Eulabah

Reference: p 263

The home of Dr James Cameron and his wife Eliza Bowman was designed in the late Victorian Jacobean style in 1881 by Sydney architects Mansfield Brothers.pdf who also designed the mansion Abercrombie House in Bathurst. Dr Cameron made a significant contribution to the development of the town of Richmond as well as writing an important history of the Presbyterian Church in Australia. He became minister of St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Richmond in 1856 and moderator of the NSW Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. His wife Eliza was the daughter of George and Eliza Bowman whom he married in 1857. Dr Cameron died in 1905 and the home was sold to George Woodhill.

Reference: RLP File Richmond Community Nursing Home

Eulabah was purchased by George Woodhill in 1905. The home was sold to a committee of trustees in about 1911 for a Richmond district hospital for the sum of £1,000. Funds were raised by various means such as concerts and balls. During June and July 1913, the building was cleaned, fitted out and preparations for the opening were reported in the Windsor and Richmond Gazette:

We had a look over the hospital this week. The large building is furnished throughout and looks most comfortable. The whole of the scrubbing and cleaning was done by several members of the ladies’ committee who devoted long hours daily for a fortnight until the building was perfectly clean. The. committee are pardonably proud of their hospital, and are now considering matters in connection with the official opening ceremony. They are making arrangements with Sydney doctors to send their convalescent patients to Richmond, and by this means the hospital will be kept full. Two patients are to be admitted next week.

The hospital occupied the main dwelling and the stables and other outbuildings were purchased by Richmond Municipal Council for use as chambers.

Mr. F. Stevenson is re-modelling the buildings which will make comfortable chambers. The meeting room will be spacious, and in addition there will be the Mayor’s room and the clerk’s office. The work is expected to be completed before the end of the present month.

The hospital was known by various names over the years including Richmond Cottage Hospital, Richmond District Hospital, Richmond Community Hospital (from 1957) and Richmond Community Nursing Home (from 1966 until about 1990).

The home has been carefully restored and preserved and is now in private ownership.

Reference: Registers of Licensed Private Hospitals 1910-1928

State Records of NSW

State Archives and Records of NSW https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/ holds records of private hospitals in NSW. Below is an excerpt from the data for Richmond Private Hospital (Yulebah), West Market Street, Richmond. Vol 2 Fol 78 Class of hospital: Medical, Surgical, Lying-in. 10 beds

Licensees:

• Dr W.M. Helsham, T Waters and A Cornwell
• Licensed from 19-8-1913 to 31-12-1927, Ceased 1921
• Dr W.M. Helsham, T Waters and A Cornwell from 4-7-1922 to 1922
• Dorothy Crenan Byrne from 10-7-1923

Resident Managers:

• Evelyn Ellen Swannells from 19-8-1913 to 1914
• Pearl Rochester from 18-8-1914
• Ethel A Walker from 7-11-1916, resigned 21-5-1917
• Lucy Ina Anthony from 2-10-1917
• Lydia Dunbar from 3-8-1920
• Rose Muriel Drew from 4-2-1922
• Dorothy Crenan Byrne from 10-7-1923
• Resident Assistant: Mary Schelpp from 18-8-1914