Nurses’ Memorial Chapel

By Wendy Maddocks

The museum is located inside the Nurses’ Memorial Chapel on Riccarton Avenue Christchurch.

The chapel was constructed in 1927 to commemorate the Christchurch Hospital nurses who lost their lives in WW1 and the subsequent influenza epidemic of 1918 (https://www.cnmc.org.nz/). It is believed to be the only chapel built solely to commemorate nurses who have lost their lives in war. The chapel was built using publicly raised money and it was initially integrated into the main hospital building. The building is architecturally significant with a late Gothic Revival structure and Arts & Crafts Movement-inspired interior that incorporates significant works of art, including stained glass windows by Veronica Whall, with the inside made from beautiful timber and a parquet flooring. The stained-glass windows feature different aspects of nursing history and are especially beautiful when the light comes through. My favourite window is of Hester Maclean who was the Matron in Chief of the NZ Army Nursing Service (NZANS)in WW1, and she was an absolutely powerhouse advocating for NZ nurses to be there and supporting them.

The chapel is also the home of the standard of the Royal New Zealand Nursing Corps. The building is extra special as it was nearly lost forever in the Canterbury earthquakes in 2011, which destroyed hundreds of buildings in Christchurch. Structurally the chapel was damaged but miraculously the stained windows were not. The Christchurch City Council funded a $2 million restoration and strengthening project. This included repair of the parquet flooring, which was removed and reinstalled piece by piece. As you walk into the chapel now the aroma of the wood and the special floor polish used to keep the precious parquet flooring in top condition greets you.

Stretching up the chapel aisle is a custom-made carpet which represents the blue of Aegean sea, and the nurses who lost their lives when their transport ship (Marquette) was torpedoed off Salonika on 23 October 1915. As a volunteer I have hand swept this carpet and it truly is a privilege to take time to do this. Every part of the chapel has historical significance as each stained-glass window tells a story and around the walls are plaques commemorating nurses and others associated with Christchurch hospital.

The chapel can be visited on a Wednesday and at weekends from 1-3pm, where volunteers are happy to point out things of interest. It is also possible to just sit quietly in a pew for personal reflection. It can also be used by arrangement for services and functions.

Held within the chapel, in a vestry room at the back is the small museum, which predominantly contains documents and artefacts relating to the WW1 nurses. The main catalogue is online: https://ehive.com/collections/200188/nurses-memorial-chapel-museum-christchurch-nz

Only a portion of the collection is on display at any time due to space constraints, and every item is carefully catalogued and stored and is accessible to researchers by appointment. Some favourite items are the nurses’ instruments given to Sister Vousden by Florence Nightingale in 1890, a wooden handle of a rescue flare carried by a NZ medical orderly on the Marquette as it sunk, and the watch of one of medical orderlies which is stopped at the exact time the Marquette was struck. A particular favourite item of mine is the burial register from the Influenza epidemic which has been digitised and is available to view online. The book makes for sombre reading as whole families are recorded, along with sides notes like “no one present at burial”. It is a poignant and timely reminder of the impact of a pandemic.

The museum is run by a small committee of volunteers and there is a clear collection policy at https://www.cnmc.org.nz/the-chapel/museum/

A lot of work has gone into ensuring moisture control, light protection and pest control measures are implemented to protect the precious taonga (treasures held within). The museum also contains a record of all nurses who completed their training at Christchurch hospital, and a very recent addition is a detailed file with information of all Christchurch trained nurses who served in WW1.

The museum is open at the same time the chapel is. If a visitor or researcher is looking for something in particular, we recommend contacting us in advance so someone can be there to help you with what you need. Go online to https://www.cnmc.org.nz/contact/ and mark your query “For attention – Museum committee”. Documents can be photographed and there are gloves for handling. No items can be removed from the museum.

Outside the chapel is a lovely memorial garden with many plants donated in memory of past nurses. There is also a memorial in memory of the hundreds of animals (mainly mules and horses) who drowned when the Marquette was sunk. The garden is just delightful in spring, full of daffodils and blossom, however summer is also wonderful where either air is full of roses. There are nice places to sit in the garden.

Practical Information

The museum and chapel is free to visit however donations are always welcome to help with the preservation of the building and its treasures. There is also a small stand where blank gift cards and a book about the chapel are for sale. Payment is via cash or eftpos. Stiletto and high heeled shoes are not permitted on the parquet flooring.

The chapel is situated next to the hospital however parking is difficult. It is on main bus routes and buses do stop nearby frequently. There is parking nearby in the hospital grounds (costs money), or you may be lucky to find a park along the busy avenue. The chapel is opposite the North Hagley park which is popular in summer and parking there is also limited. The chapel is a short walk from the Avon river, the heart of Christchurch. Please check the website for details on accessibility considerations.

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Contact: friendsofthechapelnz@gmail.com

Wendy Maddocks is a Nurse Academic/Amateur Historian and museum committee volunteer.

She lives in Christchurch NZ and works at the University of Canterbury (Faculty of Health). Nursing history is a passion. She is currently researching the health of NZ nurses who served in WW1 and has travelled to the battle fields of Western Front & visited UK sites of WW1 NZ hospitals. She is planning at trip to Egypt in the near future to visit other sites of interest to the WW1 Nurse where they cared for thousands of soldiers.

X (formerly twitter)@dr_wendym_RN
Email: wendy.maddocks@canterbury.ac.nz