Bev is 82.
Bev is the eldest of 3, with two younger brothers. Born in Beaudesert Qld.
As a 15 year old Bev said she caught a train to Kurri Kurri walked into the hospital, & asked for a job..
As a training nurse she was expected to live at the nurse quarters. They were all locked in at 10pm each night, & the rules were quite strict.
It so happened that Bev met her future husband Jim while working there, which meant she had to leave once they married. When they chose to marry, nurses were no longer allowed to live at the nurse quarters or continue training, as they were required to be single women.
Bev & Jim moved to Lake Macquarie & started their family. Together they trained & registered as Psychiatric nurses at Morisset Hospital.
Bev worked in the female wards, which later became mixed wards. Jim spent quite a lot of his time on rotating shifts, including time spent in the infamous Ward 21. Which had some of the most violent criminals in our state. The nursing staff carried no weapons or had any way of protecting themselves against an attack.
The work was hard & demanding, but they both made the most of their time whilst working there.
Unfortunately, Jim has since passed. Bev still wears his wedding ring on a chain around her neck.
Bev now spends her days socializing with her former work colleagues, talking about days gone by. She also loves to garden, & do knitting for charity.
Bev is blessed with 4 Children, 8 Grandchildren, & 1 great grandchild.
Bev said that the last 10 born were all boys.. & then 55 years from her last daughter, came her one & only great granddaughter.
Jim had always said he wanted his own soccer team, & they almost got it!
