Ramsay Newsroom

The Melbourne maternity hospital has seen an estimated 190,000 births since its opening on November 2, 1970, but for Carmen Puli it will always be special for the arrival of her first child, David.

Frances Perry was the wife of the first Anglican Bishop of Melbourne. From 1856 to 1876, Mrs Perry was the President of the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne. 

Frances Perry House, which is part of Ramsay Health Care, first opened in 1970 as the private wing of the Royal Women's Hospital. In 1997 Health Care of Australia was awarded the tender to redevelop, lease and operate Frances Perry House as an independent private hospital, co-located with the Royal Women's Hospital. 

David Puli, whose birth on November 6, 1970, was celebrated in The Sun newspaper, said:“I grew up knowing I was the first baby born at Frances Perry House. Anytime we happened to visit the hospital we would always call past the nurses’ station and look at the commemorative plaque.

“So when we decided to start a family, Frances Perry was where we wanted to go. It was still in Grattan St at that time. Obviously a lot had changed from the time mum had me but the care we received was wonderful. My second daughter Lauren was also born there in 2007,” David said.

David’s mother, Carmen, said: “David was due on 24 October but thankfully he was late because Frances Perry was not finished by my due date. On 4 November I was admitted to Frances Perry and I remember walking in and there were nurses were waiting for patients. The care was amazing. David was born about 4am on November 6.’’

Carmen’s experience was so good that she also had her second son Adam at Frances Perry in January 1974 and many other family members also subsequently gave birth at the hospital.

Frances Perry House Chief Executive Shaune Gillespie said: “We are very proud to be carrying on the 50-year tradition of providing the best experience for our families.’’