St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, Archives and Heritage Centre

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St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, Archives and Heritage Centre

• Medical

St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne was founded in 1893 by the Sisters of Charity, pioneers in Australian healthcare, particularly directed to those most in need. Today the hospital operates over 17 sites including its original base in the inner suburb of Fitzroy, and the Caritas Christi Hospice and St George's Hospital campuses in Kew.

The hospital's history is well documented in published histories and biographies including Bryan Egan's centenary history "Ways of a Hospital: St Vincent's Melbourne 1890s-1990s"

The hospital archives was established in 2000. More information on the foundation of this service can be found in an article by B. Cytowicz in News Notes, Archives and Manuscripts, Vol 30, No 2 (November 2002).

St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne is part of the St Vincent's Health Australia network which in turn reports to Mary Aikenhead Ministries. The Sisters of Charity have their own Congregational Archives in Sydney and a museum.

The St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne Archives and Heritage Centre collects items (records and artefacts) that tell the story of the hospital from its foundation in 1893 to the present day. Particular priorities include material relevant to the hospital’s mission and culture, its growth and development, its areas of key responsibility and achievement, and the social context in which it has operated. The collection grows through both departmental transfers and donations of material.

Holdings include:

• Annual reports, 1893- present
• Photographs of hospital staff, services, departments, celebrations and building works, 1890s- present
• Surgeons' and physicians' case books, 1893-1910
• Registers of nurses in the training school, 1893-1993
• Nurses' identification and training records, c1929-1993
• Minutes and papers of executive and management committees, 1920s- present
• Chief Executive Officer files
• Oral histories and research and manuscript papers for hospital histories
• Press cuttings and publicity material
• Staff newsletters, 1960s- present
• Past Nurses' Association papers, 1920s- present
• Instruments and artefacts associated with hospital surgeons, physicians or nursing education
• Fundraising memorabilia
• Site plans and plans for hospital buildings, 1930s-1990s
• Nursing memorabilia.

The Centre is staffed on a part-time basis. It is open to researchers and other visitors by appointment Wednesday to Friday.
Closed on public holidays.

Intending visitors should contact the Archivist with details of the nature and purpose of their research prior to their visit. There are access restrictions to some records in accordance with legislative, administrative and donor requirements.

The hospital is close to Parliament Station and a number of tram routes along Victoria Parade and Nicholson Street, see http://svhm.org.au/home/patients-and-visitors/campus-information

Reference advice and assistance is available. Visitors can request access to original materials and take photographs unless copyright, privacy or other restrictions apply.

The Centre doesn't have a photographic service available but a limited number of digitised copies or photocopies can be requested.

The Centre has a small dedicated display space and also has periodic exhibits in the St Vincent's Art Gallery and around other campus sites.

Revised 10 February 2022

• Built Environment (Thematic area)
• Education (Thematic area)
• Medicine and Health (Thematic area)
• Science and Technology (Thematic area)