Nurse Miss Evelyn Rose Morey M.B.E

About the same time as Millbrook Rise opened in 1934 Matron Jane Power M.B.E handed in her resignation from the position of Matron. Miss Evelyn Rose Morey AANS (pictured left) was then appointed as Matron of  Mental Diseases Hospital New Norfolk and served the institution for 18 years.

The Mercury – Dated 28th April 1934 Reported:
APPOINTMENTS HOBART, Friday. At a meeting of the Executive Council
to-day Miss Evelyn Rose Morey was promoted from the position of
sub-matron to that of matron at the Mental Diseases Hospital at New Norfolk.

Matron Morey witnessed the large construction process that saw the destruction of many old building on the west side of the Lachlan River and construction of the new east hospital, but she wasn’t just a bystander, she was called as a witness before J. H Chamberlain in  1949, who chaired the Parliamentary Standing Committee, looking at the need to have a new hospital and a segregated model that serves people with intellectual disabilities on one side of the hospital and people with mental health issues on the other. Plans were submitted for the construction of a new hospital at the cost of 1,500,000 pounds.

Nurse Evelyn Rose Morey AANS was born in Triabunna, Tasmania on the 2nd of April 1885 and trained at Lyell District Hospital for 5 years
She enlisted on the 17 September 1917 and joined AANS 17 October 1917 aged 32. She embarked AMATS Nestor on the 21 November 1917 and disembarked at Southampton on the 18 January 1918. She took up her post as staff nurse in the 2nd Aust. Aux. Hospital, Southall 19 January 1918, staff nurse at 3rd Aust. Aux. Hospital Dartford 4 February 1918 and staff nurse at 1st Aust Gen Hospital Sutton Veny, 19 October 1919.

She returned to Australia 1 November 1919 per Nestor because she had an injured knee during a fall on the ship, Grace Darling on 7 January 1920 and was recommended “unfit” for general service by the 26 January 1920. Her service was terminated on the 25 February 1920 due to “demobilisation”.

TREASURED COIN SOVEREIGN THAT WAS NOT WANTED (Newspaper clipping)

A sovereign with an interesting history was among the articles disposed of in
competitions at a fair held at New Norfolk on Saturday in aid of the Crippled
Children’s Fund. The Sovereign, which was donated by the matron of
Lachlan Park Hospital (Sister Evelyn Morey) brought 8 pounds 15 shillings.

With nine others it was taken to France during the Great War by Sister
Morey, and when a shop assistant refused to accept it in payment for a pair
of gloves in a French shop, the coin was kept as a treasure. That the novelty
of gaining possession of a sovereign appealed to a great many was
indicated by the amount collected for it on Saturday.

Her Headstone Inscription read:
In Loving Memory of Evelyn Rose Morey M.B.E Late A.A.N.S 1914-1918
Daughter of the late A & E Morey of Okehampton Died 18th January 1953
Aged 69 Years Matron Lachlan Park Hospital for 18 years. Loved by all.

The Mercury notice – dated Monday 19th January 1953:

MOREY. – On January 18, 1953, at Hobart, Evelyn Rose Morey, M.B.E., loved and loving daughter of the late Abraham and Ellen Morey, Okehampton, Triabunna, in the 70th year of her age. Late Sister, Nursing Staff, 1st A.I.F. late Matron, Lachlan Park Hospital, Tasmania.

Truly a life dedicated to the Hospital and service to people with disabilities and mental health issues.

Research by Karen Richards and Mark Krause

Source: Trove, Troubled Asylum