“There has probably never been a greater superintendent of the Wellington Hospital than Dr Ewart” (Evening Post, 5 August 1939).
This story was inspired by a Genealogy Investigations story on the Hermit)
Dr Ewart was superintendent from 1889 to 1909. He was an outstanding surgeon and performed some of the greatest operations of his day. Much of his work was written of in the “Lancet”. He was also remembered for the charm of his manner and unremitting attentiveness to patients.
He was born in Ecclefechan, Dumfriesshire, Scotland in 1858, the son of a farmer. He and trained at Edinburgh University. The family emigrated to Nelson in 1885 and he joined them in 1887. He married Grace Brandon (daughter of Richard & Lucy Bra in 1889 and their children were David Ewart (died as a baby), Dr Ian Brandon Ewart, Lucy Brandon Ewart and Edith Mary Brandon Ewart. Miss Jessie Ewart who was matron of the Invercargill Hospital for twenty years was his sister, and his brother William a doctor.
In 1930, Dr Ewart was invited to the opening of the Ewart Tuberculosis Hospital at Wellington Hospital. It cost £26,800 and could accommodate 65 patients. Dr Ewart referred to the growth of the hospital during his time as superintendent – there was only accommodation for 80 patients and now there were 600 patients. In those days there were no specialists and there was no laboratory and so he was also the pathologist. The outpatient waiting room was also the operating theatre.
Dr Ewart died in 1939 and his estate was worth £24,822.
Interred in this plot Ch Eng/Q/80 are David Ewart (1905), Grace Ewart (1923), Lucy Brandon (1926), John Ewart (1939), Edith Mary Brandon Ewart (1985)
