Established in 1937, Epworth Freemasons (formerly the Freemasons Hospital), located at 166 Clarendon St in East Melbourne, was a practical expression of the work of Freemasonry in the

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literature ...

community. It is now run by Epworth Healthcare. It is a non-government, not-for-profit, charitable institution providing a range of inpatient and ambulatory care services including: Women's and related health services including maternity, women's health and breast clinics, breast and gynaecological surgery and IVF. Surgical services including

general surgery General surgery is a surgical specialty that focuses on alimentary canal and abdominal contents including the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, appendix and bile ducts, and often the thyroid ...

, urology, orthopaedics, plastic surgery, ophthalmology and ENT. Comprehensive cancer care covering diagnosis,

surgical oncology Surgical oncology is the branch of surgery applied to oncology; it focuses on the surgical management of tumors, especially cancerous tumors. As one of several modalities in the management of cancer, the specialty of surgical oncology has evolved ...

medical oncology Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''. The name's etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγκος (''ó ...

radiotherapy Radiation therapy or radiotherapy, often abbreviated RT, RTx, or XRT, is a therapy using ionizing radiation, generally provided as part of cancer treatment to control or kill malignant cells and normally delivered by a linear accelerator. Radia ...

and chemotherapy. In October 2006 the hospital was purchased by ING Real Estate, which immediately leased the hospital to Epworth Healthcare. One immediate effect was the merging of two emergency departments, the previous Freemason's Emergency was closed while Epworth Richmond's still operates. The now Epworth Freemasons Hospital still operates as a hospital. The site is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.

History

The Freemasons Hospital was established in 1937, as an initiative of Victoria's Freemasons in the 1930s to accommodate middle-class fee paying patients. The original five-level reinforced concrete building was designed by architects, Stephenson and Meldrum (later

Stephenson and Turner Originally known as Stephenson and Meldrum (1921–1937), Stephenson and Turner (1938–1995) was a prominent Australian architectural firm, best known for the pioneering modernism of their numerous hospital designs of the 1930s and 1940s. Arthur ...

), in a Functionalist Modern style with its bold horizontal balconies, contrasting vertical service tower and minimal decoration. The white rendered exterior was trimmed with blue tiles and horizontal tubular steel balustrades. Between 1956 and 1958 the hospital was substantially extended by architects, Meldrum and Noad, to a design sympathetic to the original by continuing the sweeping balconies. Further wings to the east were added in 1968 and again in 1977 with the front entrance altered. The hospital is of historical and architectural significance to the State of Victoria.

Facilities

*234 inpatient beds *9 Delivery Suites *Day Procedure Centre *Intensive Care Unit

References

;Sources
East Melbourne Historical Society, East Melbourne Walk

Heritage Victoria, Victorian Heritage Register: Freemasons Hospital
{{Authority control Hospital buildings completed in 1937 Hospitals in Melbourne Freemasonry in Australia Masonic buildings in Australia Hospitals established in 1937 Heritage-listed buildings in Melbourne 1937 establishments in Australia East Melbourne, Victoria Buildings and structures in the City of Melbourne (LGA)

History

Facilities

See also

References