By Roselyn Fauth
The Bidwill Story Book and Canterbury Maps screen shot 2025
I met a staff member from Bidwill Hospital recently, and we had one of those conversations that lights a spark. She mentioned a lady whose story had almost disappeared from view, a woman who built something remarkable, whose work changed private healthcare in Timaru, yet whose name is rarely spoken today...
That lady was Sister Susan McArthur.
She opened Timaru’s first private hospital in 1912, in a house on Chester Street (now Bidwill Street). It was called simply a private hospital, but it was so much more. It was a pioneering place where women could give birth and patients could receive care in calm surroundings, away from the busy public wards. Sister Susan McArthur was trained at Dunedin General Hospital, had served as Sister-in-Charge of wards at Timaru Hospital, and later became Lady Superintendent of Nurses at Gisborne Hospital. She also held a St Helen’s certificate, a prestigious qualification in maternity nursing.
In her hands, this new hospital became a haven. Local records describe it as being “on a high, sunny section, out of the noise of traffic, and away from the dust of nor’westers.” Designed by William Dunning and built by Lusk and Moriarty, the two-storeyed brick building was simple but forward-thinking, a purpose-built private hospital believed to be one of the first of its kind in New Zealand.
For twenty-four years, Sister McArthur’s hospital cared for South Canterbury families. Alongside her was Sister Shanks, who ran a smaller private hospital in Elizabeth Street. Together they provided much of Timaru’s nursing care before the public system expanded.
By the 1930s, change was coming. A group of local doctors and business leaders began discussing the need for a larger, more modern facility. They included Dr Leonard Talbot, Dr Charles Fraser, B. L. Blodorn, L. M. Inglis, and accountant J. Leggott. They met with both Sister McArthur and Sister Shanks, reaching an agreement that if a new hospital went ahead, the two women would be fairly compensated.
On 7 November 1935, Sister McArthur officially sold her property to the newly formed Timaru Private Hospital Company Ltd for £3,000. It was part cash and part shares, an extraordinary arrangement for a woman in the 1930s that showed the respect she had earned as a founder and leader. Sister Shanks received a goodwill payment of £250 for closing her hospital, and the new company moved forward with plans for a state-of-the-art building on the same site.
Architect Percy Watts Rule of Turnbull and Rule was appointed, and local firm Prosser Ltd won the contract to build. Sister McArthur’s old cottage was demolished to make way for the new hospital. Inside the plans were all the latest modernities: a steam boiler for heating and sterilising, electricity and coal gas combined for reliability, and even a lift installed by Young Brothers of Timaru.
By late 1936, the new hospital was nearly ready. The first Matron, Sister Helen Stevenson of Oamaru, was appointed on a salary of £200 a year. She and her team, including theatre sister M. R. Allen of Coromandel and ward sisters J. E. Johnstone and H. Hill, carried the nursing torch lit by Sister McArthur twenty-four years earlier.
On 30 October 1936, the new Timaru Private Hospital (later known as Bidwill Hospital) was officially opened by Mayor P. C. Vinnell, with patients admitted the following Monday, 2 November. Room fees ranged from five to eight guineas a week, and the operating theatre cost thirty shillings for major surgery. The hospital’s equipment was supplied by local firms Kempthorne Prosser, Mercer and Sons, and A. J. White Ltd, making it a proudly Timaru-built enterprise from top to bottom.
Bidwill Hospital continued to grow, becoming a cornerstone of private healthcare in South Canterbury. But the foundation, the beginning, belongs to a woman whose name seems to have almost slipped through the cracks of history.
I think Sister Susan McArthur’s vision was brave, modern, and deeply community-minded. She turned a simple house into a hospital, built a career in a field still finding its footing for women, and helped shape what would become one of Timaru’s most enduring health institutions.
Clues from the Timaru District Librarians
Thanks to the wonderful team at the Timaru Library, we’ve been able to uncover more about the woman behind Bidwill Hospital’s beginnings. They searched through the New Zealand Registers of Medical Practitioners and Nurses (1873–1933) and found a listing for Susan McArthur, registered as a nurse in 1910 and associated with a private hospital in Chester Street, Timaru — although by that time she was noted as “not practising.”
The librarians also tracked down her probate record through Archway (Archives New Zealand), confirming that her full name was Susan McArthur, and that she later lived in Paraparaumu, where she likely retired. Her will names her sister Grace Christina Cromb (married to William Cromb) and half-sister Isabella McArthur, giving us new family connections to explore.
Through further digging, they even found Grace’s will and a Find a Grave record, revealing that Grace and William Cromb were buried in Paraparaumu with no children listed — a poignant reminder that some women, like Susan, devoted their lives to care, community, and service rather than family. https://archway.howison.co.nz/view/IE51003253 According to this search, https://experience.arcgis.com/A2514 A Grace Cromb is listed in the Paraparaumu cemetery database, died in 1945, married, nationality, United Kingdom of Great Britian and Northern Ireland.
Their research confirms that “Sister M. S. McArthur” of Chester Street — the woman who opened Timaru’s first private hospital in 1912 — was indeed Miss Susan McArthur, a trained nurse whose vision helped lay the foundations for private healthcare in South Canterbury.
With this new information, the picture of Sister McArthur’s life becomes a little clearer — a woman of skill, purpose, and quiet determination whose story, once hidden in the margins, is slowly coming back into focus.
Her story matters.
It reminds us that women’s contributions were often the scaffolding upon which later institutions were built. When we take the time to look back, to piece together forgotten names and unmarked achievements, we see not just history but heritage. We see how we got here.
So, here’s your invitation: join the history hunt.
Do you know more about Sister McArthur? Perhaps a photograph, a memory, or a family story connected to the early years of Bidwill Hospital? Every clue helps bring her back into the light.
Because by learning about the past, we learn about how we got here, and in doing so, we learn a little more about ourselves.
Side Quest: Why Were Early Nurses Called “Sisters”?
In the early days of New Zealand nursing, the title “Sister” came from British hospital traditions, not religion. It was used as a mark of respect for senior nurses who managed wards or departments, much like the head of a family. The role combined authority, compassion, and skill, setting the tone for patient care.
When Sister McArthur opened her hospital in 1912, being a “Sister” meant she was a leader, a teacher, and a caregiver. She was part of the generation of trained women who turned nursing into a recognised profession.
Personal Reflection
Every time I walk past Bidwill Street, I think about the women who built the foundations of care in this town, some of them led, some worked, many volunteered. I think their could have been largely unoticed, but it changed lives. Finding Sister McArthur’s story has reminded me how much history lives in the margins, especially womens stories, who are waiting to be seen again. I think that this can be the real gift of history: when we find these stories, we find part of ourselves too.
My mother was a nurse, the first foreigner to work at Tiamru Public Hospital. My mum follows a tradition of service, compassion, and team work that still connects nurses today. They must have witnessed som seriously horrible situations, and must have felt amazing when they helped nurse someone back to health again. Nursing has always been a sisterhood, maybe that is why the nurses were referred to as Sisters, because that was what they were in every sense of the word.
It is amazing to think that the title “Sister” is so old. According to a Google search and some help from friends on Facebook, I learned the term 'Sister' originated in European religious nursing orders, particularly Catholic and Anglican ones, where caregiving was carried out by nuns and lay sisters. As nursing professionalised in the late 19th century under figures like Florence Nightingale, the term was retained as an honorific to convey respect, authority, and continuity with that caring tradition — even after hospitals became secular. In New Zealand, as in Britain, “Sister” referred to a senior, registered nurse responsible for running a ward and overseeing patient care — what we’d now call a charge nurse or nurse manager.
So yes, by the look of it, over time, the title also came to symbolise the sisterhood of nursing — that sense of mutual trust and shared vocation that many nurses, like those who commented on your Facebook thread, still feel today.
While I am on a hunt for
Sister Susan McArthur story, I have learned a little more about the evolution of health care in our region and how this links to the wider medical history across the seas.
Sources:
The Bidwill Story: 65 Years of a Private Hospital in Timaru by D. E. Drake (2001, Bidwill Trust Hospital Board); The Timaru Herald archives; Wise’s New Zealand Post Office Directory 1926; and community recollections.
$1 million asset for South Canterbury (13 Jul 1979). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 21/10/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/7643
D E Drake, Only Four Matrons (29 Jul 1978). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 21/10/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/7615
irst private hospital opened 67 years ago (13 Jul 1979). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 21/10/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/7642
D E Drake, Bidwill Hospital-A City Institution Since 1912 (29 Jul 1978). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 21/10/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/7614
Hospital Once Took Little Responsibility for Maternity Care (08 Jun 1961). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 21/10/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/7595
https://archway.howison.co.nz/view/IE51003253
Timeline: Sister Susan McArthur and the Beginnings of Private Healthcare in Timaru
Before 1912 – Training and Early Career
Susan McArthur trained as a nurse at Dunedin General Hospital.
She became Sister-in-Charge of wards at Timaru Hospital, gaining senior experience in hospital management.
Later, she served as Lady Superintendent of Nurses at Gisborne Hospital.
She held a St Helen’s certificate, a qualification in maternity nursing that recognised advanced training.
1912 – Timaru’s First Private Hospital Opens
On 13 July 1912, Sister M. S. (Susan) McArthur opened Timaru’s first private hospital in Chester Street (later renamed Bidwill Street).
The hospital was described as “on a high, sunny section, out of the noise of traffic and away from the dust of nor’westers.”
The building was designed by architect William Dunning and built by Lusk and Moriarty.
It was two-storeyed brick, with patient rooms on the ground floor and a wide verandah on both sides.
It was considered one of New Zealand’s first purpose-built private hospitals.
Sister McArthur’s early assistants were Sister Nixon (formerly theatre sister at Dunedin General Hospital) and Sister Sumpter, a trained registered nurse.
The hospital met Hospital Act standards, with rooms offering 200 cubic feet more air space than required.
It was praised for its “simple design, suitable for the purpose for which it has been built.”
1912–1930s – Growth and Reputation
Sister McArthur’s hospital provided care for more than 20 years, serving both surgical and maternity cases.
She earned a reputation as “a woman of substance” and a pioneer in professional nursing.
Sister Shanks, who operated a smaller private hospital in Elizabeth Street, was her contemporary.
Together, McArthur and Shanks provided most of Timaru’s private medical and maternity care before the public hospital expanded.
Early 1930s – Plans for Expansion
A group of local professionals began planning a larger, modern private hospital for Timaru.
The group included: Dr Leonard Smith Talbot, respected medical practitioner, Dr Charles Stanley Fraser, B. L. Blodorn, businessman, L. M. Inglis, solicitor, and J. Leggott, accountant.
They approached Sister McArthur and Sister Shanks about future plans.
Both women were promised compensation should a new hospital proceed.
1935 – Sale and Formation of the Timaru Private Hospital Company
On 23 May 1935, the Timaru Private Hospital Company Ltd was officially established.
Sister Susan McArthur sold her hospital property to the new company on 7 November 1935 for £3,000 (£2,000 cash + £1,000 in fully paid shares).
Sister Shanks received £250 as goodwill payment for closing her own Elizabeth Street Hospital.
The company’s initial capital was £20,000 in 20,000 £1 shares.
A contract was signed to lease the X-ray department to Dr William Sowerby.
Prominent early signatories included Dr L. S. Talbot, Dr W. H. Unwin, and F. R. Flatman.
The company appointed Mr S. D. Mason, solicitor; Inglis and Inglis, bankers; and Union Bank of Australia Ltd for financial matters.
1935–1936 – Design and Construction
The new hospital was designed by architect Percy Watts Rule of Turnbull and Rule (Timaru).
Prosser Ltd was awarded the building contract for £8,727.
P. Hinks was paid £151 10s to demolish Sister McArthur’s old cottage.
Local engineering firms contributed:
Vale and Company (Christchurch) supplied a steam boiler for £632 10s.
Young Brothers Ltd (Timaru) installed a lift for £505.
Kempthorne Prosser Ltd provided an operating table (£119 + tax).
Mercer and Sons Ltd supplied sterilising units (£115 and £95).
A. J. White Ltd provided furniture.
Heating combined coal gas and electricity to ensure reliability.
The Matron appointed was Sister Helen Stevenson from Oamaru, on a salary of £200 per year.
Ward Sisters included Miss M. R. Allen (Coromandel), J. E. Johnstone (Mt Eden), and H. Hill (Napier).
October 1936 – Completion and Opening
Construction was completed on 1 October 1936.
The official opening took place on 30 October 1936, led by Mayor P. C. Vinnell.
The hospital was initially called the Timaru Private Hospital.
Patients were admitted on Monday, 2 November 1936.
Room fees were five to eight guineas per week (single rooms with facilities).
Theatre fees were 30 shillings for major and 21 shillings for minor operations.
It was reported that Sister Shanks’s equipment (sterilisers and fittings) was purchased for £15 + £3 15s.
The hospital was quickly recognised as an “outstanding addition to the health-restoring amenities of the town.”
1940s–1950s – Growth and Legacy
Bidwill Hospital expanded steadily through the 1940s and 1950s.
By 1950, annual patient numbers averaged 6,500 to 7,000.
Between 1959 and 1961, the hospital reached its peak occupancy, with 8,200 patients annually.
The facility operated as a cornerstone of private medical care for South Canterbury.
1970s – Transition to a Charitable Trust
In the early 1970s, rising costs and equal-pay legislation strained private hospitals across New Zealand.
By 1976, annual admissions had fallen to 6,035 patients.
The Bidwill Trust Hospital Board was formed in 1977, ensuring the hospital continued for community benefit.
The Bidwill Story (D. E. Drake, 2001) later commemorated 65 years of service.
21st Century – Rediscovery and Reflection
The original 1912 building remained part of the complex and still stood in use into the 21st century.
In 2024, local historians rediscovered Sister McArthur’s full name, confirming her registration as Susan McArthur (registered 1910) in the New Zealand Registers of Medical Practitioners and Nurses.
Chester Street, the hospital’s original location, was officially renamed Bidwill Street.
Renewed research in 2025 by community historian Roselyn Fauth (WuHoo Timaru) highlighted Sister McArthur’s role as a trailblazer in women’s professional healthcare leadership.
Bidwill Hospital Canterbury Maps
Nurse Shanks and 12 Elizabeth Street, Timaru
The building at 12 Elizabeth Street, Timaru has lived many lives, but one of its most significant chapters began when Nurse Elizabeth Shanks turned it into a private hospital.
Built in 1878, the property had served as girls’ schools, a boarding house, a doctor’s home and consulting rooms, and a music school before Shanks purchased it in 1919. She renamed it Strathmore and operated it as a private hospital for local patients.
For nearly two decades, Strathmore Hospital provided care under Nurse Shanks’ direction, standing alongside Sister Susan McArthur’s Bidwill Street hospital as one of the two pioneering private hospitals in Timaru. Both women were part of the early generation of trained nurses who created independent healthcare services for the community.
When Bidwill Private Hospital was established in 1936, Nurse Shanks was compensated for closing Strathmore and contributed equipment to the new venture — including sterilisers and other fittings — helping bridge the old era of women-run hospitals with the new company-led model.
After Shanks’ death, her estate sold the building. It briefly became a YWCA Hostel, later known as Strathmore Flats, and eventually housed a medical centre, fittingly continuing its link with health and care.
From its beginnings as a schoolhouse to its long service under Nurse Elizabeth Shanks, 12 Elizabeth Street tells the story of women’s leadership, adaptability, and care in Timaru’s medical history.
https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/the-timaru-herald/20240727/281509346440813
Page 14 Advertisements Column 3
Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20589, 1 December 1936, Page 14https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THD19361201.2.128.3
Article about a motor cycle crassh where a man was taken to Sister Shanks private hospital and the other two were taken to the pubic hospital.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THD19180819.2.29
Shanks, Jean Elizabeth 89 Years 26 Jan 1972 - Timaru Cemetery. Row 54 x Plot 805. Shanks, Phillip James 84 Years 21 Mar 1958 - Timaru Cemetery. Photo Roselyn Fauth 2025
Grave of Grace Cromb at Paraparaumu Beach Cemetery
