PR- Miller Bay Hospital

Miller Bay Hospital

Miller Bay Hospital Postcard
Photo Courtesy Grant Walker, CA
Photo by J. W. (J. Wrathall)

alt spelling- Millar Bay
aka- Hospital Cove

Local Legend says it was named after a Miller family who were from Switzerland, but spoke German, who settled on this land, but when war broke out,
because they were thought to be German, were evacuated from their land, and ended up in the Terrace area.
Supposedly Miller Rd in Thornhill is named after the same family.

Located between Prince Rupert and Port Edward about 6-7 miles from Prince Rupert, Off Highway 16, on left, just before Galloway Rapids.
SE side Kaien Island, Range 5 Coast Land District
Bay located off of Morse Basin
Located under the power lines to Rupert, visible in this photo.

Latitude- 54°16'00“N Longitude- 130°16'00”W

Built as a 150 bed, Casualty Clearing Hospital, by the RCAF, in 1943, during WWII

RCAF operated a Seaplane base not far from this location

One article claims it was built by the US Army.

Mar 7, 1945 Ottawa announced it would be turned into a Native TB Hospital.

Indian Health Services, Department of Indian Affairs, Opened it as a First Nation TB Hospital, Sept 16, 1946

Some online articles report it was used as an experimental hospital, residential school nightmare, etc.

shown as a 175 bed hospital in 1953 newspaper article

School was held in Ward E
Wards A-F
Dorms for staff

First Medical Superintendent
Dr. James Douglass “Doug” Galbraith
b- Nov 08, 1908, Lot 26, Cons 3, near New Flos, Simcoe, ON
d- May 10, 2010 Mount St. Mary's Hospital, Victoria BC
Graduated from University of Toronto in 1935
Shown as Hospital Manager here in Feb 1947
Family lived at 907 Borden, Prince Rupert in 1950
He left to operate the Coqualeetza Hospital, ca Sept 1953.
He was located there before Miller Bay,
as Assistant Superintendent in 1941 for 4 years.
son of William James Galbraith
b- Oct 1888 in ON
and Lucinda McCullock,
b- Oct 1884 in ON
father and mother were married Feb 28, 1906.
His father was a farmer when he was born
Doug married Florence Margaret Virgin, June 12, 1936 in Toronto ON
b- Aug 16, 1913, in Toronto, York, ON
daughter of John Arthur Virgin and Annie Elizabeth Jane Roberts
Doug and Florence had 2 sons

Miss Catherine McDiarmid was the First Matron

Oct 5, 1946 they had 40 patients.

George F. Williamson, Medical Director, Feb. 1947
Residence 1950 was at the Hospital

Miss Doris P. Hallt worked here ca 1950
daughter of Fred G. Hallt

Mary Houston Cartmell, nee Hiddlestone worked here
ca 1948-1951 and probably after that as well.

Dr. George R. Howell was here in 1954
wife- Dr. Leila L. Howell
His wife died in Edmonton AB

Miss Grace Harris RN was here in 1954

Mrs. E. M. Davis, Matron here in 1955

Mrs. H. Edmeston spent summer of 1956, relieving Director of Nursing here.

Mrs. Archie Edmeston retired as matron here, in 1965
Mrs. J. A. Edmeston

Mr. Germschide worked here in 1956

Nurse Lorna Sankey was here in 1959

1962 a water storage tank was built here
by Greer & Bridden Ltd., Prince Rupert for $13,091.
Note- It is visible on right edge of photo above.

Closed when the New Prince Rupert Hospital was built.
3 TB hospitals were in use, Nanaimo closed first,
Coqualeetza at Sardis, was 2nd, and Miller Bay the last one.

1948- Registered nurses were paid $167 per month here, less Maintenance and Laundry fee, at $30 per month.

In the early days, there was a tall chimney, and local legend said they burned the TB infected bodies here, but this was not true,
It was simply a chimney for the Steam Heat Plant.

Ext Links

Prince Rupert Archives photos
http://princerupertarchives.ca/search/results.php?page=93&searchTitle=&searchDate=&searchKeywords=&searchAccession=&searchNegative=

In times of war: Prince Rupert 1039-1945, book, Sue Harper Rowse
https://books.google.ca/books?id=culEo9RFagAC&pg=PA122&lpg=PA122&dq=miller+bay+indian+hospital&source=bl&ots=WLwDDAYwil&sig=m5j-2sRJZyj47I_zSPMQFJ1RONA&hl=en&sa=X&ei=dfnUVKirAcizoQSA3oLoCw&ved=0CD4Q6AEwCDgK#v=onepage&q=miller%20bay%20indian%20hospital&f=false

Newborn babies of TB mothers, sent to foster care
http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/41983459?sid=21105800508373&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=4&uid=70

Facebook site has set of floor plans
https://www.facebook.com/MillerBayTbHospitalPrinceRupertBc19461970

Location map
http://www4.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/JCLJA

©