Old Prospectors of South Australia - people connected to Prospect, South Australia
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Name (FAMILY NAME, Other Names)

O’BRIEN, Elizabeth Eileen “Eileen”

Date of Birth

6 February 1900

Place of Birth

Bagot Well, South Australia (6km north east of Kapunda)

Date of Death

31 July 1953

Place of Death

Adelaide SA

Place of Burial

3 Aug 1953 in “new” Enfield Cemetery, Catholic Section  Row K site 16

(buried with sister)

Arrived in South Australia (date/ship etc.)

 

Addresses/Dates in Prospect Council Area

 

Addresses/Dates outside Prospect Council Area

12 May Street, Sefton Park

Kapunda SA 1925, Snowtown SA 1928.

Names of houses (if any)

 

Parents - names; DOBs etc (if known)

James O’BRIEN (c1857 – 1928)

Johannah Mary HOGAN (c1866 – 1926)

Spouse(s) - including maiden name; DOBs etc. (if known)

 

Date(s) of Marriage(s)

 

Place(s) of Marriage(s)

 

Children - names and dates of birth/death if known

 

Education

Passed Nurses Board Exam at Kapunda Hospital 1925

Passed surgical nursing exam Adelaide Hospital 1930

 

Occupation(s)

Nursing Sister.

Served at Snowtown (c1928)

Was running the Northern Hospital with Miss Whitfield in 1933

1934 Purchased Northern Hospital with a Mortgage and ran it with her sister, Hannah until c1951.

Matron of Northern hospital (newspaper 1949 but probably much earlier)

Interests/Activities

 

Religion/Churches

Catholic

Notes (points of interest etc.)

Most local hospitals had staff shortages during and after World War II with nurses enlisting and then leaving to marry. Also nurses could earn more as munition workers. There are many newspaper articles about these shortages and the effect or Prospect Hospitals particular maternity services. It is said that at times like these the dedication of the O'Brien sisters was legendary. Accommodation was also a problem with beds being placed in passages and on the wide verandahs.

During this period the Northern is said to be the only hospital between the city and Gawler offering a wide range of medical and surgical services. It is said that sailors from ships at Port Adelaide were treated there.

The hospital was a well respected maternity hospital.

The Hospital became the Northern Community Hospital from 1952

Cross-references eg to siblings, parents, children

Other children listed at father’s death -  John O’Brien of Bagot’s Well SA, James O’Brien of Tarcoola Station NSW, Mrs JJ Slattery of Snowtown SA, and Nurse O’Brien of Broken Hill NSW

Local Government experience (if any)

 

Sources of information

Trove newspapers, SA BDM, Land Titles, PLHG Hospital book

Principal Researcher(s)

David Johnston and Lesley Attema

 

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