Author: Coffs Coast Heritage

 

Opening Day Coffs Harbour Hospital 1917

The  Coffs Harbour Hospital was opened in 1917 after eight years of fundraising by the local community to provide the initial one thousand pounds as required by the government at the time.  Once it was opened however there was ongoing struggles to fund the everyday running costs and despite various schemes the hospital was struggling to stay open by 1927.

On page 100 of Jean Donn-Patterson’s “Coffs Harbour 100 Years Down the Track” , believed to have been published in the 1980s, Jean states the following:

 “In those early days it was rumoured that Sydney was quite impressed by our [Hospital’s] financial improvements and they sent representatives here to see how it worked. They were very impressed and so, they say, this was the beginning of our medical benefits. The old identities firmly believed this, and I feel it could be right too, but have found no evidence, so far, to support this claim.”  [1]

Now through Trove, evidence for the old identities claim is available. The 17 June 1930 edition of the Coffs Harbour Advocate describes how the Coffs Harbour Hospital’s contribution scheme was being adopted around the State. [2]

FINANCING THE HOSPITAL – THE COFFS HARBOUR SCHEME

Coffs Harbour Hospital initiated the scheme for financing the hospital that is now gaining State-wide application, and demonstrated the efficiency of it in rural districts. It has made Coffs Harbour so prominent throughout the State that the secretary is becoming quite used to explaining the scheme to other hospitals which write for particulars. These inquiries have become so frequent that he has drafted out a terse and explicit explanation of the scheme and the way it was launched here, which is typed in his office and sent to those asking for it. It is as follows:– 

     “We have a scheme here which is proving a great success. For the payment of 6d per week for an adult or in the case of a married man 1/ per week, we guarantee to give free treatment should it be required. This does not include medical attention, the subscribers making their own arrangements with the doctor. We have 1500 subscribers which means an income of about £37 per week. On this we get Government subsidy. We employ a collector to collect the subscriptions. This is a full-time position. We pay £4/10/ per week and 10 per cent. of all money collected over £80 per month. When we started this scheme we forwarded a circular to every house-holder in the district explaining the scheme and stating that our collector would be calling at an early date. We also received much publicity through the Press. We found that the people responded readily, and generally prefer this scheme to the old methods of cadging. When the scheme was launched we promised not to hold any functions, etc., in aid of the hospital, beyond the annual ball, and this we adhered to. We have found the scheme a great success. We started off in debt and now we have £1200 at fixed deposit, have painted the institution and are now building a new men’s ward, maternity ward, and installing a septic sewerage system. For the 1/ per week paid by a family we treat husband, wife and children up to the age of 18 years. I will be glad to give you any further information required at any time.”

Occasionally, of course, one or two necessary amendments of figures have to be made.

Taree Hospital has adopted the scheme and appointed Mr. W. G. Hopper collector on a 10 per cent. basis.

George England’s history of Coffs Harbour Hospital, published in the Coffs Harbour Advocate in 1970, refers to this scheme as the “Jackson scheme”. [3] In 1927, Coffs Harbour Hospital was in danger of closing due to lack of funds. The Hospital committee (under President R. G. Jackson) decided to try the above-described scheme. It was a voluntary scheme, but there were “very few refusals” from the local residents. [4]

The scheme thus amounted to a universal contribution scheme, and by this means cracked the puzzle of how to fund the weekly running costs of a hospital.

To find out more details of this interesting story, please visit our Local Heritage page here for the full article.

References

1. Donn-Patterson, Jean Coffs Harbour 100 Years Down the Track, page 100.
2. Coffs Harbour Advocate, June 17 1930, page 1, retrieved from: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article185723244
3. England, George  A History of Coffs Harbour Hospital (Part 4), Coffs Harbour Advocate, February 25, 1970, page 4.
4. Yeates, Neil (1990) Coffs Harbour Vol I ; pre-1880 to 1945, page 187.

(Research courtesy of Volunteer Geoff Watts)

 

The continuing struggles for adequate health care for regional patients also led to the development of the Royal Far West Children’s Health Scheme.

The 24th of March, 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the Royal Far West Children’s Health Scheme in Coffs Harbour. Over the years, the members of the Coffs Harbour branch have raised funds and worked with health practitioners to benefit thousands of local children, as well as contributing to the charitable works of the organisation across New South Wales.

As an integral part of the provision of health care in Coffs Harbour, the history of Royal Far West highlights how members of our community have rallied together, often in the face of isolation, financial scarcity and official indifference, to address the health needs of the Coffs Coast region.

The current exhibition on display at the museum until 11 May 2019 celebrates Royal Far West’s work in our community over the past 70 years, honouring the energy and commitment of its members and volunteers.

 

The Past

The five Coopers Surf Shops in the Coffs Harbour district have their roots deep in the early surf culture [1] of the local area.  Bob Cooper began surfing in Malibu USA in the early 1950s, well before the “Gidget-Revolution” (circa 1960-62) popularised the sport.  As a competition surfer, he won the European Championship in 1969.  That same year Bob became a permanent Australian resident, and subsequently opened the first Coopers Surf Shop at the Jetty. He was able to bring aspects of the more “advanced” US surf culture with him [2].  The following 1979 Coffs Harbour Advocate article gives details of the first 15 years of the local surf-scene [3].  Surf culture is a global phenomenon now.

References:

1. This article is about “surfriders” and “boardriders”. “Surf life saving” is another story, well-covered in the book Coffs Harbour Surf Life Saving Club, 1923-1983: the first 60 years, by C. Kuhn et al, 1983 (available at Coffs Harbour library).
2. Article on Bob Cooper at www.surfresearch.com.au http://www.surfresearch.com.au/sCooper.htm
3. “When older surfers ruled the waves…” Coffs Harbour Advocate May 10, 1979 (Used with the permission of the Coffs Coast Advocate).

Coffs Harbour Advocate May 10, 1979, page 12

 

 

 

 

transcription of the article:

When older surfers ruled the waves…

The Coffs Surf Classic is on this Saturday and Sunday at Diggers Beach, just North of Coffs Harbour.  A young boardrider is favoured to win the event but an ‘oldie’ could cause an upset.  Classic organiser, Archie Ashdown, takes a brief look for the Advocate at the days when the older surfers ruled the waves:  Boardriding at beaches around Coffs Harbour has grown dramatically during the past 15 years.  In 1964 there were only a few boards in the area and they were mainly owned by the surf club and a few fortunate individuals.

Members:  The first local club was formed in 1966 and was called the Coffs Harbour Surfriders’ Club. The club’s 16 members were Robert Franklin, Kevin Anderson, Graeme Franklin, Kevin Taylor, John Blanch, Alan Anderson, Robert Cowling, John Avard, Barry McKenzie, Bob Moon, Phil Horan, Geoff Unwin, Bob Thompson, Noel Peterson, Clyde Irwin and Russ Glover.  The club was one of the most competitive on the east coast and its only sizeable defeat was by the champion Queensland club, Windansea, at a Lennox Head contest in 1968.  Meantime, a younger group of surfers were spending their weekends at Park Beach because they had no transport.  They decided to form their own club and the Park Area Surfriders’ Club was born. As most of these surfers stored their boards during the week under Bob Watson’s house on Ocean Parade, it was rearranged into a suitable clubhouse.  The club boasted 30 up and coming members with Tony Glover being elected president.  The club was well run with the surfers being graded on their ability.

Natural form:  Tony and Billy Tolhurst showed natural form.  Tony was a talented surfer who had a smooth and fluid style while Billy was a very young surfer who spent a lot of time on the beach studying older boardriders.  In 1968 the Coffs Area Boardriders’ Club was formed with American surfer Bob Cooper attending the first meeting.  Bob is still here and runs a very successful surfboard business in the Jetty shopping centre.  Local surfboard manufacture began in 1967 when John Blanch started building boards under his parents’ house.  Around the same time Jim Pollard moved from Newcastle to Sawtell while Bob Cooper started in 1968.  Another talented surfer who has devoted his life to the sport is Michael Saggus.  ‘Mick’ worked around Pollard’s surfshop while still at school learning the basics about the manufacture of surfboards.  He began to build his own boards in 1972 and worked extremely hard until he left for California in 1975 to further his experience in the craft.  The older surfers all agree that boardriding gives the youngsters a better sense of competition and helps them become more confident within themselves.  And if you’re interested in the draw for this weekend, it’s on display at Bob Cooper’s shop.

Research courtesy of Geoffrey Watts, Museum Volunteer.

__________________________________________

The Present

The museum collection has very little material related to surfing, do you have a surfboard that was made or surfed in Coffs Harbour?  Do you have surfing stories to share, or photographs, clothing or other historical items related to surfing in Coffs Harbour?  We’d love to hear from you just contact the Coffs Harbour Regional Museum.

Don’t forget if you are interested in surf culture to also come and see the new exhibition Ripped Off at the Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery opening on 8th March 2019 and see how Jon Campbell, Robert Moore and Ozzy Wrong join Gerry Wed in looting and pilfering from the images of photo journalist John Witzig.

David Elfick, Alby Falzon and John Witzig produced the first edition of Tracks magazine in October 1970.  Its arrival in newsprint, with articles about music, places, lifestyle, the environment and politics established a distinctly counter culture orientation that defined surfing during its “golden age” of the 1960s and 70s.

See the ad below for Coopers surf shop from the first edition of Tracks magazine October 1970.  John Witzig was one of the founding editors of Tracks  and Coopers were one of the first advertisers.

(Tracks, No.1, October 1970)