Builth Cottage Hospital, A Centenary History 1897-1997, by Gwen Davies
Foreword | Acknowledgements | Prologue Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6
Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 |
Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Epilogue
The League of Hospital Friends, by Betts Pugh
Builth, Queen of the Wye, by Jim Davies
Chapter Seven - "The Second
World War"
The first impact which the world crisis had on the hospital was
that beds were earmarked for military use, the hospital was put
on alert to receive war wounded and a “Military Emergency
Hospital Account” was opened. The Treasurer reported
a deficit of £157.6.0. on the balance sheet which was explained
by the fact that extra equipment had been purchased due to the
emergency, these were all non-recurring items and were being stored.
Members of “Toc H” volunteered to help to fit black-out
curtains at the windows and they also assisted with filling 1,000
sand bags with sand taken from the Aber Pool, these were placed
in front of the hospital to protect it from blast. In addition
to the black-out curtains, heavy plyboard shutters were made to
fit over the windows to ensure a complete black-out and to prevent
flying glass falling into the wards. Each night the nurses
had to manoeuvre these shutters into position, and in the morning
take them down again. With their long hours of extra work
and the restrictions which the war years brought, this was an extra,
arduous task which was not always appreciated by the nursing staff.
The pre-war system of shopping for food and provisions was to
place the order for one month in turn, at each local shop. This
proved to be everyone’s satisfaction. With the introduction
of rationing, however, this of necessity had to change and a more
central method of buying was introduced, as the goods had to be
purchased from wherever shop held the ration books. Even
though the hospital catering had always been most economically
carried out, more stringent methods had to be initiated and every
last item accounted for. This checking was done by Nurse
Margaret Davies whose job it was each Friday to balance the books
and monitor the stores.
Being in a rural area, the rationing restrictions were probably
not so severe as they were in the larger towns, and the continuing
supply of fresh eggs and farm produce brought in by visitors were
more than ever welcome. These, together with the fresh fruit
and vegetables grown by Gillis, ensured that patients had a balanced
diet all through the war years. This was now more important
that ever as, by this time, all maternity cases were being accepted
and were not limited to complicated cases as previously. Unfortunately,
the hospital still did not have s \maternity wing and pregnant
women were accommodated in what was known as the “Red Ward” – a
three bedded ward of the utmost dreariness and gloomy aspect, the
only view being a brick wall about three feet from the window. Many
an expectant mother will have depressing memories of the “Red
Ward”!
In February 1939, Capt Aubrey Thomas handed over to the committee
the sum of £54 which had been donated by friends, in lieu
of flowers, in memory of his late wife. It was decided to
spend this donation on the domestic side, namely the Linen Guild,
in which the late Mrs Aubrey Thomas had taken such an interest,
and under whose leadership such dedicated work had been done. (This
is possibly the first instance of money being donated to the hospital
in place of buying wreaths).
Although the expected arrival of war wounded servicemen, for whom
the hospital had been put on alert, did not materialize, nevertheless,
an extra burden was placed on the nursing staff with the influx
to the area of evacuees, the arrival of soldiers to the Prendre
Camp and the coming of Land Army Girls to work on local farms. This
explosion in population inevitably meant that more patients required
treatment and the slender resources of this hospital stretched
to the limit.
However, it was said that the arrival of soldiers in the town
was not entirely regarded as an unwelcome intrusion by the nurses
and many a friendship was struck up between the two professions. The
trees which at that time surrounded the hospital provided a good
setting for a lingering “good night”, until at the
curfew hour of 10 pm Matron Davies would appear at the door, tin
hat on head, and ring a hand bell to call the girls inside. In
time honoured fashion, as soon as Matron was safely back indoors,
the girls would climb out of the window to continue their
farewell! Another occupational hazard was Matron’s
little terrier dog who used to bark loudly when the girls tried
to tiptoe into the home. Man a time a nurse would have to
jump into bed fully dressed to avoid being “caught “ by
Matron who had been alerted by her barking dog!
Dr Stephen Pugh’s eldest son, Ian had joined the Medical
Practitioners at the hospital in the early years of the war. One
day he drove up to the main entrance, accompanied by a young German
airman who had been injured when his plane crashed in the Hundred
House area. The airman was nursed at the hospital for several
weeks, always guarded by an armed British soldier to prevent him
escaping. Unlike another patient, a soldier from the Pendre
Camp, who walked out of the hospital in his pyjamas, sans shoes,
and waded though the river back to the camp.
All through the war years the hospital continued to progress in
spite of the many restrictions placed upon it as a result of the
conflict. The Management Committee in 1942 reported commendable
and continuing advancement, and the President commented that the
Builth Hospital was now recognised as being one of the most valuable
institutions in Mid Wales and was appreciated by an ever growing
number of people. It was interesting to compare the income
of the first year, which was £203 with that of 1942 when
the income was £2,879.9.2d.
As well as showing a rapid increase in the number of patients
admitted, many expensive operations were being performed. Stories
of life-saving operations being achieved by Dr Pugh, were being
recounted and the hospital, rightly, was being appreciated as a
treasured part of the community. Improvements were continually
being made, specialised equipment installed, including a new X-ray
unit capable of taking deeper X-rays.
War time restrictions on the purchase of bed linen meant that
the ladies of the Linen Guild, chaired by Mrs Pugh, the wife of
Dr Pugh, had to re-double their efforts to keep the bedding in
good condition. They had to “make do and mend” as
materials were scarce, sometimes unobtainable and expensive. Economies
were made wherever possible and it says much for the untiring efforts
of Matron Davies and her staff.
While the Matron and her staff fully deserved such praise, the
dedication and service of the hospital governors and committee
members should not be forgotten. It was their careful administration,
wise investment of funds and their continued personal generosity,
together with their endless fund raising and selfless giving of
their time, that enabled the hospital to be run so efficiently
for so many years, and all without payment.
The doctors, to gave unstintingly of their time and skills. Mention
has already been made of the first honorary surgeons, namely Dr
Baldock Fry, Dr Spencer and Dr Black-Jones. These gentleman
were over the years succeeded by other dedicated men including
Dr Milwyn Jenkins, a specialist in dermatology who worked mainly
in the Llanwrtyd area, Dr Price, Dr John Hughes and Dr Griffiths,
al of whom served the community well. The two longer serving
Medical Practitioners, Dr Stephen Pugh and Dr G P Driver, will
be remembered by older residents with affection and gratitude. Dr
Driver ran his surgery and dispensary from his family home at Tynyberllan
in West Street, Builth, as pre-National Health days, it was the
custom for Doctors to prescribe and dispense medication for their
patients, themselves.
Dr Pugh had his surgery and dispensary at his home – Maesycoed,
Garth Road, Builth. He had been joined in his practice by
his son Ian and after the war by Dr Kendrick Pugh, who had served
as a Medical Officer in the London Scottish Regiment, and later
by Dr Venn Pugh, who had seen service in the Navy. For a
while Builth had what must have been an unique situation, when
Doctor Pugh Senior and his three sons worked in the same practice
simultaneously.
The good work of the hospital continued all through the war years,
with ever increasing demands being made of the doctors, nursing
staff and even the building itself. So much so that a visionary
and imaginative scheme, which had been contemplated for some time,
and become more and more necessary, and with the ending of the
war, the Management Committee and Governors decided that they should
not treat the matter as one of extreme urgency. But with
their usual thoroughness and need for caution they realised that
the scheme was one of such magnitude that much thought would have
to go into it before a final decision could be made.
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