Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

MURPHY, Esther (aka Essie & Agnes Mary) - Staff Nurse, AANS

Posted by FrevFord, Wednesday, 30 December 2015

Born c1889 Barringun, NSW – daughter of Michael Joseph MURPHY & Agnes Maud CLEMENTS – who married in Wellington, NSW in 1886 Michael, an ex member of the Mounted Police, died 1929 Bank St, Wellington, age 74 Agnes died in 1943, age 77 Siblings: Aloysius Kevin C b.1887 Barringun (WW1?); John Clement b.1890 Wellington – d.1941; Kathleen Ursula b.1892 – d.17/5/1946; Angela M b.1895 (Nurse); Geraldine M b.1898 (Nurse) – marr Robert ROMANI 1922; Odillo Gregory b.1901 (Law Clerk) – d.1973; Lucy Josephine b.1903 (Clerk); Thomas R.L b.&d.1909 Religion: Roman Catholic

Educated at the Convent High School, Wellington Trained in nursing at the Bathurst District Hospital for 4 years, passing her final exam with the A.T.N.A. in December 1913 Appointed Head Nurse at Bathurst District Hospital in February 1914, and later Acting Matron for 2 months, before being appointed Matron from December 1914 until October 1915, when she resigned in order to take up war nursing

WW1: Embarked 11/11/1915 on the A67 Orsova with the 2nd AGH for Egypt, and taken on strength 9/12/1915 Embarked at Alexandria 26/3/1916 on the Braemar Castle to join the BEF – disembarking Marseilles, France 4/4/1916 Proceeded to Rouen for duty with the 2nd AGH 17/6/1916 – reported at Wimereux 15/7/1916 Admitted 14th General Hospital 10/9/1916 with Bronchitis – transferred to England 8/10/1916 on the HS Panama – and appeared before a medical board at the Hospital for Q.A.I.M.N.S., Vincent Square, London on the 13/10/1916 – given one months furlo Rejoined the 2nd AGH, Wimereux 22/11/1916 UK Leave 26/2/1917 – 12/3/1917 Reported for duty with the 1st ACCS 24/9/1917 – 6/12/1917, before returning to the 2nd AGH AWM Photo of operation at the 1st ACCS 23/11/1917: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/E01304/ UK Leave 26/12/1917 – 7/1/1918 UK Leave 14/8/1918 – 16/8/1918, and retained in England for duty.

Resigned her appointment 14/9/1918 in consequence of marriage Married John Joseph BOYERS (AAMC) on the 14/9/1918 at St Joseph’s RC Church, Islington, England RTA 4/12/1918 on the Somerset – free passage in return for services

Child (1): William Joseph b.14/4/1920 Denman, NSW – marr Geraldine Teresa MULHEARN 1949

Resided in Denman, NSW from their return to Australia until the end of 1924 Railway St, Wyong, NSW 1930, 1949 57 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst (Kings Cross), NSW 1958 Died on the 20/6/1961 at her home in Kings Cross, age 72

Buried in the Rookwood Catholic Cemetery

John Joseph BOYERS Born 1/6/1885 Marrickville, NSW – son of Samuel J BOYERS & Frances A BANKS – who married in 1883 Pharmacist WW1: Enlisted 13/10/1914 – 645 / Lieut, 2nd AGH – 1st ACCS Photo 1915 Egypt: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/162493928 RTA on the Kildonian Castle 21/3/1919 Appointment terminated 9/7/1919 
Died 20/2/1969 NSW Buried Rookwood Catholic Cemetery Mudgee

Guardian and North-Western Rep…(NSW), Mon 2 Feb 1914 (p.1):
Bathurst Hospital Matters Nurse Esther Murphy, a trainee at the Bathurst Hospital for the past four years, and a member of the A.T.N.A., was appointed to the position of head nurse.

Wellington Times (NSW), Thur 14 May 1914 (p.2): NURSE MURPHY APPRECIATION BY HOSPITAL COMMITTEE [Acting Matron] http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/141317040

National Advocate (Bathurst, NSW), Fri 4 Dec 1914 (p.2): Appointment of Matron Nurse Murphy, who for some time past has occupied the position of head nurse at the Bathurst District Hospital, was, at a special meeting of the committee yesterday, appointed matron, in succession to Matron Wyse, who recently resigned, in order to go to the front as a Red Cross nurse. There were 11 applications for the position.

Wellington Times (NSW), Mon 8 Feb 1915 (p.2): LOCAL JOTTINGS Matron Murphy, of the Bathurst District Hospital (daughter of Mr and Mrs M.J. Murphy, of Wellington) was on Thursday last operated upon for appendicitis. She was stricken on Wednesday, and an operation was necessary almost immediately. Her many friends will be pleased to hear that she is progressing favorably.

Freeman’s Journal (Sydney, NSW), Thur 4 Mar 1915 (p.17):
BATHURST Matron Murphy, of the Bathurst District Hospital, who recently underwent an operation for appendicitis, has gone for a holiday to her home in Wellington, before resuming duties at the hospital. National Advocate (Bathurst, NSW), Tue 23 Mar 1915 (p.2): Personal Matron Murphy has resumed duty at the Bathurst District Hospital, after her recent illness.

The Bathurst Times (NSW), Mon 18 Oct 1915 (p.3):
PERSONAL Matron Murphy, of the Bathurst Hospital, left by the mail train for Sydney last night, preparatory to proceeding to the front as a member of the Red Cross contingent. Several of the hospital nurses and other friends assembled on the platform to wish the patriotic and popular matron God-speed and a safe return.

National Advocate (Bathurst, NSW), Fri 22 Oct 1915 (p.2):
PERSONAL The resignation of Matron Murphy, who is going to Egypt as a nursing sister, was received at yesterday’s meeting of the Bathurst District Hospital Committee, and was accepted with regret. Many eulogistic references were made to Matron Murphy’s services. Members of the committee expressed themselves as exceedingly sorry to lose her from the hospital, but seeing that she was going to perform such important work it was felt that she was to be complimented on her decision.

Wellington Times (NSW), Thur 1 Jun 1916 (p.6): LOCAL JOTTINGS Nurse Ettie Murphy, daughter of Mr and Mrs Murphy, of Warne-street, writing to her people from “Somewhere in France,” says that the Australian Red Cross nurses who went from Egypt are nursing in tent hospitals, and that at last they realise they are on active service.

National Advocate (Bathurst, NSW), Thur 28 Sept 1916 (p.4): Bathurst Nurse and Soldier IN THE A.I.F. HOSPITAL IN FRANCE Nurse Murphy, late matron of the Bathurst District Hospital, writing from the 2nd Australian General Hospital, France, to Mrs Burnes, of Bathurst, and whose son was wounded in action, relates that she had been to see the wounded Bathurst soldier, who was wounded in the head and leg and was pleased to state that he was doing well. The patient had been operated on the day previous to her writing (August 1), and the operation, so far, had proved satisfactory, and the young soldier was receiving the best of attention. She expected him to be shortly transferred to England from where he said he would write home.

Wellington Times (NSW), Thur 21 Nov 1918 (p.4): MARRIED IN LONDON A WELLINGTON BRIDE A wedding of local interest was celebrated in London recently, when Nurse Agnes (Essie) Murphy, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs M. Murphy, of Warne Street, was married to Sergt. John Joseph Boyers, of Marrickville, who is a dispenser in the Army Medical Corps. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Father King, of St Benedicts, Sydney, in the unavoidable absence of Father Lonergan, late of Wellington, who was to have officiated. The bride was married from the home of Mrs Palmer, a wealthy Australian lady, who has been doing a lot of good work in England for the Australians. Mr Foxton Hayley, of Wellington, gave the bride away (her brother, Private Kevin Murphy being unable to get away to fulfil this position), while Nurse Holdsworthy (who was at the Bathurst hospital with the bride) acted as bridesmaid. The bride was married in a pretty dress of Wedgewood blue, with fur collars and cuffs, and wore a black hat. The bride and bridegroom, after the wedding breakfast, left for Devon, where they are spending their honeymoon. The bride, who was well and popularly known in Wellington, was matron of the Bathurst Hospital when the war broke out, and was among the first lot of nurses to offer their services in France, and for the past three and a half years she has been working on one of the Australian clearing stations close to the firing line, where the work of the nurses has been very severe.

Wellington Times (NSW), Thur 21 Nov 1918 (p.4): PERSONAL PARS In a recent photo published in the “Anzac Bulletin” of an operation performed at one of the Australian clearing stations near the firing line in France, in which doctors, nurse and patient were all Australians, Mrs Boyer (nee Essie Murphy, of Wellington) is easily recognizable as the nurse. This picture has now been painted in oil colors, life size, and hangs in the London Museum. National Advocate (Bathurst, NSW), Sat 18 Jan 1919 (p.2): Personal Mrs J.J. Boyer, daughter of Mr and Mrs M Murphy, of Wellington, has arrived in Sydney, after spending nearly four years as a nurse on the first Australian Clearing Station in France. She resigned her position just before the war terminated and was married in England to Staff-Sergeant J.J. Boyer, of Sydney. Previous to going to the front as a nurse Mrs Boyer was matron of the Bathurst Districe Hospital for a number of years.

Sunday Times (Sydney, NSW), Sun 2 Nov 1919 (p.14): DANCES AND RECEPTIONS The A.T.N.A. entertained the returned army nurses at a dance in St James’ Hall on Thursday evening. There was a large gathering, and the function was a great social success. The Bathurst District Hospital was well represented by Sisters Holdsworth, L. Smith, Suttor, Wilson, Mrs C.G. Laffin (Sister Pike), and Mrs Boyers (Sister Murphy).

The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW), Wed 21 Apr 1920 (p.10): BIRTHS BOYERS – April 14, the wife of J.J. Boyers, Denman – a son. Wellington Times (NSW), Mon 3 Dec 1923 (p.2): Personal Pars Nurse Angela Murphy (daughter of Mr and Mrs Murphy, of Bank Street) who has been training at the Public Hospital at Bathurst, has completed her course, and has passed her final A.T.N.A. examination. Nurse Murphy is sister of Mrs J.J. Boyers, who also trained at the Bathurst Hospital, and afterwards became Matron there, and, then went to the war as a Sister for 2½ years. She married in England, Mr Boyers being a Lieutenant in the A.M.C. Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Rep…(NSW), Thur 6 Nov 1924 (p.14): Denman News LEAVING THE DISTRICT Mr J.J. Boyers, who has conducted the local pharmacy in Denman during the past 5 years, has disposed of his business to Mr P. W. Luscombe of the city. Mr Boyers will be leaving Denman in the course of the next two weeks. He was president of the local Memorial School of Arts, and the Progress Association and treasurer of the Denman Race Club. Mr Boyers always took a keen interest in everything promoting the welfare of the town and district, and it will be a most difficult matter to secure successors for the positions rendered vacant by his departure.

Sydney Morning Herald (NSW), Jun 21, 1961 (p.36): DEATHS BOYERS, Agnes Mary – June 20, 1961, at her residence 57 Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross, dearly loved wife of John Joseph Boyers, loving mother and mother-in-law of William and Geraldine, dear grandmother of their children, and fond sister of Gregory, Angela and Lucy Murphy. Requiescat in pace.

FUNERALS BOYERS – Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of the late Mrs AGNES MARY BOYERS, of 57 Darlinghurst Road, King’s Cross will be celebrated at St Canices’ Church, Elizabeth Bay, This (Wednesday) Morning, at 9 o’clock. The Funeral will leave the Church This Afternoon after prayers commencing at 1.45 o’clock for Catholic Cemetery, Rookwood. Private interment.

Notes: Father’s Obit 1929: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/143518819 Mothers’

Obit 1943: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/143412607

1916 – sons Kevin, & Norbert: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/137416850 ?Her father’s first marriage: Michael Murphy married Honorah Walsh 1877 Sydney Annie Frances b.1880 Shoalhaven, NSW – mother Honoria Norbert T.B. b.1883 Bourke, NSW – mother Honora Honora A Murphy d.1885 Burrowa, NSW Annie F Murphy d.1910 Wellington – daughter of Michael J & Hanora M

In summary, what a woman and what a life!  Something to the celebrated. (Evan Evans)