Around 1900, regular information came filtering through on the Ularring District and its goldfields, claiming that they were likely to be ‘second to none’ in mining outcomes. Ularring was one of four districts of the North Coolgardie Goldfield, the others being Menzies, Niagara, and Yerilla. The area is now Ularring.

By 1902 a committee had formed to erect and maintain, by subscription for the Ularring District Hospital, including a Female Ward, four-roomed residence for the Doctor, kitchen and Nurses; residence, outbuildings, and medical supplies¹.

A Doctor had been appointed, The Rev Dr Hunter Finlay, who would receive £400 per annum, and he was described as having ‘…high qualifications and extensive and varied experience’. Nurse Brown (no identifying information available) had the care of patients, and her salary increased to £100 per annum, and she was promoted to Matron. Praise was fulsome for the two holders of these positions, and everything appeared to be going swimmingly. The photo below, (1903) of the hospital, does not mention names, but it’s possible the two figures are that of Dr Finlay and Nurse Brown.

By September of 1903 Dr Finlay had left, and it appears he had been removed from the governing Board of the Hospital but not before an inquiry into the management of the hospital was held. It was concluded that ‘friction between the Resident Medical Officer (Dr Hunter Finlay) and the nurse in charge’ had precipitated his departure. However there was some disquiet about him before this date, judging from various letters to newspapers.^{3 4}

This was not the first time Dr Finlay had been removed from a position – or at least, asked to resign. He was originally both a qualified medical doctor and an ordained Church of England Clergyman who immigrated to Australia in about 1880 with his daughter, Sarah Craig Hunter Finlay. His wife, Sarah Paterson Craig was confined to an asylum in Glasgow, Scotland, and remained there until her death in 1925. For some 20 years prior to his arrival in Western Australia, Dr Finlay was in the news in Queensland – as a bankrupt, charged with fraud, and charged with performing an abortion (he was acquitted of this one) and also malpractice.^{5 6}

Eventually Dr Finlay was disallowed to perform marriages, and dropped the ‘Rev.’ appellation before his name. His relationship with a woman 32 years younger may have raised eyebrows, and the fact that they had three children in Queensland. Careful examination of dates makes the possibility of a third lady being the ‘Mrs Hunter Finlay’ present at Dr Finlays’ funeral in Coolgardie. He had taken up further positions, and pursued his private medical practice specialising in treating women and children around the district before his sudden death in 1906 of a heart attack in his Coolgardie consulting rooms.⁷ 

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Sources

1. MULWARRIE. (1902, September 25). The North Coolgardie Herald and Miners Daily News (Menzies, WA : 1899 – 1904), p. 2. Retrieved May 8, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article259859802 ↩︎
2. No Title (1903, November 24). Kalgoorlie Western Argus (WA : 1896 – 1916), p. 22. Retrieved May 8, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32736460 ↩︎
3. CORRESPONDENCE. (1903, April 18). The North Coolgardie Herald and Miners Daily News (Menzies, WA : 1899 – 1904), p. 3. Retrieved May 8, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article259806982 ↩︎
4. COUNTRY. (1903, June 17). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 – 1954), p. 5. Retrieved May 8, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article24826299 ↩︎
5. PETTY DEBTS COURT. (1899, April 26). Morning Post (Cairns, Qld. : 1897 – 1907), p. 3. Retrieved May 8, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42938092 ↩︎
6. TOWNSVILLE. (1892, March 8). Warwick Argus (Qld. : 1879 – 1901), p. 2. Retrieved May 8, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76639366 ↩︎
7. SUDDEN DEATH (1906, September 6). Coolgardie Miner (WA : 1894 – 1911), p. 3. Retrieved May 8, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article218125091 ↩︎