The Matron’s Sitting Room
Wellington Hospital
This photo of the matron’s sitting room was taken inside Wellington Hospital at some stage in 1906. At that time, Miss Frances Payne was the matron, and so presumably she is the subject in the photo.
Frances Keith Payne began her nursing training in 1890 at Wellington hospital. She was promoted to matron in 1899 and remained in the role until 1902, when she left to take up the role as matron of the Rotorua Sanitorium.
When the hospital advertised the position to replace Frances, the salary offered was £120 per annum plus Board and Residence. Miss Ellen Mary (Nelly) Pettit was subsequently appointed. She had begun her career at the hospital seven years earlier as a probationer and gained her certificate in 1898. In 1900 she was appointed a nursing sister.
‘Miss Pettit has undertaken no small task, but she is clever and capable, and has a gift of tenderness and tact – and, as the song has it “You can do a lot of things with tact!”.’ (New Zealand Free Lance, 13 September 1902, p3).
The strain proved too much for Nelly, who was then the youngest matron the hospital had. In 1904, Nelly swapped her role with Frances at the Rotorua Sanatorium. Frances returned to Wellington and resumed her role. Frances remained as matron until she resigned in 1916, due to ill health.
‘Her strict regard for discipline and routine may not have been appreciated by the younger nurses but when they rose to positions of authority themselves, and many have done so, they are always proud to say on every occasion that they were Payne nurses.’ (Social and Personal, New Zealand Times, 23 September 1916, p5).
Frances died in 1924, she was 68 years old. A memorial tablet was erected in Frances’ memory at St Mark’s church and a second was placed in Wellington hospital. There were insufficient funds remaining after the purchase of these to establish a bursary for the diploma of nursing. Instead the remaining money was used to establish a medal for the nurse for passed top in the State examination.
Photograph of the matron's sitting room at Wellington Hospital. Published in ‘The New Zealand Graphic’ on 22 September 1906. Photo courtesy of Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections NZG-19060922-0005-01
Portrait of Miss Frances Keith Payne, matron Rotorua Sanatorium. September 1902. Photo courtesy of Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections NZG-19020906-0604-02
A view of the nurses' sitting room. Published in ‘The New Zealand Graphic’ on 22 September 1906. Photo courtesy of Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections NZG-19060922-0008-04
Photograph of the operating theatre at Wellington Hospital. Published in ‘The New Zealand Graphic’ on 22 September 1906. Photo courtesy of Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections NZG-19060922-0006-04
Photograph of the lecture room at the Wellington Hospital nurses' home. Published in ‘The New Zealand Graphic’ on 22 September 1906. Photo courtesy of Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections NZG-19060922-0008-01.