Life of Martha Entwistle : Australia’s first convict mental health nurse

The present position paper provides an account of the life of Martha Entwistle, the earliest recorded convict nurse who worked within the Castle Hill Asylum. In our review of primary historical sources, Australia’s first convict mental health nurse was found to be a resilient woman who endured several traumatic life experiences. Her nursing within Australia’s first mental health asylum was highly valued by the superintendent of the service. She nursed in a harsh colonial environment, short of adequate resources, during an era of fast-paced industrial and technological a change. Martha Entwistle’s experiences provide a historical account of the role of the early convict mental health nurse. Her life story enables modern-day nurses to reflect on the advances made in mental health nursing and contexts of care for nurses today.