Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 25 September 1903

Local Hospital Developments

Important Meetings at Mexboro’ and Denaby

Discretionary Powers for the Mexboro’ Building Committee

Denaby Decide for a Hospital of their own

An important meeting of the subscribers and committees of the Mexboro’ Montagu Cottage Hospital was held in the board-room of the institution on Monday evening. The meeting had been called by the Building Committee, in order that their views and recommendations regarding the new hospital could be placed before the representatives, especially as to the proposals of the Denaby people to erect a hospital to serve themselves.

Mr. Chester Taylor, of Doncaster, one of the vice-presidents, was in the chair; and amongst those present were Miss Montagu, Mrs. F. G. Twigg, Mrs. Hatherley, Mrs. Blythman, Mrs. Thompson, and others. Drs. S. O. Hatherley and English, Mr. J. H. Watson, Mr. J. E. Drabble, Mr. Blyth Dibb, Mr. J. Dixon, Mr. J. Gibson, and others, with the secretary, Mr. J. Brampton, were also present.

The Secretary read the following letter he had received from Mr. F. J. O. Montagu, Melton Park, Doncaster, Sunday:—

“Dear Sir,—With reference to our meeting here last week, let me say I have approved of the plans of the new hospital, and think when it is constructed it will be a credit to Mexboro’; but, as I pointed out when we met, in my opinion it is most essential that no debt is incurred on the building, and the only way to avoid this is to cut your coat according to your cloth. In my own mind, I am quite convinced that the necessary funds are not forthcoming at present, but it is so easy to start on it as suggested and finish the building according to the plans as soon as we have the means in hand. I think the pavilion system an excellent one. It may be more expensive than the block building, but, on the other hand, it is far more up to date.—Believe me, yours truly,
F. J. O. Montagu.”

Mr. Brampton also read letters regretting inability to attend from Rev. W. A. Strawbridge (Conisboro’) and Mr. D. Fawcett, of Thurnscoe.

Mr. J. H. Watson then gave a long and exhaustive report of the Building Committee, in the course of which he stated that they would all be perfectly aware that their new scheme had been greatly delayed owing to the disastrous strike at Denaby and Cadeby. It was a most unfortunate time 12 months ago, and they were bound to postpone their scheme. In the meantime new conditions of things had arisen, almost quite lately, in fact. They were all quite aware that a number of meetings had been held to consider the scheme, when certain of their friends had taken up the position of opposition to the plans in their entirety; the Building Committee had met their arguments, and they recommended that if the necessary capital did not come in, they eliminate the west pavilion, which, of course, was intended for women and children.

The committee had never viewed that very favourably, but it was only a matter of compulsion, prospective compulsion, as the large bulk of the money did not come in. Quite recently they had received reports from time to time that the Denaby people were wishful to serve themselves as far as a hospital was concerned. For some little time they did not attach any very great importance to them, but as time went on the Building Committee thought that it would be more satisfactory if they had something authoritative, so Mr. Brampton asked for an interview with Mr. Chambers, which he accorded. Several of them went over to see him, and, the outcome of various arguments gone into, the upshot of it all was that Mr. Chambers expressed himself sufficiently in this way: “We are not content until there is a hospital provided for Denaby and Cadeby near. Well, that practically settled the question as to Mr. Chambers’ attitude, and he (the speaker) believed that a meeting was being held that evening in order to take the feeling of the men, and on the result he was not prepared to say.”

All he could say was that they could not withhold from the men a right for deciding for themselves. Whatever the decision was, he hoped that it would be the decision of the men. (Hear, hear.) They would be quite aware that the Building Committee received their mandate to provide 30 beds—that they had done a large number of meetings had been held, and apparently, on the face of so many meetings, very little progress had been made. They had, however, thoroughly settled their scheme so far as they were concerned as a Building Committee.

They had a hospital of that character and size, and were prepared to treat cases within a reasonable area, and as a Building Committee they were not prepared to curtail the expenditure—but they fully recognised that they must fall in with the views of their supporters, and certainly considered it was their duty before they proceeded to consult Mr. Montagu, whose name the hospital bore, and who had generously offered to give the land and promised funds towards its erection.

Therefore, they had an interview with Mr. Montagu last week, and his letter described the result of it. Mr. Montagu attached very great importance to it being up to date, and it was a most excellent thing—but the committee did not think there would be any particular evil in being a few hundreds of pounds in debt when they opened the institution, but they were bound to respect his wishes in the matter.

Mr. Watson proceeded to say that at present they had 70 to 75 per cent. of the total expenditure in hand or promised. The result of their consultation with Mr. Montagu was that unless they could get the whole of the money, or within a few hundred pounds—£500 or £600 of the amount—they would curtail the scheme to that extent. They suggested in that case to omit the pavilion to the west, which had accommodation for eight beds, making ten beds altogether, with isolation wards, and with the receiving room.

But the fact that stared them in the face at once was simply this—that, keep the plans in their entirety, with that exception, they would have ten beds for the males in one ward, and eight in another. Of course, the idea at one time suggested itself that they should use the large ward for the men and the small one for the women and children, but they had this difficulty—that they would then have only ten beds, when at present they had eleven.

It was almost impossible; they were bound to provide to a larger extent than they were doing at present. It was not possible to get more than ten beds, except by providing a small ward containing one bed in connection with the operating theatre, which was not a desirable thing. Therefore, they were prepared, if that state of things came about, and they could not raise the money to increase the pavilion by four beds for males, and leaving the eight for the women and children out, but, of course, that was with the idea that they would eventually build the west pavilion later on, and having this arrangement only a temporary one.

That would give a total accommodation for 34 beds when all was completed, but they could defer building the other pavilion until the necessity arose. They did not, as a Building Committee, altogether anticipate that the necessity would arise at any rate just yet; but they were prepared to meet Mr. Montagu in that, unless they had the funds within a reasonable time for the opening, they would adopt the suggestion of the Building Committee.

The Chairman remarked that the question of the new hospital had been under consideration for many years past, and now was coming to a climax. He thought that the Denaby friends might have given them some earlier intimation of their intentions.

Dr. English thought Mr. Watson had put the matter to the meeting in a very concise form, and he endorsed all he had said. It mattered very little to the majority of cases whether a patient was in an ambulance 10 minutes or a quarter of an hour longer; of course, it was much better to remove them where they could obtain the best attention, and in the best and most suitable building.

Dr. Hatherley also endorsed all that had been said. In their new hospital, as suggested, they had only accommodation for 13 male patients, whereas now at present there were more than that number of accidents—18 males in one pavilion. He thought the hospital would be as perfect as it could possibly be.

The Secretary (Mr. Brampton), in giving a few figures, said that the income during the year from all sources was £704 18s. 8d., and the amount received from Denaby, including hospital demonstration, collection at the church, and from the collecting boxes, was £148 13s. 10d.

Mr. John Dixon said it was something like 12 months since plans were first submitted. Since then the work had been impeded by the unfortunate trade dispute at Denaby and Cadeby, but he believed it was not the wish of the Denaby and Cadeby workmen to break away from the Cottage Hospital.

Further discussion followed. Ultimately Mr. Sanderson (Hickleton) moved that the meeting, having heard the report of the Building Committee, and considered the question of carrying out fully the plans of the new hospital or curtailing them for the time being, were of opinion that discretion should be given to the Building Committee to omit the west pavilion, and add four beds to the north ward of the east pavilion if, in their judgment, the necessary capital was not likely to be provided within a short period.

The resolution was carried unanimously.