The MHMS Photograph Collection
Jan Nixon, Volunteer, has worked for some years on these photographs to catalogue and store them satisfactorily. They provide an extensive illustration of the Medical school from its opening years to the present. The photograph’s she has chosen to represent the collection are the 1937 and 1942 second year classes. Poignantly several of the names reappear on the war memorial in front of the Mayne Building
Museum Photographs, The Marks-Hirschfeld Museum of Medical History houses many photographs. One interesting series in the photographic collection is a group of large black and white mounted photographs taken of The University of Queensland medical students when they were in Year II of their course. The series dates from 1936-1958.
The location of the very early photographs is Old Government House, George Street where medical students attended lectures. From 1938, photographs were taken in front of the Mayne Medical School at Herston. The wartime photographs taken for 1942 to 1944 show the front doors of the building bricked in to prevent percussive effects from the possibility of a bomb exploding in the grounds. The bricks had been removed by the time of the 1945 photograph.
There are studio identification marks on most of these photographs. The initials ‘HJW’ appear on the 1942 photograph. The 1946 photograph was taken by Hal Stevens, 661 Sandgate Road, Clayfield. Photographs for years 1937, 1939, 1940, 1943 and 1947 were taken by Sidney Riley Studios, 246 Queens Street, Brisbane. Interestingly, the 1947 photograph has a note indicating: ‘Copies as Proof 6/- each (7/- with names and heading) unmounted copies 5/- each - students not identified on mounting’. Sidney Riley Studios also photographed the second-year groups from 1948 through to 1957 with the possible exception of the copy of the 1953 photograph which is not mounted in a studio folder.
The group photographs of second year medical students and the later photographic sheets of individual students in tutorial or year groupings are often requested to display at year reunions. Individual photographs are no longer taken due to privacy issues.
Many students photographed during the Second World War years joined wartime services. The medical students who lost their lives in such service are named on a memorial stone at the foot of the steps of the Mayne Medical School. The memorial also records the names of those who have died in service including Peacekeeping Missions since the Second World War. Students from The University of Queensland Medical Society (UQMS) hold an ANZAC service at the site of the memorial each year. Due to the COVID-19 virus, the service was not able to be held in 2020.
MEDICAL STUDENTS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES 1935-1945 AND IN MISSIONS SINCE THAT TIME
NAMES TAKEN FROM WAR MEMORIAL STONE AT FRONT OF MAYNE MEDICAL SCHOOL BUILDING.
AUSTIN, J. MED IV RAAF
DOUGLAS, H.B. MED II RAAF (1940 SECOND YEAR PHOTO)
GANNON, W.J. MED I AIF
HOOPER, B. GRAD AIF (1937 SECOND YEAR PHOTO)
KELLY, C.D. MED II RAAF
MACTAGGART, J. MED II RAAF
McGILL, J.A.D. MED II RAAF (1940 SECOND YEAR PHOTO)
MINCHIN-SMITH, G.G. MED I RAAF
RANDALL, N.P. MED I RAAF
RYDER, J.S. MED III RA VR (1940 SECOND YEAR PHOTO)
STAPLES, H.B. MED I AIF
1952 PURSSEY, I.G.S. MED II RAAF
1993 FELSCHE, SUSAN MBBS RAAN MC-UN (STUDENT PHOTO WAS SHOWN IN MUSEUM WOMEN AT WAR EXHIBITION)
1997 PAUL McCARTHY MBBS RAAF
Other historic group photographs held by the Museum include:
Inauguration of Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, October 1936.
Teaching staff and first class. Photographer not named. Black and white photograph.
Graduates of Medicine 1952 with names listed, Regent Studios, 43 Queens Street, Brisbane. Black and white photograph.
The First Convention of Medical Students of Australia, May 1960. Courtesy of the Fryer Library, The University of Queensland. Black and white photograph.
Resident Medical Officers 1962 in a folder with names. ‘Casey’s Cameras’ is embossed on the folder. Black and white photograph.
Graduation Dinner 1968 with names listed. David McCarthy and Assoc. Black and white photograph. One copy framed and one copy laminated.
Surgical Professorial Unit, General Hospital, March 1975. Photographer not named. Black and white photograph.
Full-time Academic Staff and Alumni, Department of Child Health for the 75th Anniversary of The University of Queensland, 1985. Graham Jurott, (photograph in colour).
Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland Golden Jubilee 1986 with names listed. Graham Jurott, (Photograph in colour).
Staff of the Faculty 1991. Photographer not named. Black and white photograph.
1990/1991 and 1995 graduation photographs in colour (photographer/s not named).
Many photographs of celebrations and events such as anniversaries and book launches were taken by Mr. Graham Jurott who was Senior Photographer at the Faculty of Medicine, 1964-1993. He also photographed a beautiful black and white series of the artistic details on the Medical School building. We sadly marked Graham’s passing in October 2017.