The GLIO Site

HANTS COUNTY HOSPITAL

      It has been our custom in these columns to notice the annual report of the Managing Committee of this great and ancient curative establishment. That for the twelve  months ending June the 30th last has just been issued from the press of Mr. Doswell. It is as usual well worth reading, as showing the vast benefits conferred on those of our fellow-creatures who are troubled with the more aggravated forms of pain and disease, whether from accident or otherwise; but this one in particular is of more than usual interest, inasmuch as it is the last that will ever be issued from the old Hospital, which, ere another annual term shall have departed, will be no more, and will be replaced in a finer and healthier (we trust it may also be found as convenient) site by a building of elegant, nay, beautiful  design, by Mr. Butterfield, and having within its walls every appliance for the promotion of the cure and the  comfort of those whose ailments will necessitate their participating in the benefits of a hospital. The County Hospital was founded in 1736 by Dr. Alured Clarke, Prebend of this Cathedral, and was the first provincial hospital in this part of England. Its first site was in Colebrook-street, which house was opened in October, 1736.  Considerable aid being tendered, and a larger field for doing good being thereby opened, in April, 1855, the foundation-stone of the existing building was laid. Prior to that erection the ground was occupied by a house and garden belonging to Sir John Clobery, Knt., friend of General Monk, with whom he was concerned in the  "glorious Restoration." Here ever since has existed and  flourished the County Hospital, and we trust that the local hospitals about to spring up at Basingstoke and elsewhere  will not impair financially the means of this old-established foundation for doing good. We give the committee's report in detail : —  

     In presenting to the friends and subscribers of the Hants County Hospital the last report which they will probably ever have an opportunity of making whilst in the occupation of the present building, the committee are tempted to deviate a little from ordinary routine, by reminding those who are interested in this hospital, that it has now for a period of 131 years been enabled to minister to the sufferings and sicknesses  of the poor of this county and city.  

     For it was in 1736 that Dr. Alured Clarke, a Prebendary of Winchester Cathedral, was induced by his sympathy with the condition of his poorer brethren, to institute this infirmary in imitation of several in London, and especially and avowedly of St. George's Hospital near Hyde Park Corner. Dr. Clarke mentions in his introductory notice that this hospital was the first of the kind that had been "attempted in any part of this kingdom, except in London and Westminster." 

     As early as on the 23rd of August, 1736, several noblemen and gentlemen had met Dr. Clarke at St. John's House, for the purpose of making arrangements and receiving promises of support; and ultimately a house, which appeared to be the most eligible that could be obtained, was hired in Colebrook-street for three years, at the rent of £14 per annum, with liberty of renewing the lease for any longer time not exceeding 27 years; and on St. Luke's day, the 18th of October, 1738, the  hospital was opened after divine service, and an excellent sermon preached by Dr. Clarke, in the Cathedral, from the text (St. Luke ix. 6), "He sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick." 

     On that day one patient was admitted, and Wednesday in each week was appointed, and has ever since continued, to be the day for the admission of patients.  

     The Court of Governors had for its first chairman Dr. Clarke, the zealous founder of the hospital; and among his colleagues were the Very Rev. the Dean (Dr. Neyler) and the Rev. Henry  Bigg, the Warden of the College.

     It may, perhaps, be interesting to quote the statement which we find recorded of the patients received, and the finances of the hospital at the close of the first year of its existence, viz..  on the 18th of October, 1737.

In-patients admitted                                       251  
Of which number were cured 16S
Out-patients on the books                                80

Receipts by subscriptions                             825  16   0
Receipts by benefactions  189    4   2½
Total £1015 0 2½
Payments for housekeeping expenses, £1009 7 11¾
Balance in the hands of treasurer       5  12   2¾
Total £1015 0 2½
     Dr. Alured Clarke continued his attention to the hospital in so great a degree that, at the closing of the second annual account, it was proposed by Sir William Heathcote, at a meeting of the principal governors, to request Dr. Clarke to sit for his portrait, which was painted, and is still hung up in the committee room of the hospital.

     Dr. Clarke was in 1741 made the Dean of Exeter; and  on the 6th of May in that year was present at the court of  governors and resigned his office of chairman, receiving  the cordial and unanimous thanks of the court for the great pains taken by him in establishing the hospital and presiding over its affairs.

     In 1752 Mr. Taunton, a merchant of Southampton, left by will to the hospital the sum of £5000, together with his portrait, which is still hung up in the committee room as a companion picture to that of the founder.

     So considerable a benefaction induced the court of governors to seek for new and more commodious premises; and a purchase was accordingly made of a house and a garden that had formerly been the residence of Sir John Clobery, for the sum of £525.

     On the 28th of April, 1755, the foundation stone of the present building was laid, whlch was finished in 1760 at a cost of £5300. The building, however, before it was completed, was sufficiently advanced to receive patients as early as November, 1758, when they were removed from the old to the new hospital

     In 1786 an addition was made at the end of the wards for sculleries and such purposes; and more recently, viz., in 1830, the building at the northern end of the hospital, which contains the chapel and four new wards, was erected at a cost of £3000 upon land formerly occupied by the stables of Clobery House, which was purchased for the purpose at the price of £1000.

     In the year 1800 the low state of the finances made it  absolutely necessary either to contract the benefits or enlarge the means of the hospital.

     To avoid the former of these alternatives an appeal was  made to the gentlemen of the county; and sermons, with  collections, were preached on behalf of the hospital in all the congregations of the Established Church, and in those, also, with few exceptions, of the Dissenters and Roman Catholics, in Hampshire.

     The result was a collection to the amount of £1591 7s  8d, which happily enabled the governors to continue relieving patients according to the most extended usage of the institution. 

     In 1836 the centenary of the foundation of our hospital was, on St. Luke's day, celebrated with great devotion and solemnity, and a sermon preached in the Cathedral by His Grace William (Howley) Lord Archbishop of Canterbury.  The concluding remarks of that most reverend prelate seem  so appropriate to the occasion of the intended removal of the hospital to the new site and buildings that the committee venture to quote them.

     "It would be," said his Grace, "an ill return to the present  supporters of the hospital, and an injustice to their children, to admit the injurious supposition that it will in future be suffered to languish through want of intellectual or moral exertion, or deficiency of pecuniary means. We are told by the  apostle that charity never faileth; and fail it assuredly cannot among a truly Christian people, because it is not by possibility  separable from the Spirit of Christ. And hence arises my confidence that this hospital will never cease to engage in its  services the affections and energies of the pious and merciful, who have hitherto directed its concerns by their wisdom or swelled its funds by their bounty." 

     The result of this appeal was an addition to the funds of the hospital of the sum of £715  6s 10d. 

     Apologising, if apology be needed, for this reference to the  past history of our hospital, the committee would observe that the new buildings are rapidly approaching completion, and will probably be ready for occupation before next May.

     Postponing to another year a minute report of the great and undoubted merits of the new hospital, the committee would now rather seek to enlist in its support the aid and subscriptions of new friends; and they believe that no course which they can pursue, is more likely to secure that object, than a full explanation of the financial position of the hospital. 

     The funded property of the hospital is, according to the conditions imposed by donors and testators, divided into two portions, viz.— that of which the dividend alone is applicable to the expenses of the hospital, and that of which the principal as well as the interest is at the disposal of the Court of Governors. The former division of the funded property of the hospital, so far as its income, amounting to about £543 per annum, is concerned, will of course continue to be available for the expenses of the hospital; but the whole of the latter portion was, by a resolution of the Court of Governors of January 20th, 1862, placed at the disposal of the Building Committee of the new hospital.

     In the Court of Governors last held the trustees were authorized to place at the disposal of the Building Committee £6000 Consols, being an addition to the previous appropriation, noticed in the last report, of £10,000 Consols, and the committee have no doubt that, before the new hospital is completed, not only will the residue of the original amount of £19,000  Consols, viz.— £3000 Consols be required, but that also a further contribution of hospital funds will be needed. The only source from which such further contribution can be procured is the sum which the land, buildings, and materials of the old hospital may realize by sale.

     It is not in the power of the committee to say either what may be the result of such a sale, or what proportion of it may be left after the payment of the demands made on account of the new hospital; but with that amount alone of available Capital, whatever it may prove to be, at its disposal for current expenses, will the new hospital embark on its course of usefulness and Christian charity. 

     It is not likely that with an enlarged building, and necessarily increased establishment, the same expenditure as  hitherto has sufficed will cover all expenses. An average expenditure for the last 10 years of about £3500 a year has been sufficient. But to that must probably be added for the future  an amount of £100 or £500 a year. If this be so, and the committee can see no reason to distrust their estimate, it is plain that there will be needed a considerably enlarged income, not  less than from £1000 to £1200 a year, to enable the hospital to fulfil its functions to the same extent as hitherto. Surely, then, the committee are but doing their duty in urging upon all the need of securing new subscriptions, so that the new hospital may be enabled to offer every ward in it to the use of the sick and the afflicted.

     The committee have left themselves but little room for ordinary details. They would, however, desire to inform the subscribers that the history of the hospital during the past year to June 30th offers little occasion for remark. The same average number of patients as during the proceeding year, viz.  72, has been received within its wards; and a very slight difference has arisen in the numbers respectively of the out and casual patients: as e.g., the number of  

Out-patients was in 1866-7                    934
And in patients 1865-6                           859

Whilst the number of casual patients  
Was in 1866-7 2569
And in 1865-6                                       2807  

     The same expression of gratitude to tho several officers of the house, which was recorded in the last report, is again most cordially renewed. New subscriptions have been received, in the course of last year, to the amount of £120, and a very considerable sum of arrears has been recovered. These details will be furnished together with this report.  

     The committee have much pleasure in stating that, through the kindness of several individuals, a distribution of soup, limited to out-patients from the country, was supplied during the winter months on every Saturday, at a very low cost, which has been highly appreciated and valued. A statement of the accounts connected with this undertaking is appended. Several kind friends have been so good as to supply the patients with newspapers, pictures, books, and other sources of pleasure and amusement; and one subscriber generously sent in a considerable quantity of game from his preserves.  Others have contributed what is always very urgently needed— stores of old linen and calico to the hospital; and it  would be conferring a particular favour if a further quantity of linen or calico could be spared from the chests of any of our friends.  

     No change has occurred during the past year in the hospital staff.

     The matron, however, is about to leave us for a period of six  months, and to become, during that time, an inmate of the temporary hospital of St. Thomas, at Newington, as a nurse on Miss Nightingale's establishment, in order thereby to make herself thoroughly competent to superintend the nursing department of the now hospital.  

     For the first year of the occupation of the new hospital Sir William Heathcote has very generously and kindly undertaken both the expense and the control of the nursing establishment, and will thereby not only relieve considerably the funds of the hospital, but also launch the new system of nursing under the best auspices. 

     The committee have now only to repeat the hope, expressed in their last report, that a long course of usefulness may be in store for the new hospital? that commending itself to the sympathy and approbation of the inhabitants of this great county, it may receive such an amount of support as may enable it to fulfil its purposes to their largest extent, and provide for the sick and the afflicted an asylum in which not only physical, but also moral and spiritual, relief may be fully and freely administered.             EDWARD STEWART, Chairman.  

9th October, 1867.

The statement of receipts shows that the ordinary income was £2107 14s; from investments, £1047  5s  5d; from donations and benefactions, inclusive of Petersfield Dramatic Society's present of £20, £275  6s  6d; parochial collections and offertories, £145  6s  9d; legacies, £241 14s  4d.; incidental income, £82 13s 10d; produce of sale of consols  (£8946  3s  10d. stock) £8050; balance due to treasurer,  £79  18s  1d.; total, £12,059  18s  11d. Eight amounts contributed to the Hospital by churches in Winchester and vicinity, producing £53  18s  11d., were collected for the relief of sufferers by the cattle plague, but not being required for this purpose were handed over to the Hospital. The payments include £2409  1s.  11½d. (house and ordinary expenses) £437  12s.  6½d. (dispensary), £775  7s. (salaries, wages, gratuities) £14  15s.  6d (law expenses), £30 (balance in matrons  hands), and £8050 transferred to the building fund, and a  consequent loss to income from investments; total expenditure, £12,059  18s.  11d. The result, as regards  patients, was as under. 

     Such  are concisely the benefits conferred by this great Hospital, whose prosperity should be the earnest wish and the hearty aiding thereof of all possessing any goodness of heart, or the means of promoting such a true charity.