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The Queen Victoria Hospital (QVH) was a hospital in Melbourne Victoria which founded in 1896, and closed in 1987. It was the first women's hospital in Victoria created by women, for women.


History

Founded as the ''Victoria Hospital for Women and Children'' by Constance Stone, and other women who formed the Victorian Medical Women's Society in September 1896, it initially ran as a free out-patient clinic and dispensary for St David's Welsh Church In 1897 the name was changed briefly to ''Queen Victoria Hospital for Women and Children'', until 30 April 1897 when it was incorporated as a hospital and charity institution called the ''Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital''. In this year, Stone drove a Jubilee Shilling Fund appeal, eventually raising enough to buy the old Governess's Institute in Mint Place. The hospital provided gynaecological and obstetric services, and a venereal disease clinic to service the city's sex workers. The hospital became known for its woman-focussed culture, and feminist values. A private wing called the Jessie McPherson Community Hospital opened in 1931. In 1946, the hospital moved to the premises in Lonsdale Street.


Lonsdale street site

The site was originally the Melbourne Hospital, built in the 1840s—1860s as series of Tudor style buildings. The hospital was completely rebuilt on a much larger scale between 1910–1916 to a design by architect John James Clark in partnership with his son E.J. Clark. The hospital was composed of several five and six-storey
Edwardian In the United Kingdom, the Edwardian era was a period in the early 20th century that spanned the reign of King Edward VII from 1901 to 1910. It is commonly extended to the start of the First World War in 1914, during the early reign of King Ge ...
pavilions or towers, running north–south, housing the ward blocks, each with open verandahs for patients to convalesce in the open air. Tudor domed
cupola In architecture, a cupola () is a relatively small, usually dome-like structure on top of a building often crowning a larger roof or dome. Cupolas often serve as a roof lantern to admit light and air or as a lookout. The word derives, via Ital ...
s topped the front corners of each tower. The hospital became the
Royal Melbourne Hospital The Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH), located in Parkville, Victoria, an inner suburb of Melbourne, is one of Australia's leading public hospitals. It is a major teaching hospital for tertiary health care with a reputation in clinical research. Th ...
in 1935, and moves began to relocate to a former pig market site in Parkville. The new hospital was completed in 1941 but was occupied as a
military hospital A military hospital is a hospital owned or operated by a military. They are often reserved for the use of military personnel and their dependents, but in some countries are made available to civilians as well. They may or may not be located on a m ...
during the war. The move finally took place in 1944, and the old buildings were then occupied by the Queen Victoria Hospital, established 'by women for women' in 1896 and renamed the Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital in 1901 after the queen's death. In 1986, with the pending relocation and amalgamation of the hospital, the site was to be redeveloped to house expansions of the State Library and
Museum A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or Preservation (library and archive), preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private colle ...
located on the block next door to the north, and a competition was held, with a condition being the preservation of the three towers. One such design by post-modern architects Edmond & Corrigan included a giant pyramid as the new book stacks on
Swanston Street Swanston Street is a major thoroughfare in the Melbourne central business district, Victoria, Australia. It was laid out in 1837 as part of the original Hoddle Grid. The street vertically bisects Melbourne's city centre and is famous as the wor ...
. The hospital was closed in 1987, and the site was valued at A$63 million. During the financial squeeze of the early 1990s, it was eventually sold for only $15 million to property developer David Marriner in 1992, who immediately on-sold to the Government of Nauru. All but three of the hospital pavilions were demolished in the following years, with the final two that would have been preserved demolished in 1994 with a permit from then Planning Minister Rob Maclellan over-ruling the
Historic Buildings Council Three separate historic buildings councils were created by the Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments Act 1953, one for each of England, Scotland, and Wales. Each Historic Buildings Council advised the relevant government minister on the exercise ...
. The site remained vacant for some time, eventually reverting to the control of the City of Melbourne in 1999, who awarded
Grocon Grocon is an Australian property development, property developer, construction, contractor and Investment management, funds management company that is privately owned by the Bruno Grollo, Grollo family. Founded in Melbourne in 1948, it expanded ...
the tender the development of the
Queen Victoria Village QV Melbourne or just QV, is a precinct in the Melbourne CBD, Victoria, Australia. Covering the city block bounded by Lonsdale Street, Lonsdale, Little Lonsdale Street, Little Lonsdale, Swanston Street, Swanston, and Russell Street, Melbourne, ...
, or QV, a complex of offices, apartments, and shops, with the remaining pavilion occupied by th
Queen Victoria Women's centre


Founders

* * Annette Bear-Crawford – Suffragist and social reformer (1853–1899) * * Bertha Main Leitch (1873–1957) * Elfreda Hilda Gamble (1871–1947) * Marie Elizabeth Amy Castilla – Australian medical doctor (1868–1899) * * * * * * Grace Clara Stone – Australian medical doctor (1860–1957)


Notable employees

* * * * * * Kate Isabel Campbell – Australian physician and paediatrician (1899–1986) * Margaret Gardiner Cuthbertson – Australian Factory Inspector (1864–1944) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Eliza Fraser Morrison– Australian charity worker (1864–1948) * * * * * * * * * * *


References


External links


National Foundation for Australian Women - Queen Victoria HospitalQueen Victoria Women's CentreQueen Victoria Village
{{Authority control Teaching hospitals in Australia Hospitals in Melbourne Hospitals established in 1896 1896 establishments in Australia Women's hospitals Women in Melbourne Hospital buildings completed in 1912 Defunct hospitals in Australia 1912 establishments in Australia Edwardian architecture in Australia