Tweddle 1920’s Timeline

• 1920 Formation of the Society for Health of Women and Children of Victoria (Plunket System) and Tweddle’s origins.
• 1922 Lease of Barkly Street Footscray, Hospital site granted by Footscray Council for a Baby Hospital and Nurses’ Training School
• 1924 The Tweddle Hospital for Babies and School of Mothercraft officially opened by the Countess of Stradbroke. Training of certified Sisters in Infant Welfare (Plunket Sisters) in addition to Primrose Baby Nurses commenced.
• 1925 Erection of Nurses’ Quarters on block facing Sydney St Footscray – land donated by the Footscray Council.
• 1926 The Jane Douglas Endowment Fund established
• 1927 The first grant (for maintenance) made by the Government of Victoria
• 1927 The first Hospital Auxiliary formed in Footscray
• On 28th October 1920, Footscray Council advised the Victorian Treasurer that
• £80 pounds was voted towards the establishment of the Footscray Infant Welfare
• Centre. The Council agreed on an annual contribution of £150 pounds, conditional on a
• government subsidy of an equal amount.
• April 4 1921 – The Secretary of the Public Health Department promises the Council a subsidy of £25 pounds per centre, and Ministerial approval was gained to operate three rooms at 78 Nicholson Street Footscray. (rent of 17 shillings and sixpence per week, furnished by the Council, and a Plunket nurse was placed in charge. (From Footscray Council Annual Report 1920-21).
• Public support was sought and the Footscray Centre, unofficially opened on May 30 1921
• A 15 year lease was granted by the Footscray Council to the Society for the Health of Women and Children in 1922, to land on the corner of Gordon and Barkly Streets Footscray.
• On March 10 1924 the Tweddle Hospital for Babies and the School of Mothercraft was officially opened by the Countess of Stradbroke.
• 1924 – The provision of funds from Joseph Tweddle to allow construction of the Hospital and Training school to commence, it is noted that the original buildings were constructed of timber because of the term of the land lease.