More Info →Foxton Maternity Home 1942-1982 Page 19

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Betty's Bob Boo!

The Funniest Thing that ever happened to me while working at the Maternity Home, was when I was about to be present at my first birthing (after having had seven babies of my own, of whom six were born at Foxton Maternity.) Sister Lash said to me to go and ring Doctor Teppett and tell him that we have a, "Midwives peep,".. .1 was so excited about this that I rang and said to him, "Sister Lash said to tell you we have a "Widows Peek,"...Well, he arrived at the Home in hysterics and we couldn't make out what was wrong with him, until finally he was able to tell us what I had said.

He never let me live that down!

I decided I was going to knit a pair of bootees for each baby that was born while I was working at the Home, to give to them, but after about fifteen pairs, I soon gave up on that idea.

Contributed by Betty Taylor (nee Shailer)

(*Thirteen and a half years, with one break, as a nurse- aid and five years (staggered) as a night nurse-aid.)

A Letter From Nelson:

Dear Fran,
My sister Eva Robbie sent me ,a clipping from the Manawatu Evening Standard about you doing a history of the Foxton Maternity Unit. (I worked there for six months.) From September 1955, until I was accepted for nursing training at Palmerston North Hospital in 1956. Matron in charge at the time was Sister Sheldon, who lived in the flat. Two English registered nurses lived in the back flat but I can't remember their names. I remember Shirley Jones, and of course Hettie the cook, whom I'm sure every one remembers. I was a very shy girl straight off a farm and as green as the Taranaki grass!

I remember my very first night duty vividly. The afternoon staff nurse blithely went off to bed saying that there was a woman in theatre and to call me if she was needed.

I went on with my list of chores, trying to get that awful copper going to boil the naps etc. cleaning , ironing, and all, and hoping like hell the woman in theatre would not want anything. Just as I was starting to feel a little easier, the theatre bell rang and I dashed in expecting the worst, and all she wanted was a drink of water and then settled back to sleep. I was shaking like a leaf! In the morning it was customary to report to Matron before going off duty. My nervousness must have still been evident as she said, "Well are you coming back tonight or are you running away?"

Another night-duty recall was, - In the kitchen finishing the ironing when down the gravel driveway the sound of slow footsteps approaching, I, still standing there iron in hand when the door opens and in strolls Doctor Teppett, as if it's the middle of the day, goes to the fridge, helps himself to a drink of milk and says are you going to throw that at me or what?

He was a great teaser and my naivety was too much to ignore.

It is funny in hindsight after so much trepidation of nights when I was 17 that I would

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Identification

Date

2005