Nurse Sheedy

(1869-1945)

In 1908, when her husband, James Sheedy, died at the age of 40, Annie Jane Sheedy started a small maternity hospital at her home. She became known as ‘Nurse Sheedy’ and in 1920 opened a private maternity hospital ‘Ocean View’, in a large house on Solomon Street, where for several decades, she was Fremantle’s midwife of choice.

1935 ‘OCEAN VIEW MATERNITY HOSPITAL’- In fall view of the Harbor and Islands and right in the path of the Cool Sea Breezes. RING FM-2790, or better still, call and see Nurse Sheedy. 'The oldest established maternity hospital in the West.’ (reference)

Annie Jane Cameron was born 9 November 1868, in Buninyong, Geelong, Victoria. She was the eldest of 13 children. Her father Allan Randolph Cameron (1833-1884) who came to Australia from Quebec, Canada around 1867, married Annie Kelly (1843-1915), from Northern Ireland, in 1868. He was a miner and died of bronchial heart disease and dropsy when Annie was 15 years old. After her father died the members of the local Orange Institution raised money for his widow and family.

Annie Cameron married Baker, James Sheedy (1868- 1908) and the first three of her five sons; James (1893- 1916), Charles A (1895-1910) and Frederick A (1897-1917) were born where they lived, in Newcastle, NSW. In 1900 the family moved to WA and her last two sons; Arthur Francis (1901-1984) and Robert Michael Sheedy (1903-1937) were born in Fremantle. James was only 40 when he died suddenly in 1908:

21 August 1908: A BAKER'S DEATH, FOUND DEAD IN BED. About 7 o'clock this morning, a middle-aged man named James Sheedy was found dead in his room in a house in Cantonment-street, Fremantle. He was separated from his wife, who lives at Beaconsfield, and he has been ailing for some time from consumption. The deceased was a baker by occupation. (reference)

James, who had been out of work for some time, had separated from Annie and the boys, who lived at Edmund St in Beaconsfield.

In 1909 Annie, moved to 142 Alexander Rd, Fremantle and began working as a nurse. ( reference)

In January 1910 her second son, 15 year old, Charles Sheedy died. (reference) To the staff of the Evening Mail, Annie wrote:

“Will you please through your columns thank the many kind friends tor their letters, telegrams and messages of sympathy also for the beautiful floral tributes and especially the boys of your office for their beautiful wreath. Yours, etc., Annie J. Sheedy” (reference)

Annie Sheedy registered as a midwife on 20 December 1911 and in 1913, moved to 130 Hampton Road, Fremantle.

1913 Birth: Coombes, on May 2, at Nurse Sheedy's, 130 Hampton-road, the wife of T. A. Coombes, Passmore Ave, North Fremantle- twins, son and daughter. All well. (reference)

Annie’s two eldest sons both died during WW1. James died in 1916 and Frederick, who joined the Royal Australian Navy as a boy in 1915, was sent to Gunnery School, and then died while on route to HMAS Sydney on the 25 January 1917. He was drowned at sea, only 20 years old.

1918 Birth: AH CHOW, At Nurse Sheedy's Home, 130 Hampton-road, Fremantle, to Mr and Mrs Charles Ah Chow, of Bibra Lake- a daughter (Ruby May). (reference)

In 1920 Annie Sheedy moved her maternity hospital to a brilliant new location, ‘Ocean View’, at 134 Solomon Street, a house originally built for Elias Solomon in 1887, and which had been in use as a military hospital since 1917.

1920 Birth: Bishop, On January 21 at Nurse Sheedy's Ocean View Hospital, Solomon-street, Fremantle to Mr and Mrs Fred Bishop, of 89 Adelaide street- a son (Alan Alfred). ( reference)

When her mother died giving birth, Kathleen Dean was taken in by Nurse Sheedy and lived at Ocean View from 1920-1937. See photo of Kathleen Dean c.1925, courtesy Fremantle City Library History Archives (ref no 1943- link)

1925 Ad: “Overlooking the Ocean, the most beautifully situated and up to date Maternity Home, Terms Moderate, Milk from own Cow, Nurse Sheedy, Matron, Phone B790” (reference)

 In 1925 Annie married John Hubert Clune in Fremantle. Clune (1875- 1926) was born at Araluen, NSW  but had lived in WA since 1900, when he joined the firm of Forest, Emanuel Ltd, and was connected with the firm's cattle interests at Robb's Jetty for 15 years. He spent 3½ years on active service with the A.I.F. and then on return from the war, he acquired and managed a cattle station at Wubin.

Annie and John lived at ‘Ocean View’, but John soon became sick; dying on 30 January 1926, at the age of 51. (reference)

All through the 1920s and 1930s- Ocean View was a popular maternity home. See Photo: Nurse Sheedy and friends, Courtesy Fremantle Library History Archives: (ref no 1944- link)

1939 Nearly two days separated the birth of twins- a boy and a girl, at Nurse Sheedy's maternity hospital in Beaconsfield. Ronald Leslie Wilson was born at 2.15 pm on Sunday; Florence Irene Wilson at 12.40 am on Tuesday. The boy weighed 7½lb. and the girl, chubby, fair-haired, blue-eyed, very like her brother, only 1lb. less. Their mother is Mrs. T. T. C. Wilson. She and the two babies are reported to be doing well… A similar birth has not occurred at this hospital during the twenty years experience of the staff. Daily News, Thursday 5 January 1939, page 1. (reference)

On 22 December 1939, possibly the last baby born at Nurse Sheedy's Hospital was George Malcolm Dixon. (reference)

On 11 January 1940 the entire contents (hospital equipment, furniture and furnishings- of Nurse Sheedy’s maternity home were auctioned on the premises, now 10 Solomon St, Beaconsfield. The large list included everything needed for an 8-room private hospital, and gave some indication of the little luxuries women enjoyed there: Royal Doulton plate-ware and a ’tennis umpire’s stand, a lawn roller and mowers.’ (reference)

When the hospital closed in 1939 the building again became a private home and was later classified by the National Trust.

 Annie Jane Clune died on May 24, 1945:

On May 24, 1945, at East Fremantle, Annie Jane Clune, widow of the late James Sheedy, formerly of Fremantle; loving mother of Arthur Francis and the late James (killed in action, 1st AIF), Charles, Frederick (RAN, 1st World War) and Robert; mother-in-law of Pauline and fond grandmother of Jack (RAN) and Kevin Sheedy; aged 76 years. (reference)

One of her sons Arthur ‘Barney’ Sheedy became a celebrated footballer with East Fremantle. Her grandson John Cameron ‘Jack’ Sheedy (1926-) also played for East Fremantle and is considered one of the greatest West Australian footballers and is a member of both the Australian and West Australian Football Halls of Fame. The Trade Winds Hotel in East Fremantle, was once known as Jack Sheedy's Plympton Hotel.

Jack’s estimate of his grandmother’s significance: “She must have delivered half of the people of Fremantle”. Annie is buried in Fremantle Cemetery and her grave site is included in the Fremantle Cemetery Heritage Walk. (reference)

Jo Darbyshire 2021