History – From small Plunket beginnings

In the early 1900s, for every 1000 live births, 88 babies would die – scary statistics for a young mother. Dr Truby King an Edinburgh-trained doctor, living in Dunedin was concerned with the poor health of newborns, mainly from poor nutrition and failure to thrive. Breastfeeding was out of fashion and the replacement food inadequate. He set up a small unit at Karitane, north of Dunedin, in 1906, to care for babies, educate mothers and encourage local women to help new mothers in their homes. Lady Victoria Plunket, wife of the then Governor General, travelled NZ championing this work, and the organisation adopted her name in 1914.

During World War I in Warkworth, Isabella Hamilton campaigned for a Plunket nurse in the area. Her cousin, Bella Wilson, was one of the early nurses trained by Dr King. Isabella travelled the area in her horse and gig, and later in her sister-in-law Florrie Hamilton’s car, talking to women about a Plunket nurse service. By 1926, a working committee had formed to raise funds for a room, a nurse and transport. A Baby Queen Carnival was the first event held.

In 1927, the Warkworth branch of the Plunket Society was formed and Florrie supplied the first room, a disused service entry to the Hamilton Building shop in Queen Street. This was converted and painted, a bench built and kitchen scales provided to weigh the babies. The first nurse was Jean McCall. After the Queen Street fire in 1931, Mrs Tom Warin provided a better room at the front of Broomfield House. Jean visited mothers in outlying areas on horseback and, due to her small stature, there were many stories of her climbing fences and the like to mount the horse. Eventually she was given a Baby Austin to drive, although she never mastered reversing. This meant she would drive until she found a space wide enough to turn around in, unless there was a man handy who could lift the back of the car and swing her round!

In 1935, Mr A. Warin donated land for proper rooms for the nurse, at the corner of Mill Lane, where they remain today.

The Warkworth branch and its nurse were responsible for a large area, with many sub-branches. The nurse held weekly, bi-monthly or monthly clinics in Matakana, Leigh, Wellsford, Kaiwaka, Maungaturoto, Mangawhai, Helensville, Waimauku, Kumeu, Silverdale and Dairy Flat. She would also do home visits during those first critical weeks following the birth. The committee held monthly meetings with reports from the sub-branches. Isabella Hamilton was president for many of those early years. Her daughter, Flora McNaught, was president for a while in the 1940s. By the time the Warkworth branch held its 50th anniversary in 1977, many of those sub-branches had their own nurses and clinics.

Just after World War II, a Queen Carnival was held to raise funds to extend the Plunket rooms and include a flat on top for the nurse. Many of us have been grateful for the support of our Plunket nurse and her wisdom, still operating from those rooms set up so many years ago. I am sure Dr King and his many dedicated nurses and volunteers would be thrilled that the death rate is now only 3.2 deaths per 1000 live births.