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The old Reefton Hospital, 1946.
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DescriptionDr Wicken was the medical superintendent and Matron Whisker was in charge.
Shared with very kind permission of Colleen Janet Chisholm nee Loughnan.Date of Photo1946Map[1] ContributorColleen Janet Chisholm
Shared with very kind permission of Colleen Janet Chisholm nee Loughnan.Date of Photo1946Map[1] ContributorColleen Janet Chisholm
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Location (city or town)ReeftonPersonDr Wicken Matron WhiskerOrganisation (eg business)The old Reefton HospitalEventThe old Reefton Hospital, 1946.
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Category TagHospital
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CommentsRhys Devlin Thomas Whitton was appointed resident surgeon at reefton hospital in 1884 after working in Invercargill and Naseby. In 1907 he moved to Taihape after selling his business to Dr Edward Scott a Brisbane born surgeon.
Les Bryce The matron just got the job by a whisker then?
Les Bryce at last, someone with a sense of humour
Heather Newby Les Bryce yes.. seems to be a lack of that lately
Florence Gunn Would there be birth records of this very early time. Had family born at this time in Reefton. Plus myself 78 years ago on Thursday, 23rd April. Who was Dr and matron in 1942
Carol Stewart Florence Gunn the hospital records are at Blacks Point
Museum. I was able to see that my mother had a "false alarm" visit to the hospital a week before I was born and saw that she was back in hospital on my birthdate and that there was a birth.
This was 1943.
Florence Gunn Carol Stewart thanks Carol, I was at that museum some years ago and also found notes. Wrote them down somewhere? Didn't go back to Waters/Escott family at that time. 1880's on. Must make another trip one day
Colin J Wilson My wife was born at Reefton Hospital on 27 December 1941, three months before you, Florence, and she said Doctor Wicken was the doctor then, she does not know who the Matron was. Elaine was born Elaine Southon & lived at Inangahua Junction.
Trish McTaggart What a wonderful photo of the old hospital. Being a McInroe from Ikamatua there is a fair bit of history there.
Dennis Gibbs Looks like something out of Lemony Snicket
Myron Caldwell In the days when the Matron and Sisters wore a veil, and the nurses. their cap. Rank was important. Had 6 visits there in two years as a young kid. Dr Wicken and Brockenshire were the doctors and they just got on and did the surgery. No waiting for a long time to see a surgeon back then. I had no idea it looked like this when I went there. Went to the new hospital when I was 18 for a few day for an operation with Ash Heaphy and Wicken repeating what I had had 10 years before..
Doreen Wallis Wow lovely buildings ehh
Phil Millar My Mother was born there in 1912 and she used to talk about DR Wicken,she was a PROVIS from the landing.
Heather Christensen I remember Dr Wicken
Pamela Howard they were both at the birth of my first child
Beverley Bourke Drs Wicken and Brockenshire were our Drs when we lived at Hukarere. Long time ago. I still remember going to them in Reefton.
Jacqueline Evans I had my tonsils out in this hospital
Lynda Ladner Dr Wcken delivered me.
Arthur Bass And me. And was our Dr.,
KevinandMargaret Mills We had Dr Heaphy as our family doctor
John Griffin Big sis is right Dr Heaphy was our doctor
Anne Clarke I had a great uncle born in Reefton in 1893.Could he have been born in the Reefton hospital. He was Grdon Hugh Boyle.
Anne Clarke That was Gordon Hugh Boyle - sorry
Peter Rosanowski I remember Dr Wicken well. He was at our place at one o'clock in the morning trying to stop the bleeding in my mouth. I had had some teeth out in Westport that day - still remember the gas mask - and the bleeding wouldn't stop. Wick fixed me up and as he left at 1.30am he said, "I wouldn't like to take your appendix out." That was around 1950. I never forgot that and remembered it again when, 20 years later, I was in the Ashburton Hospital with peritonitis following a burst appendix. Nearly died, according to my surgeon, but I didn't. I believe that is why I include the Haemophilia Society on my list of charities each year. Btw, Dr Wicken raced some quite smart racehorses. I think Pimpernel, winner of the Nelson Cup, was one of them. Or was it Atomic Power? Help me out here, John.
John Rosanowski Atomic Power, Charlie Murcott ??
Valerie Beavis My mum had Quads in that hospital, Dr Wicken was her Dr, unfortunately they were born to early, and they weren’t expecting quads only twins, but they just keep coming 1949.
Heather Newby wow... amazing!! Imagine having four at once!
Barbara Fitzsimmons Born in there 1952 .
Heather Newby in was born in grey hospital in dec 1952
Les Bryce The matron just got the job by a whisker then?
Les Bryce at last, someone with a sense of humour
Heather Newby Les Bryce yes.. seems to be a lack of that lately
Florence Gunn Would there be birth records of this very early time. Had family born at this time in Reefton. Plus myself 78 years ago on Thursday, 23rd April. Who was Dr and matron in 1942
Carol Stewart Florence Gunn the hospital records are at Blacks Point
Museum. I was able to see that my mother had a "false alarm" visit to the hospital a week before I was born and saw that she was back in hospital on my birthdate and that there was a birth.
This was 1943.
Florence Gunn Carol Stewart thanks Carol, I was at that museum some years ago and also found notes. Wrote them down somewhere? Didn't go back to Waters/Escott family at that time. 1880's on. Must make another trip one day
Colin J Wilson My wife was born at Reefton Hospital on 27 December 1941, three months before you, Florence, and she said Doctor Wicken was the doctor then, she does not know who the Matron was. Elaine was born Elaine Southon & lived at Inangahua Junction.
Trish McTaggart What a wonderful photo of the old hospital. Being a McInroe from Ikamatua there is a fair bit of history there.
Dennis Gibbs Looks like something out of Lemony Snicket
Myron Caldwell In the days when the Matron and Sisters wore a veil, and the nurses. their cap. Rank was important. Had 6 visits there in two years as a young kid. Dr Wicken and Brockenshire were the doctors and they just got on and did the surgery. No waiting for a long time to see a surgeon back then. I had no idea it looked like this when I went there. Went to the new hospital when I was 18 for a few day for an operation with Ash Heaphy and Wicken repeating what I had had 10 years before..
Doreen Wallis Wow lovely buildings ehh
Phil Millar My Mother was born there in 1912 and she used to talk about DR Wicken,she was a PROVIS from the landing.
Heather Christensen I remember Dr Wicken
Pamela Howard they were both at the birth of my first child
Beverley Bourke Drs Wicken and Brockenshire were our Drs when we lived at Hukarere. Long time ago. I still remember going to them in Reefton.
Jacqueline Evans I had my tonsils out in this hospital
Lynda Ladner Dr Wcken delivered me.
Arthur Bass And me. And was our Dr.,
KevinandMargaret Mills We had Dr Heaphy as our family doctor
John Griffin Big sis is right Dr Heaphy was our doctor
Anne Clarke I had a great uncle born in Reefton in 1893.Could he have been born in the Reefton hospital. He was Grdon Hugh Boyle.
Anne Clarke That was Gordon Hugh Boyle - sorry
Peter Rosanowski I remember Dr Wicken well. He was at our place at one o'clock in the morning trying to stop the bleeding in my mouth. I had had some teeth out in Westport that day - still remember the gas mask - and the bleeding wouldn't stop. Wick fixed me up and as he left at 1.30am he said, "I wouldn't like to take your appendix out." That was around 1950. I never forgot that and remembered it again when, 20 years later, I was in the Ashburton Hospital with peritonitis following a burst appendix. Nearly died, according to my surgeon, but I didn't. I believe that is why I include the Haemophilia Society on my list of charities each year. Btw, Dr Wicken raced some quite smart racehorses. I think Pimpernel, winner of the Nelson Cup, was one of them. Or was it Atomic Power? Help me out here, John.
John Rosanowski Atomic Power, Charlie Murcott ??
Valerie Beavis My mum had Quads in that hospital, Dr Wicken was her Dr, unfortunately they were born to early, and they weren’t expecting quads only twins, but they just keep coming 1949.
Heather Newby wow... amazing!! Imagine having four at once!
Barbara Fitzsimmons Born in there 1952 .
Heather Newby in was born in grey hospital in dec 1952
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West Coast New Zealand History (9th Aug 2022). The old Reefton Hospital, 1946.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 10th Jun 2026 11:55, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/17858