Tsong Gyiaou
In 1857, at 60 years of age, after spending many years in China as a missionary, Miss Mary Ann Aldersey settled in McLaren Vale.
She purchased land and built a new home in which she lived from 1862.
Because of her happy memories of the little village with three bridges in Ningpo, China, she named her house Tsong Gyiaou.
She planted eucalpyts to form a semi-circular driveway onto Aldersey Street. Some of these trees are still standing and form a living monument to her memory.
On the death of their aunt (1868), nieces Eliza and Mary Ann Aldersey inherited Tsong Gyiaou and established the much respected Ladies Boarding School.
Mary Ann was headmistress and Eliza attended to all housekeeping matters.
In November 1899 a disastrous fire gutted the interior of the house. But by February 10 1900, in a remarkably short time, the house had been restored and was ready for the new years intake of students.
In 1903 at the age of 77 years, Miss Mary Ann Aldersey retired and the school closed. Her school had functioned with smooth efficiency for 35 years. In the early 1950s Tsong Gyiaou became part of the Southern Districts War Memorial Hospital.
Ref: History board at the site.
*MISS M A ALDERSEY. Obit
Miss Mary Ann Aldersey, whose death took place on Wednesday, the 30th September, at MacLaren Vale, will have been known to some of our readers as formerly a missionary in China and Java, where she spent no less than 25 years of her life.
She was a daughter of the late Mr Joseph Aldersey, of London.
Circumstances, however, deterred her for a length of time, so that she had arrived at the mature age of 40 years before she was able to leave England for the purpose. We may state that her operations were not in connection with any society, and the expense was borne entirely by herself out of private means.
She then came to South Australia, where three nieces and other relatives had been residing for some years previously. The place of residence which she selected at MacLaren Vale, named Tsong Gyiaou, in memory of one of the scenes of her former occupation, has become known to many in South Australia through the hospitality of its owner.
it is understood materials have been left for an autobiography, which will probably be edited by the deceased lady's eldest niece.
The funeral took place on Friday, the 2nd of October, the Rev Jas Howie, of whose church the deceased was a member, officiating. A portion of the service was read at the house, after which the coffin was borne to the old Congregational Chapel. Mr Thomas Colton, Mr James Clark, Mr R Budgen, Mr Martin Burgess, Mr Charles Mann, and Mr Priam performing the office of bearers. They were preceded by the officiating minister. Following were Mr Henry and Mr Algernon Aldersey.
The mortal remains were interred in the graveyard adjoining the church in the presence of a large number of the congregation and other residents in the
district. Ref: Adelaide Observer (SA) Saturday 10 October 1868.
*Grace Hamilton Powell (Tsong Gyiaou, McLaren Vale - passed with Credit the public examination in theory of Music June 1903 (Primary division). Examination conducted by The University of Adelaide.
Ref: The Advertiser (Adelaide SA) Wednesday 24 June 1903.
- Miss Powell was only one of many Tsong Gyiaou students who successfully passed examinations conducted by the University of Adelaide.
*Mr Spencer Atkinson Hall, who died at McLaren Vale on Monday, was well known in that district. Born near Willunga on May 21, 1861, he had lived most of his life in the south.
Mr Hall joined the staff of the Bank of Adelaide in Adelaide in 1882. In 1888 Mr Hall was transferred to the Noarlunga branch, to which was attached an agency at Aldinga. Later, as McLaren Vale developed into a wine-growing district he opened an agency in that town, all three offices being attended by Mr Hall alone.
Owing to indifferent health Mr Hall retired from the bank's service in 1923, and purchased the well-known property "Tsong Gyiaou," at McLaren Vale, where he lived until his death. Although living in retirement he took much interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of the district. Ref: Chronicle (Adelaide SA) Saturday 18 June 1927.
*Hospital Pantry Appeal
McLaren Vale, July 22
A magnificent response was received to the appeal by surrounding schools for a July Pantry Day for the Southern Districts' War Memorial Hospital.
A fresh batch of books has now been installed in the Red Cross Library at the hospital and a convenient trolley for the housing and transport of these books has been given by the McLaren Vale Red Cross branch and Mr L Ottiwell. Ref: Advertiser (Adelaide SA) Wednesday 23 July 1952.
- From this time the original main building was the "Tsong Gyiaou Nurses Home".
*They fought for their hospital
An English woman missionary 91 years ago built the two-storey house which is now the nurses' home of Southern Districts War Memorial Hospital at McLaren Vale.
The missionary named the house Tsong Gyiaou, pronounced by the locals today as "Song Yow," after a village near Ningpo.
She was called Miss "China Lady" Aldersey at McLaren Vale, to distinguish her from a niece who had the same Christian names, Mary Ann.
Miss Aldersey had been the first English woman missionary to China.
The house is still known as Tsong Gyiaou. It was used as a boarding school by Miss "China Lady" Aldersey's nieces from 1868.
A fire in 1899 left only the walls standing. But old scholars opened a restoration and the house was rebuilt exactly as it had stood.
Later the house was owned by Mr John Brown, of Springbrook Farm, and from 1922 [sic] Mr Spencer Hall, whose widow lived there until 1947 [sic].
Then came the plan to incorporate the old home in a scheme for a hospital which would serve as a war memorial and meet Southern Districts' hospital needs.
Even before World War II, many towns in this region wanted a hospital because there was none between Adelaide and Victor Harbor.
After the war McLaren Vale Progress Association called a public meeting. It was made clear that the region could support only one district hospital, and the Government would only subsidise one central hospital.
Much effort was put into finding the best site for the hospital. An analysis of the population and geography of the region showed McLaren Vale was the central spot.
Mr Gordon Brown, architect, designed a 35 bed hospital as a long range plan to avoid odd bits and pieces having to be added later.
The present building, opened in 1951, has 14 beds, but the operating theatre and kitchen facilities are sufficient for requirements when the full design is completed. Only two wings need to be added to accommodate the extra beds.
Local builders Poole Bros, handled the contract. The cost was £30,000, of which the district raised half and the Government gave a £1 for £1 subsidy.
Last April a queen competition and carnival raised £2,000, clearing the hospital of debt and leaving a credit balance toward additions. A laundry block with the most modern type of laundry equipment, is expected to be the first addition. Ref: News (Adelaide SA) Wednesday 4 February 1953.
