Newspaper Article 1966 – 200 former nurses will attend Hastings reunion

200 former nurses will attend Hastings reunion

At least 200 general nurses and 18-month maternity graduates who graduated from the Hastings Memorial Hospital between 1948 and 1964 are expected to come from all parts of New Zealand on Saturday for a reunion at the hospital.

Two graduates now living in Australia had planned to attend but are unable to come.

The reunion begins on Saturday morning when graduates will be welcomed by the hospital’s matron, Miss E. M. Hall.

Official guests will include the Mayor and Mayoress of Hastings, Mr. and Mrs. R. V. Giorgi; a representative from the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board, Mr. R. A. Nimon and Mrs. Nimon; the medical superintendent of the Napier Hospital, Dr. J. R. Grimoldby and Mrs Grimoldby; the medical superintendent of the Hastings’ Hospital, Mr. N. C. Rees and Mrs Rees;  the assistant medical superintendent of the Hastings Hospital, Dr. L. W. Broughton and Mrs Broughton;  and the matron of the Napier Hospital, Miss P. Shaw.

SPECIAL GUESTS

Special guests will be Miss I. Owen, former sister in charge of maternity wards at the Memorial Hospital and Miss I. Russell, who was matron of the hospital from 1934 to 1956.

After the official welcome graduates and guests will tour the hospital and nurses’ homes.  Each ward and department in the hospital will have special displays.

On Saturday night a dinner and social evening will be held in the Assembly Hall, Hastings, at which former nurses living in Hastings will provide entertainment and act as hostesses.

CHAPEL SERVICE

The reunion will end on Sunday morning after a special service conducted on the steps of the hospital chapel.

The last reunion held by the hospital was in 1956 to honour Miss Russell’s retirement.

The next reunion will be held in 1978 to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the hospital.