The Hospital Grounds
Robert Gordon was a porter at the Hospital from 1918 until the 1950's. Toward the end of his career, he wrote down in a notebook his recollections of life & work at the Hospital, and below are transcribed the entries he made about the Hospital grounds. "Here is a description of the old grounds about 1918. As one entered the old front gate (still standing) the driveway swept away in a curve to the right and left. Up the centre was a broad foot path and about half way up there was a fish pond with a fountain in it. Guarded by netting (to keep out Homo Sapiens Junior) and at the end of that path were two flights of stairs curving on to a partly ivy-clad balustrade terrace at the foot of which was a row of small box trees. The Head Gardener, when asked what they were would reply, "Thems Mortal Gorgers" - it was evidently a humerous remark. At the top of the steps, stood the bandstand. The road that we left curving away from the gate, the right-hand one, went away past the laboratory building and main theatre to the old front door and Ward 5 then swung round sharply to the right reached the yard. The left-hand road went up to the Nurses' Home and the Children's Wards etc. In between the road and the pathways in the front were green lawns and in between the roads above the terrace were two large lawns shaded by huge pine trees and bordered by beds of red geraniums and silvia bonfire plants. Brilliant scarlet against the green of the lawn and the grey of the asphalt paving of the paths. They were indeed beautiful. In fact the whole place was lovely to look at. Round past the old front door on the left hand side was a small lawn with a fountain and fish pond and there were seats there and it was sheltered from the north. By a hedge and a background of rhododendrons and azaleas and in the middle at the back of these stood a large magnolia tree with big white blossoms. The seat at the back of the fountain was a favourite haunt of a business like kingfisher who used sit like an image on the rail of the seat and suddenly he would dive straight into the pond and come up to digest a goldfish of which the pond contained many. The pond never became overcrowded by reason of that bird's activity. There was also a road which went to the left of the bandstand to the old Dental Department which was in old Hospital Road leading from Adelaide Road. This was formerly the Outpatients Dep't, I believe. This road was a straight one bordered by turf and with flower beds here and there and a by path went to the kitchen garden where the tennis courts now are. Where there is now a green sward between Dr Shirer's house and the front gate on one side (to the north) was a paddock covered with fennel and other noxious weeds, and the south side where the new front block is was another paddock in which stood a building occupied by the Carrara Ceiling Company. I understand that in earlier times it was occupied by the Wellington Glass Factory. In after years the fennel covered space referred to was a children's playground. Next to the old Dental Department stood a house occupied by the Chief Engineer and at one time by the House Steward of that day, Mr Fox."

The Hospital Grounds

Robert Gordon was a porter at the Hospital from 1918 until the 1950's. Toward the end of his career, he wrote down in a notebook his recollections of life & work at the Hospital, and below are transcribed the entries he made about the Hospital grounds.

"Here is a description of the old grounds about 1918. As one entered the old front gate (still standing) the driveway swept away in a curve to the right and left. Up the centre was a broad foot path and about half way up there was a fish pond with a fountain in it. Guarded by netting (to keep out Homo Sapiens Junior) and at the end of that path were two flights of stairs curving on to a partly ivy-clad balustrade terrace at the foot of which was a row of small box trees. The Head Gardener, when asked what they were would reply, "Thems Mortal Gorgers" - it was evidently a humerous remark. At the top of the steps, stood the bandstand. The road that we left curving away from the gate, the right-hand one, went away past the laboratory building and main theatre to the old front door and Ward 5 then swung round sharply to the right reached the yard. The left-hand road went up to the Nurses' Home and the Children's Wards etc. In between the road and the pathways in the front were green lawns and in between the roads above the terrace were two large lawns shaded by huge pine trees and bordered by beds of red geraniums and silvia bonfire plants. Brilliant scarlet against the green of the lawn and the grey of the asphalt paving of the paths. They were indeed beautiful. In fact the whole place was lovely to look at. Round past the old front door on the left hand side was a small lawn with a fountain and fish pond and there were seats there and it was sheltered from the north. By a hedge and a background of rhododendrons and azaleas and in the middle at the back of these stood a large magnolia tree with big white blossoms. The seat at the back of the fountain was a favourite haunt of a business like kingfisher who used sit like an image on the rail of the seat and suddenly he would dive straight into the pond and come up to digest a goldfish of which the pond contained many. The pond never became overcrowded by reason of that bird's activity. There was also a road which went to the left of the bandstand to the old Dental Department which was in old Hospital Road leading from Adelaide Road. This was formerly the Outpatients Dep't, I believe. This road was a straight one bordered by turf and with flower beds here and there and a by path went to the kitchen garden where the tennis courts now are. Where there is now a green sward between Dr Shirer's house and the front gate on one side (to the north) was a paddock covered with fennel and other noxious weeds, and the south side where the new front block is was another paddock in which stood a building occupied by the Carrara Ceiling Company. I understand that in earlier times it was occupied by the Wellington Glass Factory. In after years the fennel covered space referred to was a children's playground. Next to the old Dental Department stood a house occupied by the Chief Engineer and at one time by the House Steward of that day, Mr Fox."