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 Eight - THE POST
WAR PERIOD
In October 1945 the Governors of the Hospital met, under the Chairmanship
of Rev Caradoc Owen to discuss the most important project which
had to be considered sine the original building was erected in
1897. The three schemes under discussion were:
The building of a worthy memorial in memory of the late Lady
Swansea, who had been their President for twenty years, and whose
death in September 1944 had been such a tremendous blow to the
hospital; it was a loss they still felt.
To address the pressing need for more staff accommodation.
To build a Maternity Unit and a Children’s Ward
While these ideas were sill at the discussion stage, the Welsh
Board of Health published a report on Builth Hospital in which
it was suggested that it be reduced in size to contain fourteen
beds. This came as a complete bombshell to the Committee
and further turmoil was added when the momentous National Health
Service scheme was placed before Parliament. This added
to the dilemma facing the Governors as to whether or not they should
continue with their scheme.
However, many other Hospitals were going ahead with plans which
they had in hand – Brecon War Memorial Hospital had completed
their new Maternity Unit in spite of the national changes which
were to come. The British Hospitals Associated then passed
a resolution that all hospitals contemplating any new projects
should submit their ideas to Board of Health without delay. The
Chairman explained this to the Governors and Management Committee
before outlining the proposed plans. These were:
The present building to be converted into a Maternity Unit
with Children’s Wards and extra staff accommodation.
Two wards, with 16 beds each, to be built at ground level on
the left hand side of the original building. One ward
to be a Female Ward to be called “The Lady Swansea Memorial
Ward”. The other for males to be called “The
War Memorial Ward” in memory of those who fell in the 1939-45
war, the two wards to be connected by a wide passage off which
there would be private wards.
A new larger electrically operated lift to be installed to
enable patients to be transferred to the operating theatre.
These ideas were to be submitted to a hospital architect who would
draw up plans, specifications and costs. The Rev Caradoc
Owen proposed the adoption of the scheme and was seconded by Dr
Stephen Pugh who further proposed that the management Committee
and the Doctors met together to draft a letter to the British Hospitals
Association outlining their proposals.
The Chairman then read a letter which he had received from Mr
J S (Bibby) Davies, Vice-Chairman, apologising for not being able
to attend such an important meeting but wishing to make known his
thoughts on the project. Mr Davies wrote that he fully supported
the scheme for extending and altering the building. He considered
the report from the Ministry of Health to be quite inadequate and
ridiculed the suggestion that a total of fourteen beds would be
sufficient as they already had twenty-five beds in the present
building. It would appear, he continued that the Ministry
was trying to centralise patients in larger hospitals nearer to
the specialists, instead of bringing the specialists to the patients
in their own locality. He went on to point out that what
they had received was only a Report and could not be put into effect
without the necessary legislation. Builth Cottage Hospital
was still a “Voluntary Hospital” and the Governors
were still masters in their own house. Mr Davies further
suggested that the proposed extension should be large enough to
eventually take twenty-four beds in each ward, to allow for an
expanding population.
Counsellor Frank Morris, Chairman of the Urban District Council,
who had been invited to the meeting, said that the scheme had the
full support of the local Council; he had a strong belief in the
future of Builth and agreed that the number of beds suggested by
Mr Davies, was not excessive. Mr Stanley Pritchard, said
they had two alternatives, either to go ahead with the proposed
plans to enlarge and modernise the hospital, or to do nothing and
see it turned into a Convalescent Home.
The meeting then unanimously agreed to adopt the scheme and to
send a letter to the British Hospitals Association outlining their
proposals.
However, in spite of the urgency of the situation, four months
after their decision to proceed with the plans, members attending
the Annual General Meeting in February 1946, heard Dr Stephen Pugh
make a strong plea for the Governors to carry on with the ideas
which had been outlined and to obtain the necessary costs and specifications
immediately. It would appear that very little, if anything,
had been done since October and Dr Pugh suggested that, as the
situation was so serious, they should as a temporary measure look
into the possibility of using Nissen Huts.
This idea so appalled the members that they immediately agreed
to consult an architect as a matter of urgency. The company
selected was Messrs Bradshaw, Gass and Hope of Bolton, who drew
up plans, specifications and costs and submitted them to the Board
in September 1946; the charge made for doing this preparatory work
was £188.4s.3d. All concerned with this farsighted and worthwhile
project looked forward with great eagerness to seeing the work
put in hand, which when completed, would give the medical nursing
staff and the patients the facilities which were so necessary for
their well-being.
Unhappily, the approval of the Welsh Board for Health was not
forthcoming. Although
the project had received the wholeheart3ed support of the Medical
Staff, the Council of Management and much local 3encouragement,
the Board remained inflexible. A deputation from the hospital
tried to meet up with the Board, but the invitation was declined. Mr
Tudor Watkins, Member of Parliament for Brecon & Radnor talked
with Anuerin Bevan, MP., Minster of Health, but to no avail. In
spite of everyone’s best efforts and much to the sadness
of all, the plans had to be left in abeyance.
Facing an Uncertain Future
After the disappointment of having their plans for the extension
turned down, the Governors and Board of management had to turn
their attention to the White Paper which had been laid before Parliament
regarding the take-over by the Ministry of Health. Mr Tudor
Watkins MP had supported the Second Reading of the Bill and in
March 1946 he visited the Builth Hospital to discuss the contents
of the Bill and promised to have copies sent as soon as possible
so that those concerned would be able to study its full implication.
No new appointments were made at the Annual General Meeting in
1946, as the Chairman considered, and all agreed ,t hat there was
little purpose in making changes at a time when they were facing
an uncertain future. He thought the momentous upheaval which
was about to take place would be viewed with mixed feelings; the
hospital as they knew it would become part of the State system
and would no longer be a “Voluntary Hospital”. Many
were in favour of the establishment of the National Health Service
which would be of benefit to a large number of people; others feared
that the “Cottage Hospital” would lose its identity
and the wonderful “family atmosphere” which was such
a feature of the Builth Hospital, would be destroyed.
There was, no doubt, he continued, that the Governors and Management
Committee would be relieved of the tremendous burden of being responsible
for the finances and general management of the hospital; but the
close personal interest, which each successive committee member
had taken, and the high sense of public duty which had governed
their decisions, would, he feared, be lost in the state system. But
until the actual take-over took place, he hoped there would be
no withdrawal of support or slacking of effort.
Some members questioned whether a state institution could run
a hospital in the best interests of the patients and feared that
bureaucracy would lead to more officials being appointed from outside
the area. Concern was also voiced about the appropriation
of the Endowment Fund which be handed over, and others wondered
if local people would have been so generous if they had known that
their donations would end up in a central fund to be used for other
hospitals.
In the main, however, members supported the National Health Service
for the benefits it would bring to the majority and agreed that
they would continue with either wholehearted work for the hospital
until the take-over was completed.
The House management Committee reported that many repairs and
replacements were necessary to make good the building after the
way years when nothing had been done. Matron Davies said
that the whole building was badly in need of renovation and needed
to be repainted inside and out. The Management Committee
agreed to have a thorough inspection of the hospital and to authorise
the necessary work.
The Secretary, Mr Dick Davenport, who had been asked to obtain
the prices of refrigerators, reported that the South Wales Electricity
Power Company had quoted him a price of £140. Lady
Barstow proposed that a refrigerator be purchased forthwith.
In August 1946 the charges per patient were
Public Ward - £3.10.0d
per week
Private Ward - £5.5
0d per week
Maternity - £6.6.0d
per week
Private Maternity - £7.7
0d per week
A new contributory scheme of 15/- per annum had been introduced.
There was no qualified , resident midwife at the hospital at this
time. The local district nurse, Mrs Gwen Jones would be called
on when the services of a midwife were required. Matron Davies
was asked to engage a midwife as soon as possible resulting in
the appointment of Miss Langford of Ellesmere as Sister/Midwife.
It was in 1946/7 that the unique situation arose when Dr Stephen
Pugh and his three sons, Ian Kendrick and Venn were serving as
Honorary Medical Officers to the hospital at the same time, together
with Dr G P Driver and Dr P G Russell.
A new appointment, and one which proved to be most valuable and
helpful was that of Mr Evan James as Hospital Orderly. The
wages of the orderly were shared by St John Ambulance Service and
the local councils i.e. Builth Urban, Llanwrtyd Wells and Colwyn
Rural. In addition to his work as hospital orderly, Mr James
was in attendance when the ambulance was called out.
The House Committee reported that expenses had escalated as a
result of wages being increased, some having doubled in recent
years. However, when we look at some of these “increases” we
find, for example, Mr Chris Loversidge, the stoker, had a 50% increased
which brought his weekly wage up to 15/-.
Mrs Stone, the cook, had her salary increased to £104 per
annum.
“Gillis” the gardener, at the age of 65, asked for
more time to do his work as he was finding it harder, or to have
an assistant. He was allowed more time for which he was paid
1/5d per hour, later increased to 2/- per hour.
Mrs Williams, Nantyrarian, who had worked in the hospital laundry
for 45 years for 2/6 per day, had her wages increased to 5/- per
day, on the suggestion of Mr Dick Davenport, the Secretary, who
thought something should have been done sooner about this low wage.
A letter had been received from the Welsh Board of Health saying
that they were not able to give a price for the Emergency Medical
Supplies which were in store at Alpha Chapel. It would appear
that these supplies had been put in store for use during an emergency,
during the war years, and never used. The Board suggested
that the equipment should be put into use by the hospital , and
the price negotiated later.
In November 1946, Dr G P Driver announced his retirement and on
leaving he proposed presenting to the hospital a specially heated
cot for the use of premature babies. A letter of thanks was
sent to Dr Driver for his proposed gift and for the many years
of dedicated service he had given to the hospital.
Dr Donald Cameron took over from Dr Driver and joined the medical
team at the hospital, together with Dr Clifford Fenn who covered
the Llanwrtyd area.
As the time for the take-over grew ever nearer, a great deal of
work was done on the fabric of the building. It received
its much needed coat of pain and necessary repairs. Six new
beds were purchased, partly funded by the Linen Guild.
A letter was received from the Board of Health wishing to inspect
the hospital to ascertain if any improvements could be made in
the cooking and feeding methods used by the staff. The
reply to this letter is not recorded!
In July 1947 the management Committee was sad to say goodbye to
Matron E Davies who wished to retire. Matron Davies had
been with them for twenty years and during that time had devoted
herself to the hospital and its patients. The Chairman thanked
her for her splendid work, especially during the difficult days
of the war, and said they all had 3very reason to be grateful to
her. He and the committee wished her a long and happy retirement. As
they said farewell to Matron Davies they welcomed Matron Dodds
who had been appointed in her place.
THE FINAL METING
The last Annual General Meeting of the Builth Cottage Hospital
as a “Voluntary Hospital” took place in February 1948
with Mr Meredith Jones in the chair. Mr Jones referred to
the fact that the hospital had been in existence for 50 years but
he did not wish the meeting to one of a funeral type but one in
which they could look forward, with hope to the future.
The two medical practices had now amalgamated into one. They
had new young doctors and a new matron, the hospital would be longer
be autonomous but they would be part of a cluster of hospitals
under a new administration to be know as “The Brecon and
Radnor Hospital management Committee”. Things were
changing and they would have to change with them. Thanks
were 3expressed to the Secretary, Mr Dick Davenoport, to the domestic
staff and to Mr Gillis for the sterling work he continued to do
in the garden which was such an asset to the hospital.
Rev Alun Lewis, Minister of Alpha, proposed a vote of thanks to
all the Governors, the Committee Members and all who, over the
years, had contributed to make the Builth Hospital such an unique
and happy place, a place that would be remembered with deep gratitude
by the many who had cause to use it. He paid special tribute
to the medical and nursing staff who had given so much of their
time and skills and to the general public for their continued generosity
and support.
At the time of the final Annual General Meeting of the Builth
Cottage Hospital as a Voluntary Hospital, the principal officers
were:
President – sir George Barstow, K.C.B., Chapel House
Vice-Presidents Rev Caradoc, Owen, Horeb.
Mr J S Davies, Glenmore
Capt Aubrey Thomas, Cefndyrys
Mr D F H Williams, Llanfair
Mr Meredith Jones, Midland Bank
Chairman- Mr Meredith Jones
Secretary – Mr Dick Davenport.
Hon Medical Officers – Dr Kendrick Pugh, M.C.
Dr Venn Pugh
Dr Donald Cameron
Dr Clifford Fenn.
Hon Dental Surgeon – Mr Llewleyn Morris
Matron – Miss Audrey Dodd.
Mrs Graham Clarke seconded the vote of thanks what had been proposed
by the Rev Alun Lewis and after adding her personal thanks to the
Chairman, the final Annual General Meeting of the Builth Cottage
Hospital as a voluntary hospital was bought to a close, just 50
years after its doors first opened.
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