Nurse Fanny Quartermaine. Nurse Fanny Quartermaine. Nurse Fanny Quartermaine. Nurse Fanny Quartermaine. Nurse Fanny Quartermaine.
Fanny Alice Quartermaine nee Andrews was born in Mourambine, Western Australia. She was the daughter of William Andrews and Mary Ann (Robinson) Andrews. She married Frederick Quartermaine on 27 September 1882 at Norring Lake.
Fanny Alice Quartermaine, or Nurse Quartermaine to all who knew her, was an amazing pioneer woman in the early days of Katanning. She started Brockhurst Private Maternity Hospital with Dr. Frederick House before moving her maternity hospital to “Strathfield” on the outskirts of Katanning.
She provided these services to the women of Katanning and districts while raising her own family of nine children and helping her husband Frederick Quartermaine, son of Katanning’s first settler Elijah Quartermaine, with the family farm. One of the most respected women of her time in Katanning the Great Southern Herald ran the following obituary…
DEATH OF A PIONEER
NURSE F. A. QUARTERMAINE.
Great Southern Herald
28 September 1933
One of the links with Katanning’s early days was severed last Thursday with the death of Mrs. F. A. (Nurse) Quartermaine, relict of the late Fred Quartermaine, who passed away peacefully at the home of her son-in-law, Mr. Arthur Gilbert, Adam Street, at the advanced age of 78 years.
If any pioneer woman of the Katanning district was held high in the esteem and affection of the people, particularly those associated with Katanning’s early days, it was Nurse Quartermaine. It was not only the fact that in her capacity as a maternity nurse she helped to bring into the world some two thousand babies, but that she put into practice the highest ideals associated with her profession and on numerous occasions administered her devoted care to needful mothers without any hope of reward or remuneration.
The eldest daughter of the late William Andrews, she was born at Pingelly on November 3, 1860. As a baby she moved to the Blackwood River with her parents, who afterwards made their home at Lake Norring, where she spent her girlhood and youth. Later, Mr. Andrews bought the property known as Moojepin Farm from Mr. Monger, of York (now held by Mr. H. L. Wanke), and while still at Norring she married Frederick, son of the late Eli Quartermaine, of “Yowangup,” and made her home at Marracoonda on the farm now occupied by Mr. D. G. Quartermaine.
Even prior to her marriage she displayed tendencies towards nursing and lent a helping hand to mothers of the district who were approaching confinement on their farms, and even during her life at Marracoonda, when rearing a family of nine children, she never failed to give assistance to wives of her fellow settlers whenever possible, even at her own personal sacrifice.
In 1905 her husband suffered a setback in health and, after selling the property, they moved to Albany. Returning to Katanning in 1908, she launched out in the profession of maternity nursing, first at her own home, subsequently at “Brockhurst” in Beaufort street, and finally at “Pinwernying.”
On August 31, 1928, after twenty years’ service to the community, she relinquished full time nursing, the occasion being marked by a public gathering, when on behalf of the town and district Dr. House, her old friend and associate, presented her with several valuable gifts as a mark of the affection and esteem in which she was held by all sections of the community.
She continued nursing in a private capacity until about six years ago, when ill-health compelled her to retire. She lived with her daughter and son-in-law, Mrs. and Mr. A. L. Gilbert, and retained all her faculties to the end, her only handicap being partial paralysis following a stroke since her retirement. Her active and fruitful life drew suddenly to a close on Thursday evening, with no previous intimation to those about her that the end was at hand.
The funeral took place from Mr. J. Squier’s Funeral Salon on Saturday afternoon, the long cortege moving to the Anglican portion of the Katanning General Cemetery, where the Rev. T. R. Pelham Thorman performed the last rites. There was a large gathering of friends and sympathisers at the graveside, amongst whom all the old families of the district were represented. The chief mourners were her sons, Andrew, Lewis and Sydney, pall-bearers being Messrs. W. P. Bird, F. M. Bowden, J. Baretey, J. Fitzmaurice, A. G. Hobbs and C. Worsley. Funeral arrangements were in the hands of Mr. John Squiers.
She is survived by a family of four sons and five daughters, including Andrew, Lena, Pearl, Ruby (Katanning), Lewis (Dumbleyung), Maitland (Wiluna), Syd. (Midland Junction), Laura and Neta (Perth).
Many beautiful floral tributes, wreaths and other expressions of esteem were received from the following relatives and friends:
The Family; Andrew, Louie and family; Loving Sister; Lil, Malt, Keith and Marion; Sons and Daughters; Walt, Jess and family; Don, Laura and Laurence; Harry, Doris and Mervyn; Mrs. L. Armstrong, Bert, May and Alan; Mrs. M. J. Bradbury; Mr. and Mrs. E. S. Bott and family; Mrs. Paul Beeck and Mr. and Mrs. Ern. Beeck; Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Blake; Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Bird and family; Mrs. H. Butterworth, Ellen and Roy; Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Black and family; Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Beeck; Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Bunes; Mr. and Mrs. Cox and family; Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Courtis and boys; Mr. and Mrs. F. T. F. Crosby and Kyra; Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Charlton; Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Coventry; Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Cook; Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Cox; Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Cornelius and sons; Mrs. Curnow and family; Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Cornelius and family; Charlie and Mary; Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Day, Angus and John; Dick, Foland family; Mr. and Mrs. Dilworth and Carl; Mr. and Mrs. S. Hedges Dale; Mr. and Mrs. A. Dennis and family; Mr. and Mrs. C. Fitzgerald and family; Mr. and Mrs. J. Fitzmaurice; Mr. and Mrs. F. Les. Gare; Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Garstone; Mr. and Mrs. Jack Green;
Mrs. T. Garstone; Grace and Hamilton; Mr. and Mrs. S. G. Hanna and family; Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Hobbs and family; Mr. and Mrs. P. Hoghton and family; Mr. and Mrs. K. Hoglin and family; Mr. and Mrs. A. Hanna; Mr. and Mrs. F. Higman; Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Haddleton and family; All at “Indinup”; Mr. and Mrs. Percy Johnston; Doris and George Jacobi; Mrs. C. A. Johns and family; Eric Joy and family; Katanning Ladies’ Croquet Club; Mrs. A. M. Keeley and family; Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Ladyman; Lloyd and Mavis; Mr. and Mrs. H. Lindner; Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Lewis and Gwenda; Mr. and Mrs. O. S. Livesey and family; Mr. and Mrs. A. V. McDougall; Mr. and Mrs. L. McLeod; Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Meyn and family; Mr. and Mrs. Mosscrop; Win, Len, Hilda and Stan; Mr. and Mrs. Eric McDonald; Mr. and Mrs. C. Mitchell; Mr. and Mrs. J. Old and family; Mr. and Mrs. O’Donnell; Mr. and. Mrs. E. S. R. Piesse; Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Page and family; Mr. and Mrs. Harold Piesse and Betty; Mr. and Mrs. Prosser and family; Dr. and Mrs. Pope; Directors of Richardson and Co. Ltd.; Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Rafferty and family; Mr. and Mrs. Jack Slater and Dorothy;
Mr. and Mrs. E. Stonestreet; Mr. and Mrs. G. Saunders, Jnr.; Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Severin; Mrs. Saunders, Snr., and family; Mr. J. Squiers and Vi; Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Sibley; W. Smith and boys; A. Simper and Hazel; Mr. and Mrs. Tyson; Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Tree; Mrs. E. A. White; Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Wanke and family; Mrs. C. F. Wanke and Bert; Mr. and Mrs. F. Winscom and family; Mrs. Worsley and family; Mrs. Washington and son; Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Wanke; Mr. and Mrs. Norman Wells and family; Mr. and Mrs. G. Wells; Mrs. M. Walter and Joy; Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Wreford and family; Winnie, Frank and Bess; Mr. and Mrs. D. Walters; Mrs. E. A. Wilson; Mr. and Mrs. Bill Walters; Mr. and Mrs. W. Williams and family.
Birth Notices
This is just a few of the birth notices of the 2,000 babies Nurse Quartermaine helped deliver…
Western Mail
6 December 1912
ALLARDYCE (nee McDonald).
On November 9, at Brockhurst private hospital, Katanning, to Mr. and Mrs. Arthur H. Allardyce, of Angelsey, Gnowangerup, W.A. – a daughter. Both well.
Western Mail
1 October 1915
ST JOHN,
On August 21, at Nurse Quartermaine’s Private Hospital, Brockhurst, Katanning, to Mr. and Mrs. W. St. John, of Ongerup – a daughter (Ruby).
Western Mail
25 April 1919
PATTERSON (nee M Forrest).
On April 5 at Brockhurst Private Hospital, Katanning, to Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Patterson, of Cartmeticup – a son. All well.
Western Mail
4 May 1922
FOLEY.
On April. 12, 1922, at Brockhurst, Katanning, to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Foley – a son (Albert Bussell). Both well.
And one who left us…
Lakes News – Lake Grace
2008
Gregory Hugh O’Neill
24th July 1919—25th January 2008
Greg O’Neill was born on July 24th, 1919 at Brockhurst Hospital, Katanning.
DO YOU HAVE A PHOTO OF NURSE QUARTERMAINE?
I would love to hear from you – admin@lostkatanning.au