertaining the ones who came to pick up their legitimate dates. She always rang us on the ward to tell us flowers had arrived for us & would put them in water. Also, if a telegram arrived, she would ring to ask if she would read it to us. She would also always keep biscuits for all the late comers at supper time. “Milly” always went the extra mile for us. As Junior Nurses, we were only allowed to have one late pass each month, which allowed us to be out up until 10.30pm. Other than that, we were only allowed to have a pass until 8pm. As anyone can imagine, these rules were broken often & Milly always covered for us. When those of us who were sent to Yaralla, we couldn’t go anywhere with or without a pass because we were too far from transport, so we made our own fun. We had a tennis court, the grounds were huge & we could swim in the Parramatta River. As Seniors, we were allowed more late passes, so our social life was able to improve, but we were still all short of money, so apart from going to pictures occasionally, we pretty much spent our time off at the Nurses’ Home. This meant our friendships became much stronger because our pre-nursing friends had given up on us because of our shift work & continual tiredness. The camaraderie in the Nurses’ Home is something I have always treasured. It was what made “sticking it out” to become good nurses, very worthwhile. I found it to be a great experiences, great times, great mates and over-all a great life. My First Ward Gynaecology: I commenced in Gynaecology in King George V Hospital (for women & babies). I worked on the 5th floor which was known as Dr Herbert Schlecks’ ward. He was known as a brilliant surgeon, but very difficult. He had all his patients painted from waist to knees with a solution known as “Benney’s Blue”. It was the colour of violet & stained everything it touched, clothes, bedclothes, skin of anyone touching it. Patients stayed in bed for 3 or 4 weeks, depending on the operation. For 2 weeks, they were full sponges, depending on their progress. By the 3rd week, they were allowed to wash their face, hands & down to their waist, gradually sitting over edge of bed and being wheeled to shower. Most went home late in the 5th week. Juniors did all full sponges, and as soon as they were sitting up, were moved to Senior’s area and more full sponges. Juniors had 4 full sponges to do before breakfast at 7.30am & although we were supposed to start at 6am, we had to have Juniors get on duty at 5am to try & get finished, but even so we didn’t even get to breakfast whilst we were there. One morning the night Supervisor was doing late rounds and severely chastised my Co-Junior & myself for being late with our beds. When we said we couldn’t really get there any earlier, she said “are you night duty nurses or day duty?” We told her we were day. She was furious & told us never to wake our patients before 6am. As punishment, we were to return to our rooms & then come back. Because we were “new Juniors”, we were housed in what were known as “the huts” army style barracks, which were situated a mile from main hospital building, way down on Parramatta Rd, towards the city. She rang the home. Sister told her to expect us & so “Mickey” & I had our first bout of tears & homesickness. Our sisters were very good & helped us when we got back, but we learnt a lot of short-cuts after that episode. Sister in charge of this ward was very good to us, but it was full on & very heavy nursing. It was satisfying & rewarding & it became my main interest in nursing; women’s health. On operation day, it would take normally 2 hours to wake a patient from a general anaesthetic to a stage we could sit them up with 2 pillows & they could hold the vomit bowl themselves. Vomiting was a major part of post-operative care. Suture lines had to be watched carefully for any bleeding. Sometimes the vomiting was so severe, patients had to go back to theatre for re-suturing. I spent 4 months in Gynaecology & was then moved to a male accident ward. A New Ward; Male Accidents: The Male Accident Ward had of 30 beds. Fifteen of those were permanently kept for motor bike accidents & were always full. The other beds were home accident or farm accidents & sometimes street accidents. Sadly, not very many of the motor bike victims survived due to horrific head injuries. I spent 4 months there & felt pretty helpless. We seemed to spend most of our time doing back care & feeding the helpless patients. The Senior Nurses did all the injections & wound dressings. The Sister in charge of this ward was very good. Male Medical Ward: My next move was to a male medical ward .It had 60 Beds in the ward, 30 down each side & 10 on the verandah. It was a helpless, helpless place. The Sister in Charge was good and so was great staff, but so many sick men & lots of deaths. The Juniors worked very hard & never got off on time. We were constantly tired because we were very short-staffed. It was impossible to be ready for visitors at the visiting hour of 1 o'clock. We had so many backs to do & patients to try & prop up by oneself. Once again, as Juniors, we did all the mundane things; scrubbing lockers every morning with sandsoap ,doing the flowers, 6 full sponges each and doing pan rounds. I can’t remember any “up” patients in that ward but I think there must have been. I know we had lots of wheel-chairs. I did not enjoy being in this ward. It didn’t seem as though we were not achieving anything & I went on first year holidays feeling very depressed. First Holidays and Returning to some New Ward: When I returned from holidays, I went to The Earn Nose and Throat Ward.(E.N.T) , which I really enjoyed. It was messy because we had to do antrum wash-outs; tonsils almost always bled because the general anaesthetics caused vomiting & coughing. Quite often they had to go back into theatre for re-suturing & Juniors had to go with them to act as the “dirty-nurse”, because no-one other than permanent staff would be available. From E.N.T., I went to the Eye Ward & that was easy nursing. It was difficult, but not physically demanding. Cataracts were nursed sitting up, with sand-bangs either side of head & well sedated, head not supposed to move. We were nearly always in trouble with Doctors because it was a huge task keeping patients still for 10 days with both eyes usually done together & we had to feed all patients. Most cataract operations were not very successful but reasonably helpful to restore some sight. Being in an industrial area, we had a lot of eye emergencies; foreign bodies, knocks, fight, etc. because no protective eye wear was required. Although the patients were not really sick, outcomes were not often good. Surgical Ward: My next ward was the Surgical Ward. It was a 60 bed ward; 30 female's one end & 30 males other. The Surgical Ward was very heavy & it was my first night duty. One Senior Nurse & one Junior. Senior did all the dressings, medications; change-over, blood & saline solutions. Junior did pans, washing backs in the morning, 6 full sponges. Before going on duty, the junior had to go to the Lantern Room & pick up the two kerosene lanterns for the particular ward with one for Senior & one for Junior. We had a special group of Junior Nurses classed as Extras, who could be called to any ward that became very busy, to help out. They always had their own lanterns but Junior on ward was responsible for cleaning & filling the lanterns in the morning, including the “Extras” if she happened to finish in your ward. Lamps were then returned to Lamp Room. Night duty was very busy in this ward especially on operation day. Operation day was usually 10-15 operations on one day, twice a week. Big operations, Cholecystectomies, Bowel Resections, Amputation. Most of mine were Appendectomies. They were kept in bed for 2 weeks, then up & about for another week before discharge. The other operations were in bed for much longer & many did not survive. Penicillin only came to civilian hospitals in late 1946 & was an “unknown” drug and at that time not considered suitable. The drugs for treating infections at that time were sulphanilamide – to which a lot of people were allergic. When we were extremely busy, some of the “up” patients would help us do the morning teas & gave out pans & bottles & we would get into a great deal of strife if the Night Sister happened to do her round at that time. We would both be hauled over coals & if we were “caught” more than 3 times, a Senior nurse would have to make a report to Matron. We never knew when the ‘Night Sister” would come. She used to just appear 3-4 times a night. I went on 2nd year holidays from this ward absolutely exhausted. We had 4 weeks holiday, but we were working a 40 hour week & no overtime allowed to be put down on time sheets. We lived in huts during night duty & then moved into the Nurses Home when we came off night duty. When we returned from holidays, we were seniors. We very proudly & happily wore our 3 star caps (one for 1st year, 2 for 2nd) & of course 4 stars before the ultimate goal of a veil. A Third Year Nurse: The first ward in 3rd year was a male surgical, mostly experimental surgery for patients with little or no hope. The Senior Honorary Surgeon was in the army & came once every 2 weeks to do amazing operations. He was a pioneer in major surgery of all kinds. He did whole lung removals of T.B. & Bronchiectasis patients. The method of nursing these patients were crude & makeshift. Apart from blood & glucose drips, which were normal, we had 2 half house bricks wrapped in sterile dressings placed on chest to compress the cavity. These would be in place for 2 hours & then removed for ½ hour. This routine was for up to 3 weeks. Fifty percent of these patients survived at the time with only Sulpha drugs to assist in any infections. This was quite remarkable because without the operation, their life expectancy was weeks. This Surgeon also pioneered Flap Amputations, taking extra bone to allow flesh to develop on the stump. He also initiated side Cholecystectomies, whereas, they had been midline prior. Bowel Resections were just as successful, done in area of perceived problem; all this before modern internal diagnostic methods available. One big innovation was tubal drainage instead of flat edged rubber. During my time in this ward, I became a Senior very quickly, having only previously given injections under supervision & done dressings likewise. I was on my own in this whole new experimental field. It was heavy work, exciting & very rewarding when someone who actually came in to die was able to be wheeled out with the possibility of a few years of not perfect health, but certainly some chance of enjoyment. I stayed in this ward for 4 months & would like to have stayed longer. "Yaralla" and "Glouster House": My next move was to what was known as “Yaralla”, part of the Estate of the then Late Lady Davidson. She had willed her property to Royal Prince Alfred. It was an old 2 storey mansion in Croydon on Parramatta River. We had one Sister, one Senior Nurse & 2 juniors on each shift. A junior on each floor, and a pan room downstairs. The patients were more or less convalescent (today they would go home & have District Nurses). A lot of recovering cases. Tuberculosis was a very insidious disease & attacked all parts of body, mostly lungs, but also settled in the spine, hips, long bones & some other organs. We had diabetics to teach them how to use their insulin & also to cook & manage their own diets. It was light nursing except for running up & down stairs, but we were very isolated and a long way from public transport. We used to swim in the Parramatta River. I next worked in Gloucester House, the private part of Royal Prince Alfred. It had 5 floors of “paying patients!” We had a really dreadful Sister-In-Charge. It was the first & only place I decided to leave. She gave everyone except 4th year Nurses a dreadful time. One thing she couldn’t do was stop us from going to Matron. It was a hospital rule that everyone was able to have access & a meeting with Matron if an appointment was made. After one very harrowing day, two of us went to Matron to resign. As said before, Matron Hetherington was a truly wonderful, remarkable woman. She sat us down, ordered tea for us & had a heart to heart chat. She convinced us that Sister only had our good interests at heart & wanted to make us move from good Nurses to excellent Nurses. We went back & of course we weathered the storm, but it was a tough course. Matron took a continued interest in us. The Operating Theaters: In the operating theatres you started at the bottom. At Theaters we became the “dirty nurse” to do all the chores outside theatre. Cutting up stock bandages, rolling cotton balls, mending gloves, cutting up the worst of holed gloves to mend pin prick holes in the better ones, which were then used after autoclaving for the "Acute Nurses" in theatre. It took quite a long time to mend gloves with special rubber glue. Because of the war, everything was in short supply & surgical gloves, being rubber were in very severe shortage. The war was in the Pacific Islands & of course our rubber came from Pacific Island rubber farms. Testing successfully after mending was an occasion for celebration. I only stayed 2 months in Theatre. The Urology Ward: For my next ward I went to Men’s Urology. This was very, very hard nursing & very depressing. No good results. 40 Men, various ages with a great variety of urological problems. All came to this ward initially & sorted out when diagnosed. Nephritis patients later went to medical wards for intensive nursing, mostly young men & not many survived. The next lot were middle aged men with Cancer of kidneys or prostate or bladder. Some surgery was done, not a lot of it successful. Not many survived for very long. Next group were older men with Prostate problems & also some surgery which was not really very beneficial but they had the largest piece of equipment ever seen in any ward. It was a Wangansteen’s apparatus which consisted of 3 very large bottles, tubing attached to bladder via abdomen & catheter inserted. Bottles were sterile water to continually flush out prostate or bladder site. One bottle for use, a spare to balance it & one for urine. The amount of tubing was unbelievable. Keeping the apparatus in good working order was a work of art. If it came adrift, the residents would be furious because it was a major procedure to get it working again. The fact that most of the men with this system were elderly & mostly disoriented was a great problem because they would often try to get out of bed & so pull out some or all of the tubes either from bottles or body; so we had a continual mopping up procedure. Fortunately it was only a 2 months stay for me & I was very happy to leave. More Wards and More Experiences: I next went to a Female Medical ward & it was not that really demanding nursing of Urology, but heavy because most patients were Cardiac, Diabetics or Cancer conditions & were nursed in bed; full sponges & full feeds. I don’t recall anyone ever being discharged from this ward. Once again, they were considered elderly & in today’s world, they would be in a nursing home. I only stayed 2 months here with nothing to learn really, except patience. The Operating Theatre: I next went to Theatre after 4 weeks as “Clean” Nurse to learn instruments & do swabs. I never got to like it. The Surgeons were always very aloof & treated Nurses as door-mats. I later went back to do instruments for a Plastic Surgeon, who was just emerging in this new field. He was in the Army & came twice a week to work his miracles on own patients. He was a very nice man, a gentleman and so different to the rest. I learnt a lot & enjoyed my stint there, but didn’t want to make a career of it. From Theatre I went to Orthopaedic Ward which was full of T.B., hips & spines & older children with Dysplasia. They were heavy nursing and smart males, who were hospital ‘savvy’ because most had been in hospital for years. The only treatment was bed-plaster because we had no Tuberculin medications. The young ones had some school lessons and parents & grandparents spent a lot of time with them. Also as Tutors. We had trollies to take them out into sun for a few hours each day. Next, nursing revolved around pressure care. Most of these patients eventually went out to Yaralla for long periods, as they could enjoy the large grounds & fresh air. It wasn’t so much as nursing, but more social work, looking after these fellows. Patients were very good to us in all wards that used dressings; they cut up huge bolts of material to combine them with dressing and sometimes into pad size for female needs, or for use in different sizes for wounds. They rolled up cotton wool swabs which were used to swab the wounds with either methylated spirits, on very weak iodine solution. Back to Glouster House as a 4th year Senior. My first ward as a 4th year senior was night duty on 4th floor Gloucester House. This was private patients behind closed doors and was very difficult where constant rounds had to be done because very sick people could never press their bells. We had a crazy night Supervising Sister who took delight in waking our patients & asking them if they were alright & then telling them “Nurse will give you some hot milk to put you to sleep!” The only peace patients got was when she was on nights off or on leave. This was quite a sad ward for me, as usual patients were generally elderly & had major surgery & medical situations being such that most death occurred in early morning. We had to cope with a lot of deaths & as Senior, I was required to deal with the relatives This was very difficult, as we did not have a Chaplain (they were all in the Services) & relatives at such a time can be very emotional & difficult & wanting instant answers. I learnt a lot more patience nursing during this 3 month and I had 2 great Juniors working with me. A Major Change: After 2 months at Glouster House, I next went to night duty in Female Psychiatry. Well what a change! This was terror time for all of us; an isolated building quite apart from main hospital. It housed neuro-surgery & male & female psychiatric patients with males on ground floor & female second & neuro-theatres top floor. Doors had to be specially locked from outside, by staff leaving each shift, so no-one could get out & outsiders could get in. When things went awry, we had to try & get to a phone to get help, either from male ward or “outside” world & we often had incidents where help was needed. One Senior & one Junior on each floor for night duty. The most major event my Junior & myself had was about midnight, when we were just sitting down to our super, one of our patients about 5ft high, decided she was going home. My Junior got up to investigate a noise, put her head around the door & was promptly knocked out cold with a high-heeled shoe. I was up & also investigating at this time & was confronted with a sharp pointed fruit knife pushed at me. The patient had positioned herself between my junior, unconscious on the floor & me & the telephone; our only means of obtaining help. The whole building was sound-proofed because of the Neuro-Theatres. I had to do a lot of fast talking & arm waving & knocking trying to get to the phone. When the Junior came “to”. I was able to grab the legs of patient & allow me to get to phone. This seemed like an eternity, but was really ten minutes. We were able to have 2 hefty wardens sent down. In the meantime, I managed to get downstairs to get help from the male ward. It took all 5 of us to subdue 1 little lady, no bigger than myself & over an hour before we were able to quieten her. Nothing was seen done to improve security & no counselling such as would be available today. That was only one of many serious incidents with which we had to cope. How some of the patients managed to have such things as shoes, bottles, knives, bulky jewelry et cetera, I never found out because on admission, all they were supposed to have was a white gown, bed socks & a bed. I did not enjoy Psychiatry, but I learnt a lot about people & human behaviour. A Privilege: As a 4th year Nurse, We were allowed to request a move to a ward of our choice. I chose to go back to Gynaecology at King George Hospital for Mothers and Babies. As a Senior, I found the intensive treatment absorbing .The medications, with 3 hourly injections & dressings every 4 hourly. Every patient had a catheter & wound drain tube & saline drip & sometimes blood transfusions on return from Theatre. Operation days were twice a week. As a Senior, I tried to be as helpful as possible to my Juniors & tried to help them from making the same mistakes as I had made when I was a Junior. One disaster I had in my first ward, Gynaecology because it was so very busy and the seniors were limited in the amount of help they could offer. One day I was told to do the Temperatures of Patients Round. (T.P.R’s) which was usually the job of 2nd year Nurses.I didn’t have a clue how to go about taking 80 temps. P.T.S. had taught us how to read a thermometer & take a pulse, but not the set-p & continual moving on. I knew I had to constantly change the antiseptic & keep moving; my disaster occurred half-way through when I accidently added very hot water to the antiseptic instead of cold water; result of course was 6 broken thermometers, each costing two shillings and sixpence and for which we had to pay. Fifteen Shillings was my debt & we only earnt seven shillings and six pence each week. It was my first experience at having to pay dearly for a mistake which should not have happened & it was due in my opinion because not enough help was available to Juniors. As a Senior in Gynaecology we had to deal with the Doctors when Sister was away & do Theatre if any emergencies came in, as they often did, from the Obstetrics & frequently Caesar’s & post-natal haemorrhages. It was a very busy section of the hospital, but also one of the most rewarding because we could actually see that our weeks of nursing had positive results. These women were mothers of quite a few children & the children were not allowed to visit & so as well as physically being unwell, they were emotionally very vulnerable. The days they went home were days of great celebration. Grandmas were usually minding the families & were very happy to have Mum home. Dads had to work. I was in Gynaecology for 4 months & loved every minute. I next went to Central Dressings where all surgical dressings were sterilized. Pads, swabs & bandages, which were cut up, rolled, etc. in the wards, by the many willing & helpful patients, were sent to Central Dressings. All large instruments & Theatre drapes were autoclaved in C.D., the smaller, personal instruments owned by the Doctors were sterilized in Theatre. This was an interesting place and very busy. I enjoyed it and we were not overworked. Children's Ward My last ward in my 4 year training was the Children’s ward on night duty. Extremely busy & very, very sad. We had 20 cots & always 20 very sick children. About half would be under 12 months & almost always there as “hole in the heart” babies. Nothing could be done for them. The ones, who were considered operable, were sent to Children’s Hospital. These Hole in the heart babies died from lack of oxygen, plus malnutrition as the means of supplementary feeding had not been perfected. We had quite a few burns children & of course accidents. Many & varied, broken bones, bad cuts, poisonings, but the saddest patients of all my nursing were the extremely sick children with kidney diseases. They never recovered, were extremely ill & always worse at night. We had permission to take children out of their cots & into the sitting room to comfort them & play with them. Parents were allowed to come in any time of day or night to be with their children. During the war, there were large numbers of workers doing shift work so many allowances were made for them. Night duty was busy because of feeding & changing & dressings, bathing & the comforting. Medicine time was very distressing, especially as we knew it was not going to do any good. One thing we were instructed not to do, was go to any of the funerals of the children & there were many in my 3 months there. That is where I would have normally finished, but because I had 2 weeks to make up because I had sick leave in 2nd year; I spent my last 2 weeks at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in the Sexually Transmitted Diseases ward. This was weeks of nothing much to do except medicines & injections & lots of talk. Lots of different treatments were tried for Gonorrhoea & Syphilis. The most drastic being: injecting of the parasitic melanin toxin & the subsequent attacks. It was not very pleasant & as far as I know, was never very successful. It was only when Penicillin came along that any headway was made with V.D. A Successful Final: On 14th February, 1948, I finished and exited R.P.A.H for the last time. I have no regrets, and had lots of many great experiences. I made a great number of very good friends and still I have to this day. It was a great and rewarding experience & I feel privileged to have been able to complete my training. They were personal reward not monetary. Having said the above, I enjoyed my nine months of Obstetrics nursing and training at Victoria Memorial Hospital in Melbourne, even more. Apart from the joys of new life, it gave me a great understanding of why so many women became subjected to Gynaecological problems in post childbirth year A New Adventure. My journey into Midwifery: Left N.S.W & went to Melbourne on overnight train – on 4th October 1948. Met by a friend who had gone a month before me. It was raining, which was no surprise, as it always seemed to be. People had told me “when it rains in Melbourne, just wait 5 minutes, it will change; fined up in afternoon. Enid took me to Home Sister’s Office who was expecting me; she set me up in a room in what was known as “Old Nurses Home” – the actual hospital was known as The Old Victoria Hospital for Women. It had previously been the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Royal Melbourne was now a grand new hospital. Home Sister took me to Matron’s office, where I met Ivy Scaife & Margaret Barlow. We started & finished together & so started a wonderful period in my life. My first ward was like all old fashioned hospitals – 20 beds down each side & emergency beds on verandah. At other end, the nursery. Had to be taken under wing of Senior Nurse with Charge Nurse watching with hawk-eye. Uniform blue dress, long sleeves & headwear consisted of white loops. Had to try & learn patients’ names and remembering they were on long stays of 10 days in a bed so we had to do backs & supervised their time out of bed. Long days, lectures started first week. Great Tutor Sisters treated us like sensible adults. We were not allowed in Nursery until we had new mothers, so we could match Mum to baby. Had to attend lectures in our own time, or make up the hours. The Matron was Miss Schafer, a wonderful, wonderful lady. She was always mindful of interstate Nurses from every state went to Queen Victoria Hospital because it had such a good reputation. I made friends with lots of girls from all over. Hazel in Queensland & I talk often about our happy days. Lots of P.A. girls went to Queen Victoria Hospital in Melbourne to do midwifery .My friend Enid and I still keep in touch. My First Ward: My first ward duty was to massage fundus every day. I learnt to express breast milk because so many mums had cracked nipples. Then we had to bring baby to Mum so she could bottle feed bub. The Mums needed a lot of help. We had a large number of unmarried mothers & so many problems with parents, social workers, almoners. The poor girls found themselves caught in a network of “do-gooders”, with some of them not allowed to see their babies because parents had already decided baby was to be adopted. Many tears & so much counselling & we weren’t trained in that area, but quickly became self-appointed experts. Quickly got used to routine & found all Nurses and Seniors and Doctors very helpful. I had a month with mums & learnt to understand how they felt. The Nursery: My next move was a month in Nursery. Feeding bubs when Mum needed a rest, bathed & changed them. Pat those who were going out to Mum on a big double-decker trolley with 8 on top and 8 on the bottom & wheeled out to ward. I have to say that we never gave babies to wrong mothers even though they weren’t tagged as they are now. Mums did have clothes labelled & trolley had names on placings. When all out, we had to help new Mums feed & give out nipple shields to help. We also had to feed those who were not coming out to ward. Three hourly feeds with 10 hour days for all of us. With lectures every day, we had to ask for time off to go. We had two Marvellous Tutor Sisters & very clever Doctors who took us through Med Students lectures. We wanted for nothing in way of help on explanations. After a month in ward & Nursery, I went to Central Dressings (for a rest!) which was great. This helped because we did understand how very important dressings were because Mum’s infected easily in those days & also umbilical problems had to be attended to. This was very interesting & a good rest. My next move to the Sepsis ward. This was for those who have tried to create their own abortions. This was a sad place when so many people would have adopted the babies. Doctors said they most likely would have been sterile for life. A month there was long enough. Labour Ward: I moved on then to Labour Ward. A truly exciting, busy & extraordinary area of my overall experience. Our training was that we had a target of delivering 25 babies; but this of course could only be attained after doing a lot of “watching” & “observing”, helping in various ways, making sure extra gloves were “just there” when needed. First we were allowed to go through the Labour from beginning. We had to check Foetal hearts, contractions, turning, membranes rupturing which was a whole new world. Our mission was to deliver 25 babies on our own with Doctor & Senior Sisters always on hand; My first delivery was a third child for a woman with Venereal Disease. I had to gown up & glove up twice; it was very difficult to get the gloves on & all went well, according to text book. No troubles at all. Went on for 3 weeks & I successfully completed the delivery of 25 babies. I actually delivered 30 actually & only a few “hiccoughs”. Some slight tears, a few episiotomies (cuts with scissors to perineum) which we were allowed to do with supervision. District Nursing: From the Labour Ward, “Skiff” (Scaife) & “Mardi” (Margaret) myself went to what was known as District Nursing. For 2 weeks, we lived in a furnished flat. We had a room each and had to take public transport to various homes, where mums had decided to have babies at home, or had to leave hospital early to look after other family members. We were sent to Housing Commission areas. The mums were all poor & not well educated. They had very little of the needs required for us to attend them in a professional manner. We had to carry a suitcase of accessories; pads for women, nappies & singlets for babies; as well as food for babies. We did this for 3 weeks. We all went to different areas; long days, but we enjoyed it. Doing District Nursing made me aware of how much more daylight Melbourne had at night. Six p.m. in Sydney was dark, compared to 7p.m. in Melbourne in late autumn. We enjoyed our extra week. Premature Babies Ward: My next ward back at the hospital was the Premature Baby Ward. It was a wonderful period. It was not a large area. We had 1 Humidicrib and an oxygen bottles to all cribs. We never more than 12 babies at any one time. Our overflow went to Women’s Hospital. It was intense nursing with someone being fed constantly. We became very friendly with lots of mums. They & their husbands brought in breast milk daily. First Humidicrib baby I nursed through until he was big enough to be moved was Adam Price. His mum recognised me years later when I went back for a spell after I was married. He was about 5 & looked great. He was in the hospital as out-patients. I have a picture of him in a crib. He was about length of my hand when he was born. I was due to leave in August, but Matron asked me to stay on in charge of the Premature Babies Nursery; which I did until early December. I was anxious to get home for Christmas, but stayed on to help out & headed home in January. Caesareans births were rare because those mothers went to the Surgery Ward. My time in Melbourne & doing my Midwifery at Queen Victoria Hospital was one of the happiest in my life. I also was fortunate to meet my very wonderful husband at this time. The Wedding of Doreen Donaldson to Colin Bruce Wilson took place on Saturday 10th March 1951 at Burwood NSW. Doreen’s Letter to Elizabeth My Dear Elizabeth, I have found it hard to write some of this story mostly because it is so difficult to transfer ‘feelings’ to doings and actions. I can only say that possibly the friendships I made at the times, at both Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney and the two Queen Victoria Hospitals in Melbourne are so precious, that they become indescribable. I still have two close friends in contact from Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney and two from my days at the Queen Victoria Hospitals in Melbourne. We go over and over, good and the rough times.Don’t know how much sense it makes to you, but The Queen Victoria Hospital had a wonderful reputation and girls from every state went there to do midwifery. Caesareans rarely came to our wards as they usually went to a surgical ward. Queen Victoria was also a General Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Sometimes the babies came to us if Mum was sick and the babies were nursed in a general nursery.The money payments would have to be measured against the Award wage of those years for you to understand what a pittance it was. The computer will show you the comparisons. When we got to Queen Victoria Hospital we thought we were millionaires and the food was just so good. Prince Alfred Hospital food was dreadful and many times meals missed due to busy wards. However, out of all this, I do really hope you enjoy your journey into Midwifery. I’ll be looking forward to hearing all about it. It will be very different to mine & also Davina's which was quite different to mine. Have fun with your journey and let me know all about it. Lots of Love, Doreen 21.11.2015

Working Conditions during Doreen’s Nursing Years. Background and Hours Worked. In General the working hours for most Australians at this time would have been 40 hours per week, however the 40 hour working week was not officially proclaimed until 1948. Nurses however were expected to work 8 hour shifts allocated according to a schedule to cover a 24 hour period. The Shift times for example where 6 am to 2 pm and 6 pm to 10 pm with night shift from 8pm to 6 am. The meal breaks for morning tea and afternoon tea were 15 minutes each while Lunch, Dinner and Breakfast were for half an hour. There was also an expectation that the nurses would work their shift until all the required tasks were completed, therefore working longer than the 8 hour shift. This would mean that nurses often worked 60 hours per week and no overtime allowances were granted. There were no sign on or sign off books, so there would have been no record of the actual hours worked. Taking into account that nursing home accommodation and meals were provided for the nurses as part of arrangements, the following pay rates applied to the period of time Doreen was training and working as a nurse.

Pay Rates as a Nurse: 1944 to 1949.

• First Year 1944: Paid 7/6 (Seven Shillings and Six Pence) per week.
• Second Year 1945: Paid 10/- (Ten Shillings) per week.
• Third Year 1946: Paid 15/- (Fifteen Shillings) per week.
• Fourth Year 1947: £3/3/3 (Three Pound Three Shillings & Three Pence.) per week.
• Fifth Year 1948: £ 4/4/4 (Four pound Four Shillings & Four Pence) per week.
• Midwifery 1949: £6 (Six pound) per week.

Pay Equivalents in Australian Dollars in 2017. The pay rates granted to nurses in the 1940s during the time Doreen was training and became qualified as a Senior Nursing Sister have always been considered to be very poor and in no way was the weekly amount paid to them related to the hours they worked or the duties required. Similarly this might well be true of the remunerations nurses receive today. The following is a guide showing the equivalent values between the weekly wages paid to Doreen in pounds, shillings and pence and the 2017 dollar values. Taking into account inflation the value of the weekly rate paid to nurses in the 1940’s has been expressed in terms of what their weekly pay rate would buy in terms of the total purchasing cost of a variety items in 2017. It is also interesting to note that “The New Start Allowance” in 2019 is $277:85 per week.

• 1944: Paid 7/6 (Seven Shillings and Six Pence) per week.

(2017 value: $0.75 (Seventy Cents) which in 1944 would buy $26:52 worth of items.)

*1945: Paid 10/- (Ten Shillings) per week. (2017 value: $1.00 (One Dollar) which in 1945 would buy $35:26 worth of items.)

*1946: Paid 15/- (Fifteen Shillings) per week. (2017 value: $1.50 (One Dollar & fifty) which in 1946 would buy $51:99 worth of items.)

• 1947: Paid £3.3.03 (Three pound 3 shillings & three pence) per week.

(2017 value:$6:35 (Six Dollar, thirty five) which in 1947 would buy $211:80, worth of items.)

• 1948: Paid £4.4.04 (Four pound 4 shillings & four pence) per week.

(2017 value: $8:43 (Eight Dollar; forty three) which in 1948 would buy $254:84, worth of items.)

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Doreen Wilson Recalls her Memories of Aunty Jess.

To understand my great love and admiration for Jesse, I need to offer some introduction. When I was two years old, we moved from having lived with Grandparents’ Donaldson, to living next door Grandparents’ McLennan and the brothers and sisters of my mother, who were all still living at home. My Mum Isabel being the eldest of eight children and the only one married. Therefore as very young children Donald, John and I were extremely lucky to have such a loving extended family, next door. My first real memory of the influence on my life that Jess had was when I was due to start school at Randwick in February 1931. She made me five uniforms, box pleats, in cotton in the colours of blue, mauve, green, pink and yellow. I thought they were just magic. When I was ready to go to school, it was Jesse who took me on the first day, and although I didn’t know at the time, it was because Mum was expecting a baby.This baby turned out to be David. Jess knew a lot of the teachers and she was able to enroll me in Miss Lettes’ class, as she was a particular friend. I adored Miss Lettes. The following year she wanted to take me to Parkes because as she had been appointed a teaching position there. However, as I always got homesick away from Mum and Dad, I did not want to go, so she took John instead, and he had a wonderful time. Jess was transferred to Clovelly 2 years later and took John and myself to school with her. I’m sure she did this to help Mum, because it was a long way to walk the children to Randwick school. I had another friend of Jess’s at Clovelly School, Miss Lavender, and she was lovely too. I recall the school having lots of steps down to it and not much else, except that on the walk home Jess could buy us a “Buffalo Snow” (a square frozen milk ice block, in a square cone. We just loved them. I don’t have many memories of going to or coming home from school except that we walked. After six months at Clovelly, my family moved to Blaxland, to a real culture shock in regards to education, but Jess was always giving us book and encouraging us to read. Memories of living next door to the McLennan's were all about fun for Don, John and myself. We lived opposite Queen’s Park and only a few doors from Centennial Park, and spent a great deal of time in both houses with Pop McLennan, Uncles and Aunts, but it was Jess who used to take us horse riding in Centennial Park on Sunday afternoons. The horses were for hire and we had ponies. One of my great delights was watching my Aunts get ready for their outings on Saturday nights. They had beautiful ball gowns and to me they were so much like princesses. On occasions we were allowed to go and watch the dances from upstairs at The Paddington Town Hall. Jess was an exhibition dancer and always encouraged us to go dancing for deportment, exercise, fun and socializing. I do have very vivid memories of a time when we were not allowed to go next door because Jess was studying to improve her “class” as a teacher. She found it very difficult to achieve her goal, with so many people in the house. Uncle Don, who was a bag-piper, was not allowed to walk up and down the hall practicing on his chanter. He had to go to the park, instead. One of Jess’s traits was bright red lipstick and high heeled shoes and I used to plod around in the shoes whenever I could. I remember her boyfriends very well, Mick, Leslie and Colin. Colin was our favourite and it was expected that they would marry, but different religions prevented that from happening. Colin was a lovely man and we children loved him. He had something to do with the newspapers and eventually went to America when Jess wouldn’t marry him. During the worst years of the depression, only Jess and Sheila were working. Being teachers they were considered “essential services” and between them, for a long time, they kept the household afloat. Much later, Jean was able to get work and later again Pop was able to be re-employed. The depression was a hard time for everyone, but Jess was always able to find a penny or three-pence to buy us an ice-cream. Jess took sewing lessons from Norah Dunne and made me lovely frocks and pants to match, but mainly she learnt to sew, so that she could repair and make-over everyone’s clothes, because there was just no money for clothes. When we first moved to Blaxland, Jess would write to Mum every week and as often as possible would enclose a ten shilling note which was a lot of money post depression. She sent me clothes; she was still making shirts and trousers for the boys. I remember well her trips to Blaxland and all the fruit she used to bring, but I don’t even recall any lollies being brought for us.Jess always had sound and good advice on all facets of living and she was always there for me when I needed her help or advice. One of the soundest pieces of advice she gave me was, listen to your parents, they are intelligent people and they love you, and only want the best for you. They may occasionally be wrong, but it will never be intentional. Then I started high school, she took me to David Jones to buy my whole summer and winter uniforms, plus shoes and stockings. She always made sure I had replacements when something wore out. I was so proud of the brown and gold uniform. Later she paid my fees to go to Burroughs College. Jess was not keen on me going nursing and in this, she sided with Dad who didn’t want me to leave a safe, semi-government job, but when I had made up my mind, she was a wonderful support . Jess was always interested in my boyfriends and had very definite opinions about all their good and bad points. One piece of advice she gave me when I used to think about getting married was that I must get an engagement ring that was really worth something, as I would never know just when I might need to turn it into cash, to feed a family. Grandma McLennan had had to do that because of the depression and years later I learnt that my mother-in-law had to do the same thing. Jess frequently supplemented my low nursing income and did so through all my years at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney and later when I was doing midwifery at Queen Victoria Hospital in Melbourne. She would always give things with the words “don’t bother about paying me back, just pass it onto someone else in need when you are able”, and I have always tried to do that.My husband Bruce lovingly remembered Jess as a saviour at our wedding reception, going around the farewell circle. I knew everyone and raced ahead, but Bruce knew very few people and was left floundering until Jess took his arm and guided him around and did the introductions. I have very many memories of Jess as a loving aunt doing and saying the right things. She always seemed to “be there” in my hours of need. I was her only niece for 11 years and she spoilt me. We had a very special relationship. One very memorable gem about Jess was when she decided to drive to Melbourne for a visit with Bruce and myself very soon after she got her license. It was winter and she bought Aunty Emily and Aunty Nancy with her. She did not arrive as early as expected, but arrived at our home in Bentleigh about 6pm with no headlights. She had not learnt how to turn them on. Bruce was lost for words, but congratulated her on her navigation skills. When we used to make our trips to Blaxland with our children, Jess was always able to provide extra beds and plenty of hospitality. I remember her as being always concerned for her extended family as we all know her loving care of Maisie. Everyone benefitted from her generosity of time and money. I never saw Jess angry. She always seemed to be in control. Memories I carry with me are her concern for others, her dedication to her job, and her great generosity. I loved her very much. I treasure times she visited us. I really enjoyed her last stay with us, when she was really very sick, but she never complained. Overall what more can I say, to me she was a very special person. By Doreen Wilson.March 2006 ****** My Mother Isabel by Doreen Wilson (nee Donaldson) The second Child of Isabel Donaldson. My Mother had been very successful at school and was “Dux” of her final year. She left school when she was 16 in 1916. She had always imagined herself doing something in health care, a nurse or a doctor, but this was out of the question due to the growing family of her parents, Kate and Alex which put the cost of further education beyond reach. She needed a paying job to help her family. Her first job was at Meggits Oil & Linseed distribution Company and then Beard Watson's furniture Store in the City. As a young girl she helped Aunty Nancy establish her dancing school in the old family home “Whanregarwan” in Centennial Avenue, Randwick, which was very close to her own family home. It was the “done thing” for people to learn dancing and all the local sportsmen were involved in learning to dance at Aunty Nancy’s Dancing School. Surry Hills Cricket Club sent boys to learn to dance as it was believed that dancing would help their footwork. Mervyn Donaldson and his brother Eric Donaldson were members of the Surry Hills Cricket Club and the Randwick Football Team also attended during the winter. It was at this dance school that Mervyn met Isabel whom she later married. Eric said he would have married Isabel except Mervyn was a better dancer and better looking. She loved the open space and really enjoyed Randwick with Queens Park and Centennial Park close to the McLennan family home. She enjoyed the parks again after she returned to live next door to her parents in Darley Road after the ‘crowded’ house in Cheltenham. Really enjoyed living next door to her family and found they were a big help to her during the depression especially when the hard times started. She loved her mum and dad dearly and told me her mum was a very clever lady but was denied many opportunities. She loved all her brothers and sisters but was closest to Sandy, Jessie and Maisie. She also loved the sea water, but for some reason I don't know why, she was afraid of it. However she loved Woy Woy and always enjoyed the times she spent there during holidays with the Donaldson family at Brick Warf Road Woy Woy, which was a common event from 1918 until the late 1940s. During WW1 she wrote a lot of letters to soldiers who were serving overseas, “The Soldiers’ Welfare Fund”. She was a regular correspondent with Sam Donaldson from Myrtleford Vic. Perhaps she liked the Donaldson name or it was a common link. I met his son at an Army Dance many years later in Melbourne. She used to say “one good friend is worth a goldmine” and other than her family she had very few close friends and only retained the one friendship of Kathleen Morrison from young days. Mervyn had Jack Bickerstaff and mum had Kathleen upon whom they relied to off-load the many ups and downs of life. She regarded health above wealth and that was health in all forms body, mind and spirit and wanted the very best for her children. She went to health talks and lectures by Doctor King and Sister Phoebe Holmes. The talks were all about health, diet, wellbeing and relationships. These were run by The “Radiant Health Club” from 1930 onwards. The Radiant Health Association was run by Sister Phoebe. According to her sisters, Phoebe Holmes was a handsome woman who wore beautiful gowns of taffeta and silk in bright colours, mostly pink. She believed in radiant health through sensible nutrition and positive thought and exercise. She had many rules for these. There were breathing exercises for money, for beauty, good health and success and affirmations. I am success - deep breath I am beauty - deep breath I am wealthy - deep breath When Sister Phoebe wasn’t at the meetings to lead the gathering in thinking and exercises someone else would take her place. Many times the group was led by our mum in a wonderful and vibrant way. Mum was not a money person. As is well known, Mum was no good with money. If and when she ever had any she would always find someone who she felt could use it more profitably than she. Jessie and much later Maisie would give mum money but I never knew her to spend it on herself. I could name many people to whom she had passed on money. She had a very compassionate attitude. She was very popular with everyone and much loved by her brothers and sisters. Mum was a great listener but she also spoke to me at length on a lot of different subjects including sex, relationships, family interaction, respect for myself and others, especially grandparents. She spoke openly about homosexuality both male and female. Mum told me she had some regrets about her life. Some she would have changed if she had had the opportunity to do so, but she always said 'spilt milk is only good for the cat’. One of mum's greatest personal challengers was when Norman Price, the local shop keeper from Blaxland, invited her eldest son Don to go to England with him. It resulted in many long and in depth talks, at night, while, she and Mervyn anguished about the decision. They knew that Don was such a wonderfully settled young man, considered by all to be wise far beyond his years, intelligent and mature. They also knew that Donald really wanted to go. After consultation and advice from Ministers, Teachers and The Headmaster of Parramatta High School, Isabel and Mervyn finally armed Don with all the information they felt he would need for the six weeks trip by ship and the long time away with no family around. We know now that he had a fantastic trip and Mr Price was always an honest and trustworthy person of great integrity. Don made many friends through Norm Price and it could never have been imagined that he would be able to renew those acquaintances only a few years later serving in the Air Force during WWII. It is well established that Isabel couldn't really relax until Don was home safe and sound from WWII. I really don't think she was ever the same after the war as I remember that she used to laugh a lot before Don signed up and went to serve overseas. One very vivid memory I have of mum was when we were returning to Blaxland from having been at Randwick. We were in the Baby Austin. Mum was driving with Don, John and self on board. We stopped at Prospect Public School for a drink of water. It was school holidays but I don't know which or what time. We found a little brown pup wandering around looking lost, tired and hungry and when we turned a tap on for water it came to us and drank and drank. We convinced mum it needed a home and called it “Brownie”- so original! Brownie was a great smallish dog, cute and no trouble. I have no idea what sort of dog she was but she did kill a snake in back gully and Mum, having not been keen on keeping her, finally accepted Brownie as part of the family. One very memorable time was when Don, John and I had our tonsils removed in a private hospital in Randwick near Randwick Primary school. We three were all in same room which was an old house. Don and John were fine and sat up in evening and ate ice cream. I bled and bled and bled – mum sat beside me with a towel which I seemed to just keep filling. I don't know whether she was worried but she kept saying “when you stop bleeding you can have some ice cream too”. I ended up having to have my tonsil area re-sutured which was the way it was done in the old days. I came to dislike that Doctor, Dr Abrahams intensely, Mum however thought he was a wonderful doctor. He was the 'everything doctor'. When we had chickenpox, once again all together I told mum I hated him and my dear mother said “don't worry he loves you enough for both of you”. I had one spank across the back of my legs from Mum. There was no fence between our house and the McGrath house next door. The McGrath always had Sunday Tennis Parties and absolutely marvellous afternoon teas. Mum had instructed us all to stay away when the visitors and players were there but they always used to invite me over and of course I would go. Mum caught me coming home one day and picked up a stick and chased me, whacking my legs as I ran. I didn't do it again and it was my one and only smack and mum's words of; “Didn't I teach you to respect other people's privacy?” Yes my mum did that well. In summing up I really feel that Mum spoke and treated me more as an adult than a child. For a lot of the time I was the only female around. Before Davina was born Mum had not been well and was advised to go to the city early. Grandmother Minnie Donaldson was to be looking after us. Mum was packing her bag in the bedroom. I had been drying dishes in kitchen when she called me in. She said to me “I'm going to Sydney early to rest, and I'm going to try and get a little sister for you”. I was stunned when she was going so early. Can't remember exactly how long before but I was standing at the bedroom door and tea towel in my hand and threw it towards mum and said “you couldn't get a girl if you tried!” and walked off. I don't know mum's reaction. I didn't wait. But I guess she just smiled. But as we all know she followed through with a girl, Davina, a sister for me. Not long after Davina was born Maisie wrote me a letter and said “How does Queen Doreen feel about having to share her throne?” I kept that letter for years. I have waited a long time to share the title. I've never been disappointed. Davina was just starting her life's journey and I was just starting high school. As we older children needed more privacy, beds were put onto the verandah and the playpen removed, we had up to eight beds on the verandah at times, for family or friends and cousins who came on a regular basis. Mum and Dad’s bedroom had an annexe included which was for the baby’s cot and wardrobe, which made it a really interesting room. When Don went to High School, Dad closed off the room from inside and put a door from the verandah to access the small but adequate separate room. The small front entrance room was off limits to we children. Mum insisted that she had one room that was neat and tidy, into which she could invite visitors and she was adamant that it be kept so. The one person I remember always invited into this room was the traveller from Marcus Clarkes Store. He came with a huge catalogue and Mum would purchase clothing and household goods. The next visit, which was approximately monthly, he would bring the goods. Over many years our verandah was used by Mum as the village philosophy centre. People came from near and far to talk with Mum and share their problems. She had a very calming influence on everyone. She was widely read and very knowledgeable on many subjects, especially on parenting and in my opinion was years ahead of her time. The verandah was everyone’s focal point and in reality the front door, to a wonderful home. Mum had lots of sayings. The ones I like to remember are, “If you think you are having a bad time, just look over your shoulder and you will see someone worse off than you” and “nothing matters much, and nothing matters much for long”. I still use this saying today. Another of Mum’s sayings which is probably as true today as it was when she originally moved to the mountains. “You are now entering the ‘Blue Mountains’, where you eat when you are hungry, sleep when you are tired and work when you feel like it". I loved my Mum, From Doreen. ****************************************