Blantyre Cottage Hospital to be Closed

Blantyre's Ain Website

Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Snippets of Yesteryear

The Glasgow Herald – Feb 14, 1939

Blantyre Cottage Hospital to be Closed

Blantyre Cottage HospitalBlantyre Cottage Hospital, which has been a useful institution in the Parish for the past 30 years is now to be closed down.

The annual general meeting took place last night when those present included Mr James Lawson, president; Mr Frank Stevenson, honorary secretary; and Mr Robson, honorary treasurer.

The financial position as outlined by Mr Robson, agent of the Blantyre branch of the Commercial Bank, showed that the Association was in a hopeless condition. It took between £500 and £600 annually to run the hospital, and for some years past the yearly income showed a deficit of from £150 to £200 per year. (£12,120.00 in today’s value)

To meet these yearly deficiencies, said Mr Robson, the board had to go into their reserve fund and now that fund was exhausted.

Although the funds in hand at the moment are not sufficient to clear off the current debts on the hospital, the committee will make a special effort to have these debts discharged. The nursing staff are to be notified that their services will be dispensed within one month.

The hospital at one time regularly accommodated about 10 patients on every day of the year.

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The Glasgow Herald – Feb 13, 1939

Blantyre Cottage Hospital Closed Down

Blantyre Cottage Hospital, after an existence of 30 years, has been closed down.

The hospital which was maintained by voluntary subscription, had in recent years experienced a series of deficits. The assets of the hospital, including buildings, amounts to approximately £3,000. (£182,000 in today’s value)

It is provided in the trust deeds that in the event of the hospital closing down the trustees may utilize the available funds to assist sick or injured persons residing within the Parish of Blantyre.

The old cottage hospital stands at no. 63 Bardykes Road, just along from Barnhill. Blantyre had a fever hospital from around 1860, but at the turn of the century local doctors started to appeal for additional resources, and in February 1906 a public meeting was held to discuss methods of raising funds amongst Blantyre residents.

Local businessmen such as the coalmasters also made donations, but these were not entirely philanthropic since their workers often needed the facilities of a hospital. Opened in 1910, the hospital was the first of its kind in the county to be paid by public subscription. Despite an article appearing in the Gazette in the 1930’s about mineral reserves in its grounds, the building is still standing as a private residence! Local health services are now catered for by the district health centre in Victoria Street.

Source: http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

Your Comments:

George Hay: Think the house was owned at one time by Mrs Glen who was a teacher at high Blantyre Primary then latterly at Blantyre High School.

Margo Haughen: Yes, her late husband, Charlie, was a character and a half….?painter and decorator if my memory serves. He made lovely wine from his own vines, I was told! Mrs Glen is well and hearty, a lovely lady. My mum remembered assisting Dr Terris carrying out tonsillectomies in the 1940’s when she was a district nurse in Blantyre. The big downstairs room was used as an operating theatre.

Tracey McDougall: My gran Ann Cameron nee Campbell was admitted at one time she was sick

Lyn Lappin: My house looks into Mrs Glen’s.. she was a science teacher and also Miss Hudson.. H.E. teacher stayed there too.

Alan Young: Ah told someone at the bowling club this story last week, they did not believe me, so thanks for this post

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Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland

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