Sarah Ann (or Annie) Perkins was trained at Parramatta Hospital as a mental nurse. She was certified (no. 259/2) and registered on the Australian Register of General Nurses on 7 October 1926 (records no. 3945) under Section 10 (1) of the Nurses’ Registration Act, 1924.[2]
In 1930, during the Great Depression, Parramatta had a Charities’ “Queen” competition following an Ambulance competition. Nurse Perkins who was representing Parramatta Mental Hospital won and was named Queen of Parramatta charity with 48,000 votes, raising £200. Runner up was Miss Colahan representing Messrs G. A. Bond & Co. with 35, 679 votes and Miss Heckenberg was second runner up representing Messrs. Murray Bro. with 24,101 votes. A total of £450 was raised.[5]
A crowning ceremony was held at Parramatta Town Hall on the night of Thursday 6 November 1930 with the Parramatta Musical and Dramatic Company staging the event, the Buttonhole Company supplying the costumes, and a first class concert program. The entertainment ended with a dance.[7,8]
Based on electoral roll records, Nurse Perkins appears to have worked at Parramatta Mental Hospital until 1937.[9]
Anne Tsang, Research Assistant, Parramatta Heritage Centre, City of Parramatta 2020
References
- Howard Harris, Parramatta (photographer) (1930, November 13). In Queen of Parramatta charity. Nurse Perkins crowned mid glittering splendour. Huge gathering witnesses ceremony. The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, p. 2. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103863114
- Ancestry.com. (2014). New South Wales, Australia, Medical Registers, 1925-1954 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.
- Charities’ queen competition (1930, May 1). The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, p. 1. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103864303
- Charities queen competition : “Kissing times”. (1930, September 11). The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW : 1888 – 1950), p. 4. Retrieved March 26, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103856383
- Queen competition : Nurse Perkins wins : £450 raised. (1930, October 2). The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, p. 4. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103867192
- Charities queen : to be crowned this evening. (1930, November 6). The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, p. 14. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103857146
- Queen of Parramatta charity : Nurse Perkins crowned mid glittering splendor. Huge gathering witnesses ceremony. (1930, November 13). The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, p. 2. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103863114
- Queen competition. As aid to hospitals and ambulances. How Parramatta competition made good. The Blue Mountain towns should do as well.
(1930, December 13). The Blue Mountain Star, p. 1. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article190101226 - Ancestry.com. Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1930-1937 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.