Community support has been the lifeblood of The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) since the very beginning, ensuring it can provide the very best care to sick children and their families for 150 years.
Before its establishment in 1870, Australian children were particularly vulnerable to illness and disease. Many families were living in overcrowded and unsanitary industrial inner-suburbs of Melbourne and had limited access to information about proper nutrition and hygiene.
Founding doctors William Smith and John Singleton saw this and had a vision “to help sick and injured children free of charge”. With the support of a volunteer Ladies Committee of Management who worked tirelessly to raise the funds needed to establish the hospital, they brought their vision to life. The Melbourne Free Hospital for Sick Children opened its doors on 9 September 1870 with just six beds at 39 Stephen Street (now 49 Exhibition Street).
The volunteer Ladies Committee of Management was instrumental in the establishment of the hospital, led by Mrs Frances Perry as the inaugural President. The committee was in charge of all day-to-day activity including fundraising, staffing and eligibility for patient admissions.
1870: The "Melbourne Free Hospital for Sick Children" - 39 Stephen Street (now 49 Exhibition Street) Melbourne
In its early years before government support, the community rallied behind the hospital. One fundraiser held in 1900 highlighted the growing commitment and love for the state’s hospital for children. The fundraising bazaar at the Exhibition Buildings lasted for three weeks with stalls of goods for sale and a different program of entertainment every day.
Some of the most popular attractions were the first tennis matches played under lights in Victoria, a re-enactment of bushranging put on by the mounted police, a horse high jump competition and poetry recitations by Banjo Paterson. The bazaar raised £17,510 and cleared the hospital of debt.
The story of how the RCH has grown from such humble beginnings to become one of the world’s great hospitals for children is as impressive as it is unique. A story of thousands of heroes (celebrated and unknown) whose tenacity and commitment – as medical innovators, nurses, volunteers, educators, researchers, philanthropists, fundraisers, administrators and supporters – has created a much-loved institution with a place in the heart of all Victorians. To learn more visit https://rch150.org.au/about/
