Admara Private Hospital

Posted on Thursday, 28th May 2020 by Janine Rizzetti

From our Facebook page 28 May 2020

In February 1919, Mrs Agnes Wall opened ‘Admara’ (sometimes ‘Ardmara’), a private maternity hospital at her home in Hawdon Street. Her husband, Thomas Wall, conducted a woodyard on the block next door, close to the railway which brought the wood.

At this time, most women either gave birth at home or, increasingly, in a private hospital like this one.

Mrs Wall had quite a bit of competition. There was another private hospital ‘Silistria’ conducted by Nurse Dunn in Yarra Street Heidelberg, and the midwife Nurse Jackson worked from her private hospital ‘Kia-Ora’ in Upper Heidelberg Road between Westley Avenue and Ivanhoe Parade. Miss Smith’s ‘Wynstay’ operated in Park St Ivanhoe. There was a private hospital called ‘Airlie’ at 3 Kenilworth Parade conducted by Sister Kelly, but this was not the same ‘Airlie’ in Upper Heidelberg Road where so many present day Ivanhoe residents were born.

Sister Wall’s ‘Admara’ hospital operated for nearly twenty years until 1938.