Janet Louisa Wood (1881 - 1950)

Born 12 Jan 1881 in Semaphore, South Australia, Australia

Ancestors

Died 19 Mar 1950 at age 69 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

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Biography

Janet was born in Semaphore, South Australia during 1881. She is the daughter of Alexander Wood and Marion Fawssett. She passed away in Adelaide, South Australia during 1950

Janet was born in Semaphore, South Australia on 12 January 1881 to Alexander Wood and Marion Fawssett.^[1] The following birth notice was published in the South Australian newspaper, The Express and Telegraph, on 17 January 1881:^[2]

WOOD.—On the 12th January, at Bute-terrace, Semaphore, the wife of A. S. Wood, of a daughter.

Janet served in the Australian Army during the First and Second World Wars. For the first war, she enlisted on 28 September 1914 and was given the rank of Staff Nurse in the 2nd Australian General Hospital. She departed with her unit from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia for Europe on HMAT A55 Kyarra on 5 December 1914. She returned Australia on 15 January 1919. For the second war, she enlisted in Adelaide, South Australia, and was discharged with the rank of Major in the Australian Army Nursing Service.^[3][4]

Janet died in Adelaide, South Australia on 19 March 1950 at the age of 67 years.^[5] The following death notice was published in the South Australian newspaper, The Chronicle, on 23 March 1950:^[6]

SINCLAIR-WOOD.— On March 19, at Hutt street, Adelaide, Janet, daughter of Marion and the late Alexander Sinclair-Wood.

Janet was buried at the West Terrace Cemetery in Adelaide, South Australia on 21 March 1950.^[7][8]

The following obituary was published in the South Australian newspaper, The Advertiser, on 21 March 1950:^[9]

Death Of Distinguished Nurse.

Miss Janet Sinclair-Wood, whose death occurred on Sunday night at Hutt Street Private Hospital, was one of the most distinguished figures in the nursing world through out Australia. Her services to the nursing profession were outstanding, and she earned the esteem and lasting affection of nurses with whom she was associated throughout her long career, in both civilian and military nursing.

She was an examiner for the Nurses Board in SA for many years, and for more than 20 years was a member of the council of the Australian Trained Nurses' Association.

Miss Sinclair-Wood served her country with distinction in two world wars. She trained at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, and was matron of Maitland and Burra Burra Hospitals before she enlisted for military nursing service abroad during the first world war. After returning to Australia she was matron of the Broken Hill District Hospital and of Rua Rua Private Hospital, North Adelaide.

In 1924, she took over Hutt Street Private Hospital, which she conducted with her sister, Miss Ella Sinclair-Wood, until her retirement in 1946 when she sold the hospital.

In the period between the two world wars Miss Sinclair Wood was Principal Matron AMF, on the reserve. Her standing in the profession was indicated when she was chosen as the representative nurse from South Australia to accompany the Australian Military Group which went to England for the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in May. 1937.

At the outbreak of the second world war. Miss Sinclair-Wood organised the voluntary nursing service at Woodside Camp and later, as principal matron of the 4th military district she was in charge of nursing services at all military camps in SA.

In 1940, she was appointed Matron-in-Chief of the Australian Military Forces, at headquarters in Victoria, with the rank of colonel.

It was her task to supervise the entire nursing establishment of the army, both at home and abroad. She travelled thousands of miles, by train, motor car and aeroplane visiting her nurses in the most remote parts of Central and Northern Australia, to see at first hand the conditions under which they worked.

She retired from this post in February, 1943. Later she acted on the committee of the nursing division of the Department of Labor and National Service and she was-also a member of the Red Cross Hospitals War Effort.

Miss Sinclair-Wood's influence on the nurses with whom she came in contact was strengthened by her deep conviction that nursing, to be successful must be regarded as a vocation, not merely as a means of livelihood. She regarded the personal relationship between the nurse and the patient as one of the most valuable factors in nursing the sick, and she placed great importance on the observance of professional ethics.

Sources

1. ↑ Genealogy SA, Online Database Search for Birth Registration, accessed 15 May 2021 (Subscription required to view full details of the above registration), Search result follows - Surname: WOOD, Given Names: Janet Louisa, Date of Birth: 12-Jan-1881, Gender: F, Father: Alexander Sinclair WOOD, Mother: Marion FAWSSETT, Birth Residence: Semaphore, District: Port Adelaide, Book/Page: 262/366
2. ↑ 1881 'Family Notices', The Express and Telegraph (Adelaide, SA : 1867 - 1922), 17 January, p. 2. (SECOND EDITION), viewed 16 May 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207664821
3. ↑ UNSW Canberra at the Australian Defence Force Academy, The AIF Project, Search result for Janet Sinclair WOOD, viewed 4 May 2023, https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=330736
4. ↑ Australian Government, Department of Veterans Affairs, World War Two Service, Search results for SINCLAIR-WOOD, JANET (Service Number V9175), accessed 21 May 2022, https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=558515&c=WW2#R
5. ↑ Genealogy SA, Online Database Search for Birth Registration, accessed 15 May 2021 (Subscription required to view full details of the above registration), Search result follows - Surname: SINCLAIR-WOOD, First Names: Janet, Death Date: 19-Mar-1950, Age: 67, Gender: F, Marital Status: S, Place of Death: Adelaide, Residence: Adelaide, Relative: Not Recorded, District: Adelaide, Book/Page: 751/1273
6. ↑ 1950 'Family Notices', Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), 23 March, p. 48. , viewed 16 May 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article93748164
7. ↑ 1950 'Family Notices', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 22 March, p. 22. , viewed 04 May 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50197596
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/165895866/janet-sinclair-wood : accessed 21 May 2022), memorial page for Sister Janet Sinclair-Wood (unknown–21 Mar 1950), Find a Grave Memorial ID 165895866, citing West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, Adelaide City, South Australia, Australia ; Maintained by Dwight Baker (contributor 47306645) .
9. ↑ 1950 'Death Of Distinguished Nurse', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 21 March, p. 11. , viewed 21 May 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50210817

External links

• Virtual War Memorial profile