Story: Pregnancy, birth and baby care

Private maternity home, Wellington, 1949 (2nd of 2)

Private maternity home, Wellington, 1949

This is the Willis Street Obstetrics Hospital building in 1949. Constructed about 1876, it had been converted into a maternity home by Dr Louis Levy in 1920. Some women paid to give birth in small private maternity hospitals run by doctors, nurses or midwives. These were mainly located in urban areas. Most private maternity homes were converted houses. Levy ran the home until about 1945. By this time, private maternity homes were less common because women could give birth free of charge in public hospitals.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Evening Post Collection (PAColl-0614)
Reference: 1/2-090567-F

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Kerryn Pollock, 'Pregnancy, birth and baby care - Childbirth, 19th century to 1950s', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/26163/private-maternity-home-wellington-1949 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Kerryn Pollock, published 5 May 2011, reviewed & revised 24 Oct 2018