Dr. Edward Willis Way, frequently written as "E. Willis Way", was a noted medical doctor and surgeon in the early days of the colony of South Australia.
History
Way was a son of Rev. James Way of the Bible Christian Church, and brother of Sir Samuel Way, the noted jurist, and left for Adelaide with his parents as a young child in the Anna Maria, arriving on 14 November 1850. He was educated at AEI and St. Peter's College before studying medicine at Guy's Hospital and the University of Edinburgh. He returned to Adelaide and soon had a lucrative practice, though pursuit of wealth was not his prime concern. He was Medical Officer to the Stockade and Health Officer to the Adelaide City Council. He established his own private hospital in North Adelaide. He lectured in obstetrics at the University of Adelaide. Much of his work at the North Adelaide Private Hospital was taken over by James Alexander Greer Hamilton.
Hospital controversy
Adelaide Hospital in the last decade of the 19th century was a dysfunctional workplace, riven with jealousies and intrigues. In 1895 a Royal Commission was called to investigate a promotion seen as favoritism, and the sacking of nurse Graham. Around the beginning of 1896 the Board of Adelaide Hospital, of which Way was a member, made changes in the nursing structure, one of the results being the promotion of Bessie Way, one of his daughters, to the position of Charge Nurse. Premier Kingston, who bore an antagonism towards Way, accused him of nepotism. Nurse Way avoided the disagreeable situation by accepting a somewhat better position with the Kalgoorlie Hospital. Kalgoorlie became the home of most, if not all, of his children.
Family
He was brother of Sir Samuel Way and close friend of brother-in-law the Hon. Dr. Allan Campbell. He and his wife had a home on North Terrace, Adelaide and another residence at Strangways Terrace, North Adelaide. Among their children were:
Eldest daughter Florence Jane Elizabeth "Bessie" Way married Arthur Vernon Harvey, mining investor of Kalgoorlie, and son of Arthur Harvey on 7 October 1896. He was killed at Devondale, South Africa in the South African War. She married again, to Captain C Stanley Tratman of the 22nd Battalion, 8th Brigade, 1st AIF, on 19 October 1915. She was first matron of Kalgoorlie Hospital, then its secretary, later matron of Ru Rua Hospital, North Adelaide.
