Semaphore - St Margaret's Convalescent Hospital where the first section was erected in 1874 and opened in 1875. South Australia
St Margaret’s Convalescent Hospital was the brainchild of the Hart family of Glanville Hall.
Captain John Hart’s daughter Margaret realised the plight of the poor who came out of hospital to go into homes where worry waited for them. She bought and furnished a three-roomed cottage near the sea, providing a place for people to rest and recover.
Most of the provisions came from Glanville Hall, and the home was the hobby of the women of the household.
Shortly before his death in January 1873 Captain John Hart made a donation of £100 towards establishing the cause that became St Margaret’s Convalescent Hospital: his family later raised the fund to £800 and private subscriptions increased the amount to £1,000.
Plans for the structure were gratuitously prepared by Thomas English, architect, and a contract for erection of a portion of the proposed pile was let to Charles L Gardiner, whose tender amounted to £800.
On 14 September 1874 Mrs Musgrave, wife of the Governor, laid the foundation stone of the new hospital on land given by Thomas Elder. It was a four-roomed building with kitchen and laundry, built as a memorial to Captain Hart. That section is the centre of the present hospital.
A scroll placed beneath the stone read in part – This institution has been founded by public subscriptions to afford the benefit of sea air to convalescent patients of the Adelaide Hospital, and others who have not the means to obtain relief without assistance.
From its inception Margaret Hart (Mrs John Hart) was the Secretary and Mrs Musgrave the Patroness of the hospital.
The first annual report showed eighty-four patients had been admitted in twelve months. In 1877 the building was incorporated. Committee Management determined in purchasing several allotments of land from Captain Tapley at a cost of £313.
In June 1878, the size of the hospital was doubled by the erection of a wing costing about £368, built by Mrs E W Andrews in memory of her late husband, Edward William Andrews: the wing was opened 9 December by Lady Jervois, without any public ceremony. Space was then available for twenty patients.
A harmonium was presented to the hospital by Mrs and Miss M Hart.
In 1889 it was suggested that the convalescent hospital provide for children suffering from bone and joint diseases. Consequently, John Howard Angas, politician and philanthropist, contributed £1,889 10s towards a new wing: subsequently named the J H Angas Wing.
Plans were drawn by Messrs Garlick & Sons, architects, and the contract went to Messrs Ashwood and Powell. The wing had a frontage of 74 ft and depth of 53 ft. Included were two dormitories, playroom, nurses’ and servants’ rooms.
A tower 52 ft high occupied the central part of the building, with a lift to convey patients to the top of the building where a lookout was to be erected. The wing was to be built of Dry Creek stone.
On Saturday 7 June 1890 the foundation stone of the J H Angas Wing was laid by Mrs Kennion, wife of Bishop Kennion, Anglican Bishop of Adelaide.
This wing gave the hospital a total capacity of fifty-seven beds.
The Hart family’s connection to the convalescent hospital has been unique. By the 1930s the secretary was Miss M Hart, niece of the founder Margaret Hart. Mrs John Hart held the secretaryship until she was over the age of eighty.
Ref: Register 12-7-1875, 29-7-1879, 19-8-1881, 15-8-1899, 9-6-1890. Advertiser 13-9-1932.
Semaphore - St Margaret's Convalescent Hospital where the first section was erected in 1874 and opened in 1875. South Australia
St Margaret’s Convalescent Hospital was the brainchild of the Hart family of Glanville Hall.
Captain John Hart’s daughter Margaret realised the plight of the poor who came out of hospital to go into homes where worry waited for them. She bought and furnished a three-roomed cottage near the sea, providing a place for people to rest and recover.
Most of the provisions came from Glanville Hall, and the home was the hobby of the women of the household.
Shortly before his death in January 1873 Captain John Hart made a donation of £100 towards establishing the cause that became St Margaret’s Convalescent Hospital: his family later raised the fund to £800 and private subscriptions increased the amount to £1,000.
Plans for the structure were gratuitously prepared by Thomas English, architect, and a contract for erection of a portion of the proposed pile was let to Charles L Gardiner, whose tender amounted to £800.
On 14 September 1874 Mrs Musgrave, wife of the Governor, laid the foundation stone of the new hospital on land given by Thomas Elder. It was a four-roomed building with kitchen and laundry, built as a memorial to Captain Hart. That section is the centre of the present hospital.
A scroll placed beneath the stone read in part – This institution has been founded by public subscriptions to afford the benefit of sea air to convalescent patients of the Adelaide Hospital, and others who have not the means to obtain relief without assistance.
From its inception Margaret Hart (Mrs John Hart) was the Secretary and Mrs Musgrave the Patroness of the hospital.
The first annual report showed eighty-four patients had been admitted in twelve months. In 1877 the building was incorporated. Committee Management determined in purchasing several allotments of land from Captain Tapley at a cost of £313.
In June 1878, the size of the hospital was doubled by the erection of a wing costing about £368, built by Mrs E W Andrews in memory of her late husband, Edward William Andrews: the wing was opened 9 December by Lady Jervois, without any public ceremony. Space was then available for twenty patients.
A harmonium was presented to the hospital by Mrs and Miss M Hart.
In 1889 it was suggested that the convalescent hospital provide for children suffering from bone and joint diseases. Consequently, John Howard Angas, politician and philanthropist, contributed £1,889 10s towards a new wing: subsequently named the J H Angas Wing.
Plans were drawn by Messrs Garlick & Sons, architects, and the contract went to Messrs Ashwood and Powell. The wing had a frontage of 74 ft and depth of 53 ft. Included were two dormitories, playroom, nurses’ and servants’ rooms.
A tower 52 ft high occupied the central part of the building, with a lift to convey patients to the top of the building where a lookout was to be erected. The wing was to be built of Dry Creek stone.
On Saturday 7 June 1890 the foundation stone of the J H Angas Wing was laid by Mrs Kennion, wife of Bishop Kennion, Anglican Bishop of Adelaide.
This wing gave the hospital a total capacity of fifty-seven beds.
The Hart family’s connection to the convalescent hospital has been unique. By the 1930s the secretary was Miss M Hart, niece of the founder Margaret Hart. Mrs John Hart held the secretaryship until she was over the age of eighty.
Ref: Register 12-7-1875, 29-7-1879, 19-8-1881, 15-8-1899, 9-6-1890. Advertiser 13-9-1932.