John James Memorial Hospital

Description

The John James Foundation is a company limited by guarantee and being recognised as a Health Promotion Charity by the Australian Taxation Office is a tax free notforprofit charity and a deductible gift recipient It has approximately 130 Specialist Medical Practitioner members and a Board of nine consisting of a majority of Specialist Members The John James Foundation currently has a small dedicated staff and its offices are located in the Clinical Services Building on the John James Healthcare Campus in Strickland Crescent Deakin in the Australian Capital Territory

The company was known as The John James Memorial Hospital Ltd until 20 June 2007 when it changed its name to John James Memorial Foundation Ltd in order to better reflect its future activities The John James Foundation also adopted a new company Constitution with effect from 12 June 2007 which gives it a broad charter to undertake charitable activities within the health care area

The John James Foundation has as its major assets the John James Healthcare Campus at 173 Strickland Crescent Deakin ACT and an adjoining property at 63 Denison Street Deakin ACT These properties provide a solid income stream from a number of mostly medical tenants that will ensure the long term future of the John James Foundation and its charitable operations

History

John Alexander James was born on 21 May 1887 at Broughton Creek Berry near Nowra on the south coast of New South Wales Son of Charles Edward James a Wesleyan clergyman from England who became a Presbyterian minister and his Sydneyborn wife Catherine Hemming nee Hardy

The family moved to Brisbane in the late 1890s and the young James attended Brisbane Grammar He excelled academically and at sport and in 1905 matriculated and was accepted as a medical student at the University of Sydney

He graduated MB ChM in 1911 and was a resident medical officer at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney 19121913 and then at the Coast Hospital Little Bay 19131914

On 26 March 1915 he was appointed captain Australian Army Medical Corps Australian Imperial Force He served at Gallipoli with the 5th Field Ambulance and on the Western Front with the 22nd Battalion the 1st Australian General Hospital and the 15th Field Ambulance

In 1917 he was appointed assistant to the Deputy Director of Medical Services 4th Division with temporary rank of lieutenantcolonel He was mentioned in dispatches and returned to Australia where his appointment terminated on 11 November 1919 In later life he retained something of his military bearing and was closely associated with the Royal Military College Duntroon

Dr James returned to the Coast Hospital after the War in 1919 completed his surgical training and travelled to England in 1922 to study surgery He was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1925 He was then appointed Medical Superintendent of Canberra Hospital in 1926 From 1926 to 1929 John James supervised the redevelopment of the Canberra Hospital from what was derisively called quota firstaid postquot of 20 beds to a modern general hospital of over 60 beds with a wellequipped operating theatre and an Xray unit

On 19 November 1929 at St Stephens Presbyterian Church Sydney John James married Sheila Cary the theatre sister at the hospital and they travelled to England and Europe returning in November 1930 to establish a surgical and general practice at 21 Torrens Street Braddon ACT

Dr James was appointed to the Canberra Hospital as a visiting and honorary medical officer and from 1936 he was appointed as a Member of the newly established Federal Capital Territorys Medical Board He was awarded Fellowship of the Royal Australiasian College of Surgeons in 1930 John James was at his peak as a surgeon in the 1930s and 1940s He was described as a quotneat and pretty surgeonquot and as one who quotdespite his skill training and experience never hesitated to seek a second opinion putting the welfare of his patient before any consideration of his personal prestigequot James was a member of the Canberra Chamber of Commerce and a patron of sport He was appointed OBE in 1951 and CBE in 1959

In the mid 1950s as he was nearing 70 years of age John James was still in active practice including some major surgery and obstetrics His manner was firm but friendly he possessed dignified charm he was reserved but able to inspire confidence in patients and relatives CS Daley the Secretary of The Federal Capital Commission declared to the writer that securing James services for Canberra Hospital was quotthe best days work the Commission ever didwe had to have a firstclass surgeon in the National Capitalall those politiciansquot John James ceased practice in 1963 died on 20 February 1965 and is buried in Canberra cemetery He was survived by his wife Sheila a daughter and two sons one of whom Cary is a surgeon in Canberra