Historical information

St John's was first established in Melbourne in 1883 to teach First Aid. The first class of 30 ladies were trained in Bendigo by a visiting surgeon instructor and completed their First Aid course in November 1886. In 1888 the first stretcher and hand ambulance was established in Bendigo and a request was made for mobile ambulances to be operated by men. Women were deemed only suitable for home nursing and hygiene instruction. By 1902 , in response to the high level of mining accidents, men were being trained in First Aid and the first St John's branch was started at Eaglehawk in 1903. The Central Bendigo branch was started in 1912 and as late as 1956, the Bendigo Combined Division registered 10 members.

Physical description

A six page document dedicated to the history of the St John Ambluance in Bendigo and their ties with the local community