First
Hospitals of Port Perry
The
earliest 'private' hospital is believed to be a
private hospital established by Dr. David and Robert
Archer to care for the patients. It was established
in the 'Colburn' house, a large brick house located
on Rosa St., close to where Port Perry High School
is located today. This 'hospital' reverted to a
private home in 1927, after the death of Dr. Robt.
Archer.
The
next private hospital was started about 1920 by
a graduate nurse, Grace Cormack, at 235 Queen St.
She rented the rooms above the Port Perry Star office
from Samuel Farmer, using the large airy front room
for the operating room and the remainder was divided
into two bedrooms. Access was up a long staircase
located on the west side of the building.
Grace
Cormack married James Swan in 1926 and they purchased
the large brick home of Robert Somerville at 96
John St.,and converted it into a larger hospital
containing 11 beds. Mrs. Swan operated the hospital
until 1930 when she retired and sold it to two cousins,
Nellie Whitmore and Margaret Fisher. By 1933 Mrs.
Whitmore, had purchased the hospital outright and
she remained in charge of the facility, the only
one in the community, until 1946.
The
hospital consisted of a large front room, for the
most important patients and on the second floor
were three more patients' rooms, with two beds to
each room. The second floor also had a nursery,
bathroom and rooms for staff and Mrs. Whitmore's
office.
Mrs.
Whitmore sold the hospital to the community after
she retired, and plans for a new hospital got underway
with the application for a charter and the start
of fundraising. By 1948 the Port Perry Hospital
was forced to close its doors, since it was not
deemed reasonable to spend a lot of money on the
aging structure. For the first time in 30 years
the town was without a hospital.
In
1949 a residence for munitions workers in Ajax was
purchased, cut into sections and moved by truck
to Port Perry. Here it was reassembled and furnished
by government grant and local subscription as a
modern up-to-date 32 bed hospital. The new, long
waited for, Community Memorial Hospital was officially
opened while hundreds of citizens looked on in pride
on Jan. 7, 1953, and served the needs of the community
for the next 16 years.
Port
Perry's next hospital opened on Nov. 26, 1969 when
local doctor and Minister of Health for the Province
of Ontario, Matthew B. Dymond laid the cornerstone
for the new Community Memorial Hospital on Paxton
St. This facility has undergone three expansions
and numerous renovations, and continues to serve
the growing populations of Port Perry and Scugog
Township to this day.
Pioneer
Doctors
Dr.
Jonathan Foote - The first medical man to arrive
in Reach Township was Dr. Jonathan Foote, who settled
in Prince Albert in 1846 to treat the many settlers
who had acquired a fever at this time.
Dr.
N. Agnew - One of the early physicians, Dr. Agnew
had an office and residence in Boynton Hotel as
early as 1858 and practiced in the village until
1865.
Dr.
George Jones - A Prince Albert physician who had
an office on Simcoe St., joined Dr. Agnew about
1863 for a short time before forming a partnership
with his brother Richard in Port Perry.
Dr.
F.H. Brathwaite - Took over the practice of Dr.
Agnew and plied his profession in Prince Albert
until the mid 1870s, when he moved his office to
Port Perry, across from the Town Hall.
Dr.
J.E. Ware - A physician, surgeon, Dr. Ware practiced
medicine in the village of Prince Albert from the
mid 1860s until 1884 when he moved to Pickering.
His departure left the village without a physician
for the first time since 1846.
Dr.
Richard Jones - Dr. Jones practiced medicine in
Port Perry from 1867 to 1887. He was a coroner,
physician and surgeon and even held the office of
Reeve of the village in 1882.
Dr.
J.H. Sangster - Dr. Sangster began his second career,
medicine, in Port Perry in 1874 after completing
an illustrious career as an educator in Toronto.
The respected physicians practiced medicine in the
town until 1904 when he passed away.
Dr.
G. H. Clemens - Dr. Clemens practiced medicine from
his beautiful home at the corner of Queen and (Lilla)
Simcoe St from 1885 to 1896. His home was destroyed
by fire in 1895, after which Dr. Clemens moved to
Whitby to continue his practice.
Dr.
L. Proctor - Dr. Proctor purchased Dr. Clemens property
and built a new office and home in 1897. He practiced
medicine from his location until 1907 when he sold
to
Dr.
J.D. Berry. Dr. John D. Berry - Dr. Berry took over
the practice of Dr. Proctor and was the last doctor
to practice medicine from this location. He practiced
at this location from 1908-1918.
Dr.
Samuel J. Mellow - Arrived in Port Perry in 1898
and practiced medicine until his death in 1925.
The well respected doctor built a new office and
residence at 249 Queen St. in 1903. He served as
Reeve of Port Perry from 1901-1902
Drs.
David & Robt. Archer - Dr. David Archer set up practice
in Port Perry in 1891 as a general practitioner.
Dr. Robert Archer joined his brother in 1897, and
was an accomplished surgeon. The brothers built
a medical clinic on the south side of Queen St.
and were two of the most respected doctors to have
ever practiced in the town.
Cartwright
Physicians
Dr.
Francis W. Howe The first doctor to practice in
Cartwright starting in 1852 from his small frame
home on Church St. He also served as Reeve from
1855-1888.
Dr.
Gordon J. Emery Practiced with Dr. Howe and took
over his practice when he died in 1859. He remained
in Williamsburgh until about 1866.
Dr.
John Montgomery Began practice in Williamsburg in
1868. Built a large brick home which became known
as the "Medical Hall" and from here operated
the first hospital in Cartwright Twp. He practiced
in the village until 1882.
Dr.
John W. Gray Opened his practice of medicine in
Williamsburg in 1873 and after six years in the
community sold it to Dr. Moore.
Dr.
Aaron J. Campbell Purchased the Medical Hall from
Dr. Montgomery in 1882 and practiced medicine in
the community until 1888 when he sold his practice
and the Medical Hall to Dr. Fish.
Dr.
William A. Fish Dr. Fish arrived in Williamsburg
in 1888 and purchased the Medical Hall. He operated
his medical practice from there until 1901 when
he sold and moved to England for post graduate studies.
Dr.
John McCullock Purchased the Medical Hall from Dr.
Fish and practiced medicine in Blackstock until
1906. He also served as medical Officer of Health
from 1903 to 1904.
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Personalities
