Snapshot of the past

A photograph of Longwarry and district midwife Mary Ann “Ma” Bissett seated amongst her daughters.

We all know the very important role that midwives play in the birthing process today. They are tertiary educated, highly qualified and extremely important to support women as they give birth.

Women supporting women to give birth goes back to when time began, and the recognised role of the midwife in the early days of district settlement was invaluable.

With hospitals few and far between and only small, privately-owned facilities in some of the larger towns, it was not an option for many women to stay in hospital for any length of time. As a result, home births were the norm.

When the baby’s arrival was imminent, a doctor would seldom arrive before the birth. Even if a doctor could be contacted, he would likely attend on horseback and face all kinds of weather conditions.

This saw Mary Ann Bissett (nee McDonald), affectionately known as “Ma” Bissett, become a valuable asset to the women of Longwarry and district.

Born in Nagambie in 1872, she came to the district with one of the early Labertouche pioneers, her father Alexander McDonald.

The Bissett family lived in a small workman’s cottage in Kennedy St directly opposite the Longwarry Public Hall.

Ma Bissett began work as a midwife in the early 1900s. Although she didn’t have the education of today’s midwives, she had experience of giving birth to her own children and “an apprenticeship” with other experienced midwives of the time.

As babies have their own timetable for arrival, it would not be unusual for Ma Bissett to answer frantic knocking at her door any time of the day or night, in any weather, to an excited youngster calling, “Ma come quick, Mum says the baby is coming”.

She would travel around with a horse and jinker or, on occasions, set up the front room of her cottage as a “maternity ward” for those women who lived out on the farms.

Not just the local midwife, Ma was also the caretaker of the hall and was renowned for making delicious coffee at the hall dances.

There are many locals today who can thank Ma Bissett for the safe arrival of their forefathers and mothers.

Her son Jack Bissett also was a very wellknown identity as a footballer in the VFL during the 1930s, but that’s a story for another time.

Photograph courtesy of Mary Davis and information courtesy of Longwarry and District History Group with acknowledgement of the work of Clarrie McDermid in book “From Fraser Siding to Longwarry”.

The history group focuses on history in the 3816 postcode, including Longwarry, Labertouche and Modella.

For further information, visit longwarryhistory.org.au.