Welfare Centre 1914-18

Beside the Central Park, Church Road.

1914-18

Foundation stone laid 12th March 1924 by Brig.Gen. Sir Joseph Laycock, K.C.M.G., D.S.O.;
dedicated by Rev. John Wilkinson, M.A., Vicar of St. Nicholas.
Opened 28th January 1925 by Mrs. C.A. Cochrane.

Inhabitants of Gosforth

Estimated 1919 as £5,000

Public subscription

Designed by George Nelson, A.M.I.C.E., engineer and surveyor to Gosforth Urban District Council.
Built by H. Kindred.

Left hand gate post:
Maternity
and
Child
Welfare
Centre

Right hand gate post:
Erected by
public
subscription
as the
Gosforth
War Memorial.

Left of main door :
This stone was laid by
Brigadier-General Sir J.F. Laycock
K.C.M.G., D.S.O.
on the 12th day of March 1924.

Right of main door :
Gosforth Urban District
This Building was erected
by public subscription
as a memorial to the local men
who fell in the Great War 1914-1918.

Welfare Clinic.

The stone plaques bearing the dedication are mounted on either side of the entrance doorway.

The stones have a plain frame.

The dedication is incised in the sunken central panel using sans serif capitals.

1. It was described in 1923 as having a frontage of 102 feet (31m), and was divided into two sections (a) clinical and (b) administrative, with provision for extension.

2. There was a column which stood in the grounds, see G9.01

3. Mrs. Cochrane was given a gold key after opening the clinic.

4. The Welfare Centre was included in the Newcastle City Council survey of all memorials in the area 1985.

5. This is now known as the Gosforth Memorial Medical Centre.

6. In 1919, the amount of funds raised amounted to £1,500, of which £1,400 had been invested in War Bonds.

7. The proposal was for a “Child’s Welfare Centre”.

8. On 11 November 2008 the restored photographs of the official opening of Gosforth Memorial Health centre on 25th March 1925 were unveiled at a special Remembrance Day event by John Shipley, Leader at Newcastle City Council.

Photos: Philip Thirkell; Tony Harding; Dorothy Procter

Illustrated Chronicle
07/03/1924 reports stone-laying ceremony on Wednesday;
13/03/1924 shows photos of the stone-laying ceremony;
29/01/1925 reports official opening with photos.

Morpeth Herald
10/01/1919 reports fund raising and list of subscribers;
28/02/1919 reports investment in War Bonds;
31/03/1922 reports fund raising event;
26/10/1923 reports proposals to erect the Clinic;
23/01/1925 reports proposed opening on 28/01/1925.

Newcastle Daily Chronicle
09/01/1919 gives names of subscribers so far;
13/03/1919 reports fund raising concert;
16/05/1919 reports Miscellaneous Sale by tradesmen and other fund raising efforts

Newcastle Weekly Chronicle
08/03/1924 reports proposed foundation stone laying ceremony;
15/03/1924 reports foundation stone laying ceremony;
17/01/1925 reports proposed opening;
31/01/1925 reports opening.

Northern Echo
08/03/1924 reports proposed opening next Wednesday;
13/03/1924 reports opening with photos.

Booklet published by Gosforth Urban District Council, 1953

At the Going Down of the Sun, Derek Boorman.

Mrs. Lily Bailey;
F. McDonald (Newcastle City Council, 1985);
Philip Thirkell;
Gosforth Local History Society;
Dorothy Hall;
Tony Harding;
Dorothy Procter

If you are researching this memorial please contact 2014@newmp.org.uk