Victorian Genealogy
Finding People and Places in Victoria, Australia.
Midwives are usually listed on birth certificates. See Birth Registration Records.
Midwives are employed in hospitals. See Hospitals.
Nurses are employed in hospitals and asylums. See Hospitals. Also see Mental Asylums.
Midwives and nurses may have been private hospital proprietors. See Private Hospitals.
Nurses serve in the defence forces. See Military Service.
The registration of midwives began in Victoria in 1915. Unregistered people were prevented from practising midwifery from this time. Lists of registered midwives appeared annually in January in the Victorian Government Gazette from 1916 until 1929. After this they are included with the nurse registers. See Victorian Government Gazettes.
VICTORIAN ASSOCIATION OF FAMILY HISTORY ORGANSATIONS - VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT GAZETTE NURSE AND MIDWIVE REGISTERS
These include midwives registers 1916-1956 and nurses registers 1925-1956. They are text searchable.
https://vafho.com/2018/04/18/midwives-and-nurses-a-gift-from-vafho/
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA - GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES
The Genealogical Society of Victoria has indexed into their Genealogical Index of Names (GIN) the following:
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
GEELONG AND DISTRICT WEBSITE - GEELONG AND DISTRICT MIDWIVES DATABASE
Names of midwives are sourced from individual contributors, the Geelong Advertiser and Victorian Government Gazettes.
http://zades.com.au/gandd/index.php/geelong/people/gdmwives
Public Record Office Victoria has the following:
This is not online.
Public Record Office Victoria has records relating to the Midwives Board of Victoria 1916-1929 (VA 3143).
This is not online.
The registration of nurses began in Victoria in 1923. Unregistered people were prevented from practising nursing from this time. Lists of registered nurses appeared annually in January in the Victorian Government Gazette from 1925; these were either a full register or a supplementary list. Midwives (see above) were included from 1929 and mental nurses from 1950. Mothercraft nurses were required to be registered from 1951. See Victorian Government Gazettes.
VICTORIAN ASSOCIATION OF FAMILY HISTORY ORGANSATIONS - VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT GAZETTE NURSE AND MIDWIVE REGISTERS
These include midwives registers 1916-1956 and nurses registers 1925-1956. They are text searchable.
https://vafho.com/2018/04/18/midwives-and-nurses-a-gift-from-vafho/
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA - GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES
The Genealogical Society of Victoria has indexed into their Genealogical Index of Names (GIN) the following:
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT GAZETTE DECEMBER 4 1952 - MOTHERCRAFT NURSES REGISTER FOR 1952
Mothercraft nurses were required to be registered from 1951. This is a full list of all mothercraft nurses registered in 1952.
Public Record Office Victoria has the following:
These are not online.
Public Record Office Victoria has records relating to the Nurses Board of Victoria 1924-1958 (VA 3144), Victorian Nursing Council 1958-1994 (VA 1352) and Nurses Board of Victoria 1994-2010 (VA 4611).
These are not online.
AUSTRALIAN HEALTH PRACTITIONER REGULATION AGENCY - REGISTER OF PRACTITIONERS
At present in order to practise nurses need to be registered.
www.ahpra.gov.au/registration/registers-of-practitioners.aspx
ANCESTRY - UK AND IRELAND, NURSING REGISTERS, 1898-1968
This collection consists of a number of different registers from diverse organisations. Prior to 1921 registers of nurses were kept locally, by hospitals and nursing organisations. These included Burdett's Directories from 1898 and the Royal College of Nursing (1916-1923). In 1921 the General Nursing Councils (GNC) were established; one for England and Wales, one for Scotland and one for Ireland. The register of nurses was first published in 1922. The publication of the registers ended in 1968. They are searchable and may be browsed.
https://www.ancestry.com.au/search/collections/60423/
FINDMYPAST - REGISTER OF THE ROYAL RED CROSS 1883-1994
The Royal Red Cross is a military decoration awarded in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for exceptional services in military nursing.
https://search.findmypast.com.au/search-world-Records/register-of-the-royal-red-cross-1883-1994
ANGELL PRODUCTIONS PTY. LTD. - NURSES WHO SERVED IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (INTERNET ARCHIVE WAYBACK MACHINE)
This includes both civilian and military nurses. The snapshot is dated 30 March 2022.
https://web.archive.org/web/20220326032733/http://www.angellpro.com.au/women.htm
PHYLLIS WILSON - NURSES WHO DIED DURING OR AS A RESULT OF WAR SERVICE SINCE THE BOER WAR (TROVE)
The snapshot is dated 11 March 2022.
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - RESEARCHING YOUR ANCESTORS' OCCUPATIONS: HEALTH
This lists resources held by the state library relating to health professionals.
https://guides.slv.vic.gov.au/c.php?g=435343&p=2968009
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - UNA: JOURNAL OF THE VICTORIAN TRAINED NURSES ASSOCIATION 1903-1976
These are being progressively digitised and made freely available online.
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