Memorial

Hospital 1914-18

Whickham

Memorial Name: Hospital 1914-18 (W86.02)

NEWMP Ref No.: W86.02

Parish: Whickham

Original Location:

School, former Old Rectory Building.

Present Location:

The plaque is in the Community Centre. See W86.05

Which War:

1914-18

Dedication, Creation or Publication date:

Officially opened 26th August 1922 by Lady Clementine Waring.

Materials Used:

Former Rectory

Cost:

£8,000.00

How Money was Raised:

Public subscription.

The Rectory was purchased by Whickham U.D.C. for this purpose.

The British Red Cross Society had donated along with the St. John Ambulance Association.

Present Condition: Now Whickham Nursery

Sculptor, Artist or Designer:

Architect was Mr. Stephenson of White and Stephenson, Newcastle on Tyne;
Contractors were Messrs. Bewlay and Son.

Memorial Description:

Whickham Memorial Cottage Hospital.

It contained a maternity and child welfare unit, a dental unit, a school clinic, an E-ray machine and laboratories for research work.

A tuberculosis centre was also included in the scheme.

There were twelve beds in two wards, with the total eventually being 24.

Names:

None

Notes:

1. “Formerly located in the Old Rectory building, this hospital ceased to function about 1985 and the building was sold and became a school. The Hospital was opened as a War Memorial in 1922, due to the efforts of Canon Little, Mr. Morrison and Dr. Andrew Smith, who, helped by donations from the Miners’ Union, raised funds from the area covering Dunstan to Burnopfield. Memorial plaques were placed in the building but during reconstruction work for the school they were removed and have been lost, although it was intended that they should be restored to their site”.
The plaques were, in fact, relocated in the Community Centre. See files W86.05, W86.08, W86.09, W86.10

2. Lady Waring was presented with a silver jewel case from the architects and contractors.

3. The scheme was initiated by the Whickham Urban District Nursing Association.

Sources:

Photo of modern building: Tony Harding

Illustrated Chronicle
23/05/1921 has photo of old rectory to be opened shortly as a hospital;
28/08/1922 reports official opening;

Newcastle Daily Chronicle
26/04/1920 reports election of officials.

Newcastle Daily Journal
21/02/1920 reports proposal to have hospital as war memorial for U.D.C. of Whickham;
24/02/1920 reports £4,000 raised so far;
25/02/1920 makes it clear that, although a hospital had been proposed before the war, the idea had been dropped, and the present Hospital was purely by the efforts of the War Memorial Committee.

Newcastle Weekly Chronicle
27/09/1922 reports proposed opening;
02/09/1922 reports opening

Northern Echo
28/08/1922 reports official opening.

Stanley and Consett News
31/08/1922 reports opening.