Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Daughter of Nicholas LINDSCHAU and Rose nee EVENS

Did not marry

MATRON LINDSCHAU LOVER OF CHILDREN
Aims at Health and Happiness

Matron A. I. Lindschau, who has been appointed matron of the Federated Protestant Children's Homes of South Australia, has had a wide experience, which will be of exceptional value to her in the new work."I love children," she said this morning, "and 1 am looking forward with keen interest to the work before me. I begin my new duties on Monday."Miss Lindschau is tail and dignified,and possesses a personality that will command love and respect. There is a quiet forcefulness about her, and she has the enthusiasm of a zealot for her work. She began her nursing career at the Adelaide Hospital, where she qualified for the general work. She then went to the Queen's Home, and gained her certificate for midwifery. She enlisted for active war service in 1917, and was attached to the British General Hospital in Egypt, Palestine, and Salonica, and in the No. 1 General Hospital, London. She came back in 1920. She gained her massage certificate at Guy's Hospital, London, and her child welfare certificate at the Karitane-Harris Hospital in Dunedin. She spent several years at the Sir Truby King Hospital, in Christchurch. She was three years with the Plunkett Society, and went in for an intense training in the dietetic and psychological treatment of the child. Naturally, she is a keen enthusiast in the Plunkett system."This system is a purely rational and sensible method of preventing the 'illness of a child rather than curing it," she remarked. "We consider that for perfect health there must be strict adherence to the primal essentials. These are laid down as fresh air, proper water, proper food, bathing, clothing, exercise, sensory stimulation, rest and sleep, correct management, and correct mothering."The Plunkett system is responsible for having reduced the mortality rate in New Zealand. One has only to watch its effect on children to become a red-hot enthusiast. Not only the poor mothers, but those of wealthy homes, would do well to follow this scheme. Overeating is as harmful as being ill-fed and wrong food is as bad as none at all."To an extent my training will be most helpful to me in my new position in the care of the young one finds it wiser to erect a fence at the top of the hill rather than to support an ambulance at the bottom. In others words, the prevention of ills of any sort is a great deal preferable to the curing, however effective, afterwards.''The children at the Protestant Home are healthy, and my aim shall be to keep them healthy and happy. 'There are 14 boys and eight girls at Morialta and I shall have two nurses on the staff."

News Thursday 09 July 1925 page 5

Adelaide Isabel LINDSCHAU was the daughter of Nicolaus Heinrich LINDSCHAU & Rose EVANS and was born on the 1st of March 1890 in Flinders Street, Adelaide, SA.

Her father was born in 1854 in Schleswig, Denmark (now Germany).

Her mother was born in 1856 in Camden, London, England and was the daughter of Samuel Joseph EVANS & Marian Brookbanks MAGNESS.

Nicolaus & Rose were married on the 10th of April 1880 in the Registry Office, Adelaide, SA.

Adelaide was the youngest child born into the family of 4 children, 2 boys & 2 girls.

Her father was a watchmaker and the Lindschau family lived in Quorn prior to Adelaide’s birth.

Her father had relocated his watchmaking business to Adelaide in 1888 and had a shop in the Arcade and then in Gay’s Arcade Adelaide.

Adelaide first grew up in Moar Street, Eastwood.

In early 1902 her brother Heinrich went to England with the intention of proceeding to America to make a special study of the higher branches of his father's business. How ever, his intended destination was not reached, for instead he decided to enlist in the South African Constabulary for two years in Claremont.

On the 10th of May Heinrich was run over by a train at the Claremont Railway Station, South Africa. He was crossing the line on duty when the accident occurred. He was so seriously injured that both legs had to be amputated, one just below the knee and the other at the ankle.

On the 7th of April they were advised that Heinrich was stated to be progressing satisfactorily in the Wynberg Hospital.

In 1903 her parents purchased a section of land on the corner of Willow Avenue & Main North Road Hampstead Heath and they named their home “Belle Vue”.

Heinrich returned to Australia but died on the 23rd of April 1910 in Katoomba, NSW.

On the 1st of May 1913 her sister Marion married Percy Middleton WELLS (Boer War  - 648) in St Lukes Church, Whitmore Square, Adelaide.

In January 1914 her father received a consignment of "talking clocks." They represented the latest production of the leading watchmakers in Germany. The new clocks had the appearance of the ordinary dining-room timepiece, but instead of announcing the time by means of bells or springs gave a clear and distinct call. "Half-past eleven," one of the clocks was heard to call out by a "Daily Herald" representative just as the big band reached the half hour. The call was produced by a phonographic method, the mechanism setting in motion a film ribbon which glided over a "producer" similar to that of a phonograph. No language could make the time piece dumb. It recorded the hour and half-hour in English, French, German, Spanish, or Dutch, and, if so desired, would repeat the time of day or night at the convenience of the owner.

Adelaide began her nursing training in the Adelaide Hospital in 1912 and after 3 years she gained her qualifications and became a member of the South Australian Branch of the Royal British Nurses Association.

She then went to the Queen's Home, in Rose Park and gained her certificate for midwifery and then to Miss Josling’s Certified Nurses Home in Hutt Street.

She then returned to the Adelaide Hospital where she was charge nurse of the infectious disease block for 15 months.

On the 25th of October 1916 she completed her questionnaire for enrolment into the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS).

In March 1917 Adelaide was at Wool Bay, York Peninsula, when a Diphtheria Outbreak at Wool Bay School occurred.

Adelaide kindly took charge of the outbreak and the patients were immediately isolated and taken to the local Institute and the school closed.  

By June Adelaide was nursing in the Randwick Military Hospital, NSW and was living in Kogarah.

At the age of 27, Adelaide enlisted into the AIF, Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) on the 5th of June 1917 in Sydney, NSW.

She listed her father, of Bell Vue, Hampstead Heath, as her next of kin.

Adelaide embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A54 Runic on the 13th of September 1917 as Staff Nurse, disembarking in Durban, South Africa, on the 7th of October.

She was accommodated in a hotel to await continuation of her voyage and embarked for Egypt, via Bombay, on bard HT Caronia on the 3rd of November.

On the 5th of December she was posted to the 69th British General Hospital in Alexandria where she spent 7 months before being transferred to the 31st General Hospital in Abbassia on the 17th of June 1918.

On the 19th of October 1918 she embarked from Pt Said for Solonika, Greece, disembarking on the 25th of October and was posted to the 50th British General Hospital, a hut hospital at Kalamaria.

Adelaide arrived in autumn and had to endure water racing through the wards that reached halfway up bedsteads and haversacks, boots, socks, pants floated down the road.

Lanterns would blow out leaving the nurses in the darkness.

They had to wear men’s pyjama pants, putties, gum boots and shirts and had to tuck their dresses around their waists.

They were over their ankles in mud, dragging one foot out then other foot & standing on one leg in grim peril or sitting down hastily.

The following month was winter which was exceedingly severe; the wind known as the Vardar wind, being almost a blizzard. There were heavy falls of snow and very low temperatures at night. The extreme temperatures caused drugs, ink and hot water bottles to regularly freeze in the morning. Wintery conditions were a danger to the nurses as some fainted, while others were affected with carbon monoxide poisoning as fuel was almost impossible to obtain and the only means of heating came from charcoal burnt in braziers. 

Adelaide embarked for England on the 12th of February 1919, disembarking in Southampton on the 25th.

She reported to Headquarters in London and on the 3rd of March was granted leave for 6 months to study and gain her Massage Certificate at Guy's Hospital, London.

She was then posted to the 1st Australian General Hospital in Sutton Veny on the 26th of October.

Adelaide embarked for Australia on duty on board HT Port Napier on the 23rd of December 1919, disembarking in Sydney on the 10th of February 1920.

Adelaide was discharged from the AIF on the AMF on the 21st of March 1920.

In July 1921 she was appointed Matron of the Jamestown Hospital.

Adelaide then went to New Zealand to gain her child welfare certificate at the Karitane-Harris Hospital in Dunedin, NZ. She spent several years at the Sir Truby King Hospital, in Christchurch. She was three years with the Plunkett Society, and went in for an intense training in the dietetic and psychological treatment of the child.

She returned to Adelaide and in July 1925 she was appointed Matron of the Federated Protestant Children's Homes of South Australia (Morialta), but resigned from this position 12 months later and took up an appointment at the Plunkett Centre, 23 Nelson Street, Woollahra, Sydney.

During this time her mother purchased a home at 94 Cross Roads, Highgate.

Adelaide returned home to South Australia in the mid 1930’s and moved in with her mother at 94 Cross Roads, Highgate.

Her mother died on the 19th of September 1938 at their home, 94 Cross Roads, Highgate, and Adelaide cremated her in the West Terrace Crematorium and interred her with her husband in the West Terrace Cemetery.

Adelaide remained in the home when he mother died.

On the 25th of October 1943 Adelaide attended the Red Cross Paper Mache at the depot at 138 Gawler Place in the city with nurse, Ruby Clarence Everard. They travelled together by tram and had an enjoyable day.

The following day her sister in-law, Meta, went to visit her at noon and found Adelaide’s newspapers on the lawn and the home securely locked. Meta removed a wire screen, opened a front window and entered the home. Meta discovered Adelaide lying on the floor fully clothes, except for her shoes, and she was quite cold.

Meta left the home and spoke to Miss Everard (nurse) and they returned to the home and covered Adelaide with an eiderdown from her bed.

The bed was not disturbed and it appeared not to have been slept in the previous night.

They contacted the doctor who visited, examined her, and pronounced her life extinct.

A post mortem was held and it was concluded that Adelaide had died on the evening of the 25th of October 1943 from Heart failure.

She was privately interred in the Centennial Park Cemetery; Acacia/Path G, Plot 2481.  

No headstone was ever put on her grave.