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Braeburn, 14 Victoria Street; maternity home, rest home, geriatric hospital.
History
HistoryThe following details are taken from a article in the October 25, 2000 'leader'.
Braeburn was opened in the early 1900's by a Mrs Smith, who lived on site with her son and daughter and ran it as a seven-bed maternity hospital. In 1950 it was taken over by the Wellington Hospital Board, who operated it until they opened Elderslea Hospital in March 1961.
Braeburn then lay empty for several years until the building was bought by a Mrs Savage who extended it and opened it as a 10-bed rest home for five years.
In 1968 it was bought by a registered nurse and husband, Joan and Rob Taylor. She had been working as a nurse at Silverstream Geriatric Hospital. They ran Braeburn as a rest home for four-and-a-half years before seeking permission to run it as a hospital.
Braeburn became the first private geriatric hospital in Upper Hutt. When the Taylors began operating Braeburn they lived on the property with their then small children. It was a legal requirement then for the registered owner to be on the property. Regulations later changed to allow for a registered nurse to be on the property at all times, so after around five years the Taylor family could move to a nearby house where they could be easily on call.
The Taylors retired in April 2000, when they sold the hospital licence to Summerset, whose staff ran it in Victoria Street until the patients could be moved to their new hospital complex in Trentham; it was completed in October 2000.
Gillies and Mark Real Estate offered the land and buildings for sale by tender; they believed it had potential for 'a multitude of uses; homestay, back packers, church or educational facilities'.
The February 7, 2001 ‘Leader’ reported that Braeburn buildings were being moved to Otaki.
Braeburn was opened in the early 1900's by a Mrs Smith, who lived on site with her son and daughter and ran it as a seven-bed maternity hospital. In 1950 it was taken over by the Wellington Hospital Board, who operated it until they opened Elderslea Hospital in March 1961.
Braeburn then lay empty for several years until the building was bought by a Mrs Savage who extended it and opened it as a 10-bed rest home for five years.
In 1968 it was bought by a registered nurse and husband, Joan and Rob Taylor. She had been working as a nurse at Silverstream Geriatric Hospital. They ran Braeburn as a rest home for four-and-a-half years before seeking permission to run it as a hospital.
Braeburn became the first private geriatric hospital in Upper Hutt. When the Taylors began operating Braeburn they lived on the property with their then small children. It was a legal requirement then for the registered owner to be on the property. Regulations later changed to allow for a registered nurse to be on the property at all times, so after around five years the Taylor family could move to a nearby house where they could be easily on call.
The Taylors retired in April 2000, when they sold the hospital licence to Summerset, whose staff ran it in Victoria Street until the patients could be moved to their new hospital complex in Trentham; it was completed in October 2000.
Gillies and Mark Real Estate offered the land and buildings for sale by tender; they believed it had potential for 'a multitude of uses; homestay, back packers, church or educational facilities'.
The February 7, 2001 ‘Leader’ reported that Braeburn buildings were being moved to Otaki.
Location
DescriptionInitially a private home / seven-bed maternity hospital; later enlarged and converted, first to a rest home, then to a geriatric hospital. Area 1238 square metres in 2000, when it finally closedCoordinates[1] StreetView camera position.[2] Approximate centre of the site
Coordinates[1] StreetView camera position.[2] Approximate centre of the siteDetails
EstablishedEarly 1900s
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Braeburn, 14 Victoria Street; maternity home, rest home, geriatric hospital.. Upper Hutt City Library, accessed 11/04/2026, https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/24520