Warwick Hospital, 1897

News of the day

The Brisbane Courier, Monday 17 January 1898

The Late Dr. Margetts

Another link connecting the present with the past has been severed by the death of Dr. Margetts, which took place at his residence in Albion-street on Tuesday last at 6 p.m. Frederick Margetts was born at Godmanchester [...] and was in his 87th year. When he left school he received a commission in the old East India Company's service. A seafaring life, however, was not to his taste, and he resigned his appointment to study for the medical profession, and for this purpose he entered University College Hospital, London. He became licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries in 1837 in which year also he commenced the practice of his profession in Ilchester, Somersetshire. Here he remained for well-nigh a quarter of a century, taking his departure for Queensland in the early part of 1862. 

He came out as surgeon-superintendent on board the immigrant ship City of Brisbane, carrying over 500 passengers. Although the journey was a protracted one, Dr. Margetts had the unique experience of not only not losing one passenger, but of landing more than the ship started with. On landing he at once wended his way hither, and has continued with us to the day of his death in the thirty-sixth year of his residence amongst us. Dr. Margetts had a large private practice, and devoted much time and thought to the Warwick Hospital.

Background

In 1878 the Queensland Government raised a loan of £5,000 to build a new hospital in Warwick. However, it was not until September 1880 after considerable local agitation that the government called for tenders to build the hospital, resulting in a contract awarded to A.W. Doorey to build the hospital. However, by February 1881, tenders were being called for again, and in April 1881 the Queensland Government announced the hospital would not proceed. In June 1881, the government indicated that they would proceed if the local financial subscriptions to the hospital were increased. Tenders were called again in February 1882 resulting in a contract with Messrs Wallace and Gibson in March 1882. Finally on Thursday 19 June 1884, the patients were moved from the old hospital to the new hospital in Locke Street.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

 

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