This week we continue to trace the history of the health service in and around High Wycombe and take a look at how it developed in Marlow.

The Early Years
The idea of a cottage hospital in Marlow goes back to at least 1867.

In August 1877 the Bucks Free Press had reported: “It is with great pleasure that we have to announce that there is some chance of our having a Cottage Hospital in Marlow – [which is] so much required – which would confer a great blessing on the poor. 

“It is a fact well-known to many had the late Bishop Robert Milman been allowed to reside with us a little longer it would have been carried into effect.

“As he had said at the time ‘the old workhouse would answer every purpose with a small outlay’.

“The proposal now is that the outlying parishes of Bisham, Henley, Fingest, Hambleden, Little Marlow, and Turville and should be joined together with Great Marlow for that purpose”.

Robert Milman was Vicar of Marlow for five years from 1862, before he was consecrated as Bishop of Calcutta, India, in 1867.

He therefore must have made his proposal regarding a hospital in 1867 at the latest. However there was then a very long gestation period before the cottage hospital was established in 1889.

This first hospital was located in Cambridge House, Cambridge Road, on the periphery of what is now Riley Park in Marlow, near Quoiting Square to the west of the town centre. Up until about 1882 the resident of Cambridge House was Mr William Osborn, a draper in the town. 

After he moved to Hemel Hempstead the house was used for a few years as a “school for little boys, conducted by the Misses Curtis”.

They promoted the school as a “Healthy locality, with home comforts. Special attention given to delicate boys”. The fees were 25 guineas per annum.

The hospital was supported by voluntary contributions and as well as Marlow the ‘catchment area’ embraced the parishes of Bisham, Medmenham and Little Marlow. In its first year 25 patients were treated.

This hospital continued to serve the medical requirements of the residents in its founding parishes for over 20 years, but in the early 1910’s it was beginning to be recognised that a larger establishment was required. 

This was not however a unanimous opinion in the town. Several of the more prominent inhabitants opposed this view, including Mr Edward Riley who was a major public benefactor to the town. 

Importantly local doctors were in support and a Charitable Trust was set up in 1913, with the intention of relocating  the Cottage Hospital to larger premises on the corner of Glade Rd and Victoria Rd, Marlow. 

A new purpose-designed building was constructed. This was opened by General Higginson in 1915. The first Matron was a Miss ‘Bobby’ Schilling and the Hon. Secretary was Emily M Dickson.

The hospital continued to be financially supported by public subscriptions, donations from members of the public and by fund-raising activities. So-called “Pound Days” were held annually, the “pound” could relate to money or weight. 

As the publicity for such an event in February 1914 pointed out “The poor woman’s or the poor child’s pound of sugar will be as much appreciated as the pound sterling of her richer sister”. (In 1914 a 1lb bag of sugar cost about 2 pence)    

To give some idea of the extent to which the hospital was being used, in the nine months up to February 1914, 87 patients were admitted for treatment and there were 144 out-patients. 

The Great War was to have a major impact on the work of the Cottage Hospital, as was made clear in the report presented to the Annual Meeting in June 1918.

“An arrangement has been reached with the Bucks War Pensions Committee whereby the Cottage Hospital Committee have agreed to admit, for after-care and treatment, men invalided out of the Navy and Army, and they feel sure that subscribers will sympathise with this arrangement.” 

The hospital was ill-prepared for this expected influx of wounded patients from the Forces.

The favourable balance of £30 in the accounts which had been reported for the year 1917 ”had been swept away to just three pence”. 

Better news was that “due to the generosity of the Misses Wood whose repeated donations have finally wiped off the mortgage of £400”.

The hospital had also just “welcomed back to the Medical Staff Lieut. F.H.P.Wills after a year’s service with the R.A.M.C. in France”.

It was also reported that the “War Office Authorities had vacated the old Hospital premises [presumably those in Cambridge Rd] at the end of October 1917, and our claim of £20 for dilapidations is still unsettled”! 

But in January 1918 the premises had been re-let to a private tenant at a rental of £40.

To be continued.