WELLINGTON HOSPITAL HISTORY

Althea Harriett Cookson MBE

Born Christchurch 1883 — Died Christchurch 1969

Nursing training at Christchurch Hospital. State Exam passed in Dec 1916. Registered in Jan 1917.

Midwifery training at the Otago Medical School Maternity Hospital, gaining the midwifery certificate in Jun 1918.

Sister, Whangarei Hospital 1919–1920

Matron, Whangarei Hospital 1921–1928

Postgraduate study in England, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Canada

The Archives

• Back to Wellington Hospital History Home
• 1. Wellington Public Hospital History▼
  • The Thorndon Hospitals
  • The first Newtown Hospital
  • Early expansion 1888 – 1910▼
    • 1901 – 1906
    • 1907 – 1910
  • The Children’s Hospital
  • Additions 1913 – 1939
  • Additions 1940 – 1960▼
    • The Centenary Block
    • The Hospital Post Office
    • The Hospital in the 1950s
  • Rebuild 1967 – 1980
  • Additions 1981 – 2000
  • New Regional Hospital
  • A new Children’s Hospital
• 2. The Early Staff of the Hospital
• 3. Nursing Administration▼
  • Nurses 1880-1920▼
    • Mary Anne Baillie
    • Elizabeth Hermansen
    • Mrs Johanne M Thorpe
    • Mrs Bernard Moore
    • Ellen Dougherty
    • Augusta Godfrey
    • Mary E Kissling
    • Frances K Payne
    • Ellen Mary Pettit
    • Kate Marsden
    • Elizabeth Katherine Berry
    • Edith Crerar
    • Sarah Jane Hetherington ARRC
    • Elizabeth Williamina Inglis Stott
    • Jean Todd
    • Maggie Preston
  • Nurses 1921 – 1960▼
    • Edith P Tennent
    • Gertrude S Lampp
    • Agnes Milne
    • Althea H Cookson
    • Florence E Hart
    • Blanche L Clark
    • Susan Milne
    • Noeline M Knight
    • Muriel E Tattersall
    • Kathleen G Hausmann
    • Doris Brown
    • Jessie I Martin
    • Irene Tolerton
  • Nurses 1961 – 1988▼
    • Betty P Cook
    • Barbara J E Hough
    • Mavis H Paton
    • Gloria A Grattan
    • Elaine Whiteman
    • Barbara G Shadbolt
    • Maureen Corry
    • Assistant Principal Nurses
  • Nurses 1989 –▼
    • Sheila Mahony
    • Anita Bamford-Wade
    • Cheyne Chalmers
    • Kerrie Hayes
    • Andrea McCance
    • Emma Hickson. 2019 – 2020
    • Associate Directors of Nursing
• 4. Educating Nurses: Wellington Hospital▼
  • Timeline▼
    • In the beginning
    • 1884 – 1901
    • 1902 – 1927
  • Student nurses▼
    • Recruitment and Selection
    • Demographics
    • Rules and Regulations
    • Wastage
    • Health and Sickness
    • Nurses’ Accommodation
    • Graduation and other Class Photographs▼
      • pre 1902
      • 1902 – 1929
      • 1930’s
      • 1940’s
      • 1950s
      • 1960s
      • 1970s
      • 1980s
    • Personal recollections
    • Miscellaneous photographs
  • Nursing Aides, Community Nurses, Enrolled Nurses
  • Male Nurses
  • Tutors▼
    • Tutor training
    • Medical staff
  • Teaching facilities▼
    • Clinical experience
  • The move to close hospital-based nursing schools
  • Sources / acknowledgements
• 5. Cardiology at Wellington Hospital▼
  • Overview▼
    • 1926 – 1952
    • 1953 – 1966
    • 1967 – 1985
    • 1986 – 2000
    • 2001 – 2012
  • Services▼
    • In-patient Services
    • Out-patient Services
    • Out-reach Services
  • History of Key Investigations▼
    • Electrocardiography
    • Cardiac Radiology
    • Cardiac Catheterisation
    • Echocardiography
    • Nuclear Cardiology
    • Electrophysiology
  • History of Selected Services▼
    • Hypertension
    • Acute Coronary Syndromes
    • Interventional Cardiology
    • Congenital Heart Disease▼
      • A dog’s life
      • A cold bath to cure a hole-in-the-heart
    • Cardiac Rhythm Management
    • Cardiac Surgery
  • Technology▼
    • Information (before) Technology
    • Information Technology
  • Cardiac Image Galleries▼
    • Staff Photo 1999
    • Cath Lab Camaraderie
    • Some of the Front Office Staff
    • Tech’s Workroom
    • A Technician or Two
    • Barbara McClutchie’s 25 Years as Ward Clerk
• 6. Services for Sick Children▼
  • 1886 – 1912
  • 1912 – 1988
  • 1988 – 2020
  • 2021-
  • Royal Doulton Tiles▼
    • Saving the Royal Doulton Tiles
  • Kenepuru Hospital
  • Neonatal Services
  • Academic Paediatrics
  • Personal Recollections and Reflections▼
    • Marie Farquhar
    • Hilary Patton nee Harper
    • Merian Litchfield
    • Francie Vagg
    • Barbara Diggins
    • Pauline Schwartz nee Payne
    • Helen Henderson
  • Gallery-services for sick children▼
    • Donations to Children’s Wards
    • Royal and other VIP visitors
• 7. Senior Medical and Dental Staff Archive▼
  • Staff Structure▼
    • Staffing of the Thorndon Hospital
    • Medical staff administration
  • Speciality Services▼
    • Alcohol and Drug Dependence
    • Anaesthesia
    • Cardiology
    • Cardiothoracic Surgery
    • Dental Services
    • EENT Surgery
    • Emergency Services
    • Gastroenterology
    • Neurology
    • Neurosurgery
    • Obstetrics and Gynaecology
    • Orthopaedics
    • Paediatrics and Paediatric Surgery
    • Pathology
    • Psychiatry
    • Radiology
    • Radiotherapy and Medical Oncology
    • Renal Medicine
    • Respiratory Medicine including Tuberculosis
    • Urology
    • Venereal Diseases / Sexual Health
  • SMO reunion 2008
  • Some personal reflections