'Inglemere' 2 Abbotsford Road Homebush
by Cathy Jones
‘Inglemere’ is a two storey Federation styled house and is located at 2 Abbotsford Road Homebush. This house once faced Homebush Road Strathfield but after subdivision of its grounds, the house entry changed to Abbotsford Road.
‘Inglemere’ was built in c1894 for owner William H Norton, who named the house ‘Ingera’. Norton sold the house in 1912 to Mrs C H Humphries. The house was renamed ‘Inglemere’. In 1928, the grounds at south and east of ‘Inglemere’ were subdivided and sold.
By c.1929, ‘Inglemere’ was converted into a private hospital under the management of Elizabeth Neil, who was the hospital Matron. It was known as a maternity hospital. As the hospital was privately administered the records of the hospital are not held by a public authority such as State Records. Neither Strathfield District Historial Society nor Strathfield Council holds any records of the administration of the hospital such as admittances. Family historians searching for information on birth records can now search old newspaper records through the National Library of Australia’s online search Trove. Many birth notices are available which note ‘Inglemere’ as the place of birth.
‘Inglemere’ private hospital ceased operation in the 1950s. The property was then converted to a nursing home known as ‘The Crescent’ Private Hospital. The nursing home closed in the late 1990s. The house then reverted to private ownership. It has more recently been converted into a Bed & Breakfast called ‘Darcy’s Hotel’.
Author: Cathy Jones 2010
(c) Cathy Jones 2010. Pursuant to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968, no permission is given to any person to reproduce any work. Existing publications do not assign or imply any ownership by any other person by the author. No permission is given by the author for any commercial advantage to any person or organisation.
Back in Australia visiting and doing family research. At last I have found out about where I was born! Pity no records remain. I was born in August 1959, so it was a maternity unit until at least then.
Posted by Maura Sellars nee Muntjan | 21/04/2011, 8:52 pmI have just returned from a B & B stay there, found it was a maternity hospital, and thought I too had been born there. After looking at my Birth Certificate this afternoon I see that I was born at Englewood Private Hospital in Burwood on October 1949. My mother had always told me I was a “troublesome” baby and she took me to a Trescillian Nursing Hospital near St Anne’s Church in Strathfield – around the corner from Darcy’s B & B! Could Inglemere have been used also as a referral hospital for new mums?
Caryl Trapman nee Cowper
Posted by Caryl Trapman | 07/08/2011, 5:13 pmEnglewood Private Hospital was also a maternity hospital. It was located on Burwood Road Burwood. I think the building is still standing but is no longer a hospital. I don’t if there was any links between Inglemere and Englewood.
Cathy
Posted by Cathy Jones | 08/08/2011, 9:24 pmI always thought it was an private unwed mothers hospital, as I was born there in July 1957 and was adopted out at birth. I had hoped there would be records somewhere, I was married at the church across the road from Inglemere when it was still a nursing home.
Posted by Suzanne Richter | 03/07/2011, 8:43 pmHi Suzanne
I believe that Inglemere looked after ladies and their babies, whether married or not.
I remember my Mum telling me she went there before 1944 to have a procedure done and was given a very hard time
because word got around that she was having an abortion. Quite the opposite and Matron Neil soon put the nasty people
in their place on behalf of my Mum.
Good luck with your search
Posted by Wendy Cook (nee Fuller) | 05/09/2011, 9:49 pmI was looking for accommodation in the inner suburbs and I saw the entry of Darcy’s B & B in my google search.
I recognised the address and on further investigation realised this was Inglemere Private Hospital in a former life.
My mum had her four children at this hospital from 1944 to 1957 and Matron Neil was the person in charge.
I was born in May 1953.
I intend to stay there in the future as it looks like a great old building.My sister and I even went to Strathfield Girls High School
which is two streets back from Darcy’s.
Wendy Cook (nee Fuller)
Posted by Wendy Cook (nee Fuller) | 05/09/2011, 9:43 pmMy Mum sworked as a Nurse at this Hospital in 1944 & 45. I heard stories of this as a child. She always maintained it was a very well run hospital.
Jenny Johnston
Posted by Jenny Johnston | 01/03/2012, 11:39 amI too was born at Ingelemere (1955) as were my brother (1944) & sister (1946). I clearly remember going to Ingelemere to have my tonsils removed by Dr Roxborough when I was about 4 or 5 years old (1959/60). My Mum took me in the front door & then on the left was the operating room. I remember the nurse or matron putting a cold wet cloth near my face & telling me to breath in deeply & I would smell Mummy’s perfume (must have been ether). I woke up in a cot with a sore throat and was promised jelly to eat… it hurt to swallow it though. I then remember walking out & down the front verandah & steps.
Posted by Susan O'Keeffe (nee Mills) | 23/04/2012, 4:21 pm