Mary Potter RosePrint Page

The Mary Potter Rose commemorates 100 years of health care on the site from 1912 to 2012. 

The rose is named after the founder of the religous order Sisters of the Little Company of Mary. St Vincent`s Hospital is currently part of Calvary HealthCare. 

Distinguished Launceston surgeon, Dr John Ramsay, built his own private hospital on the site in 1912. It was named St Margaret’s Hospital after his mother and one of the patron saints of Scotland.  The hospital was soon recognised as one of the foremost private hospitals of Australia with Dr Ramsay being the first surgeon in Australia to be knighted.  It has been recorded that Dr Ramsay conducted a cardiac massage on one of his patients, only the second to be recorded in the world medical literature as proving successful long term. According to Grant Musgrave the CEO of Calvary Healthcare, Tasmania, Launceston “Dr Ramsay had the eye of a hawk, the heart of a lion and the hand of a lady.”

The architect of St Margaret’s Hospital was the notable Alexander North, who designed many important buildings in Launceston, including the sanctuary of the Church of Apostles, the two great red brick Anglican Churches St John’s and Holy Trinity and the former Post Office.

In 1930 St Margaret’s Hospital was taken over by a group of Launceston doctors which included Dr Ramsay.

In 1944 the Sisters of Charity acquired the hospital assisted through bequests from the late William Coogan as well the late Thomas Bourke.  The Sisters re-christened their hospital St Vincent’s, as was usual for the order in honour of St Vincent de Paul. The Sisters of Charity ran the hospital successfully from 1944 until 2005 when it was acquired by the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary. The site continues to provide excellent care and facilities to this day as part of Calvary Health Care.

Note: Mary Potter was born on 22 November 1847 in England. As an adult, Mary set about her life’s work of serving God. In doing so she sought to establish a Congregation of Religious Sisters whose lives are centred on prayer and caring for those who were sick, dying and in need. Mary Potter modelled the Congregation on the spirit of Calvary, calling her Sisters to be part of the ‘little company’ of faithful companions who remained with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, standing in spirit with her on Calvary, as she watched over her dying Son.

Mary Potter established the Congregation — Little Company of Mary — in an old stocking factory at Hyson Green in Nottingham, England in 1877.

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