Laidlaw, Annie Ina (1889-1978)

Field of activity
Matron and Servicewoman; army nurse; hospital matron (general); navy matron; navy nurse; nurse (general); Nurse
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-756082

Biographies

LAIDLAW, ANNIE INA (1889-1978), navy matron, was born on 23 January 1889 at Lake Wallace, near Edenhope, Victoria, second of three daughters of native-born parents James Adam Laidlaw, grazier, and his wife Annie, née Gilchrist. Ina was educated at Alexandra Ladies' College, Hamilton. On 11 November 1913 she started training at the (Royal) Children's Hospital, Melbourne; three years later she was retained as a staff nurse.

View the full record at Australian Dictionary of Biography Online

Annie Laidlaw devoted her life to nursing and served in both world wars. She completed her nursing training at the Children's Hospital (later Royal), Melbourne. In 1917 Laidlaw joined the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) and served in military hospitals at Bombay and Poona. After the war Laidlaw returned to the Children's Hospital as ward sister. In 1925 she was granted a year of leave to complete midwifery training at the Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney. Returning to Melbourne, Annie became assistant lady superintendent (assistant-matron) at the Children's Hospital. In 1930 she was promoted to lady superintendent of the hospital's orthopaedic section at Frankston. She held this position for 12 years. Selected to head the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service (RANNS) in 1942 she was in charge of the Flinders Naval Depot hospital as well as being in charge of the RANNS. After her discharge from the navy Laidlaw returned to her position at the Children's Hospital until 1950. From 1951-52 she worked in London. On her return to Melbourne she took the position of Matron at the Freemason's Homes of Victoria, Prahran until her retirement in 1957. Aged 89, Annie Laidlaw died on 13 September 1978 at McKinnon, Victoria.

  • 23 January 1889 Born: daughter of James Adam and Annie (nee Gilchrist) Laidlaw
  • 1914 - 1917 Trained as a general nurse at the Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Vic.
  • 30 June 1917 - 21 May 1919 Member of the Australian Army Nursing Service
  • 1919 - 1925 Ward sister at the Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Vic.
  • 1925 Midwifery training at the Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney
  • January 1926 Appointed assistant lady superintendent (assistant-matron) at the Children's Hospital
  • 1930 - 1942 Promoted to lady superintendent (matron) of the Children's Hospital orthopaedic section at Frankston, Victoria
  • 1 October 1942 - 15 March 1946 Served with the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service
  • March 1943 Promoted from superintending sister to matron
  • 1946 - 1950 Worked with the orthopaedic division of the Children's Hospital
  • 1951 - 1952 Home sister at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children, London
  • 1953 - 1957 Resident matron at the Freemasons' Homes of Victoria, Prahran
  • 1957 Retired and lived in the Returned Sailors', Soldiers' and Airmen's Imperial League of Australia's home for nurses at RSL House, St Kilda

View the full record at Australian Women's Register

Annie Laidlow trained as a nurse at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. She served in India with the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) during the First World War. Between the wars Laidlow continued to work at the Royal Children's Hospital, rising to the position of lady superintendent of the Orthopaedic Section. When the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service was established in 1942, Laidlow was appointed superintending sister and head of the service. She was later promoted to matron. In 1946 she returned to her position at the Royal Children's Hospital. Laidlow later worked at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children, London, and the Freemason's Home of Victoria.

  • 1913 - 1916 Education - Nurse training at the Children's Hospital, Melbourne
  • 1916 - 1917 Career position - Staff Nurse at the Children's Hospital, Melbourne
  • 1917 - 1919 Career position - Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) and sent to India where she worked in hospitals in Bombay and Poona
  • 1919 - 1925 Career position - Ward Sister at the Children's Hospital, Melbourne
  • 1925 Education - Midwifery training at the Hospital for Women, Sydney
  • 1926 - 1930 Career position - Assistant Lady Superintendent (Assistant-Matron) at the Children's Hospital in Melbourne
  • 1930 - 1942 Career position - Lady Superintendent of the Orthopaedic Section of the Children's Hospital in Frankston, Victoria
  • 1942 - 1943 Career position - Superintending Sister of the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service
  • 1943 - 1946 Career position - Matron of the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service
  • 1946 - 1950 Career position - Lady Superintendent of the Orthopaedic Section of the Children's Hospital in Frankston, Victoria
  • 1951 - 1952 Career position - Home Sister at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children, London
  • 1952 - 1957 Career position - Resident Matron at the Freemason's Homes of Victoria, Prahran
  • 1957 Life event - Retired

View the full record at Encyclopedia of Australian Science

Related people and organisations

Australian Dictionary of Biography Online

Australian Women's Register

Resources for Annie Ina Laidlaw

Selected resources (11)

Australian Dictionary of Biography Online

  1. 'Laidlaw, Annie Ina (1889 - 1978)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 15, pp 45-46.
    Patricia C. Vines
    [2000]
    Published: Melbourne University Press

Australian Women's Register

  1. LAIDLAW, ANNIE INAWorld War 2 Nominal Roll Department of Veterans' Affairs : LAIDLAW, ANNIE INA
    Department of Veterans' Affairs
    [2002]
    Series: http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/script/veteran.asp?ServiceID=N&VeteranID=1192378
  2. Laidlaw, Annie Ina (1889-1978)Australian Dictionary of Biography Online 15 : Laidlaw, Annie Ina (1889-1978)
    Vines, Patricia C
    [2006]
    Published: Australian National University
    Series: http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A150059b.htm
  3. World War II : Nursing ServicesThe Australian Encyclopaedia Chisholm, Alec H 9 485-486 : World War II : Nursing Services
    Jacobson, Gwendoline
    Published: The Grolier Society of Australia
  4. Where are the Women in Australian science?
    Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre
    [2003]
    Published: Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre
    Series: http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/wisa/wisa.html
  5. Just wanted to be there : Australian Service Nurses 1899-1999
    Reid, Richard
    [1999]
    Published: Commonwealth Department of Veterans' Affairs
  6. Who's who in Australia 1944
    Alexander, Joseph A
    [1944]
    Published: The Herald and Weekly Times
  7. National Archives of Australia, National Office: LAIDLAW ANNIE INA (1939 - 1948)
    LAIDLAW ANNIE INA : Date of birth - 23 Jan 1889 : Place of birth - EDENHOPE VIC : Place of enlistment - MELBOURNE : Next of Kin - GLASSON P
    2002/05135599

Encyclopedia of Australian Science

  1. Laidlaw, Annie Ina (1889-1978), navy matronAustralian Dictionary of Biography John Ritchie 15 45-46 : Laidlaw, Annie Ina (1889-1978), navy matron
    Vines, Patricia C.
    [2000]
    Published: Melbourne University Press
  2. Who's Who in Australia 1944
    Alexander, John A.
    [1944]
    Published: The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd
  3. Australian War Memorial Research Centre: Annie Laidlaw, Portrait (1944)
    Painting by Nora Heysen, oil on canvas
    ART22219

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