On Thursday afternoon, the 28 of July 1904 in the fine weather that followed a dull morning members of the Corporation and Officials met at the Town Hall on Howard Street (by invitation only), and were conveyed in an open carriage to the site at Badsley Moor Lane. Earlier that day the hoisting of three or four large flags on the scaffold poles could be seen across the open fields surrounding the new site. They were placed where the main building was going to be built to indicate to the public in the immediate locality that something unusual was about to happen. The towns finest gentry including Dr. Robinson, and a few of the general body of ratepayers witnessed the ceremony.
Before the stone laying there was a little ceremony that gave great delight to those assembled. Alderman Hickmott was asked by the architect Mr. J. Platts and Mr. W. Thornton the contractor, to accept a silver trowel with an ivory handle and a mallet to match. On the blade of the trowel the following inscription is engraved “County Borough of Rotherham - Presented to Alderman Edward Hickmott, JP, by Mr. J. Platts architect and Mr. W. Thornton, contractor upon the laying of the foundation stone of the Isolation Hospital, 28th July 1904.” On commencing to speak, Mr. Hickmott was greeted with applause. He proceeded to make a lengthy speech. After the Mayor opened the proceedings with a short speech, all watched as in conclusion the Mayor asked Alderman. E. Hickmott, JP, to lay the foundation stone. Mr. Hickmott the chairman of the Public Health Committee, and who has taken a most active interest in the whole procedure. The absence of the crowd did not, however, detract against the success of the ceremony.
The gathering crowd listened as a number of officials made their speeches. The mayor said “Twenty thousand pounds might seem a large sum; but he was sure they would agree with him when he said no greater economy that any public body could be engaged in than to consider first all the health of the people by making provision for any epidemic.” Afterwards members of the Corporation and officials returned to town in their open horse drawn carriages. They were entertained to tea in one of the upper rooms of the Technical Institute. In jubilant spirits a meal was enjoyed followed by a few toasts. Ald. Hickmott, asked the company to drink to the health of His Majesty the King. In 1901 Edward VII, eldest son of Queen Victoria became the new King of England, after the Queen’s death and 60 years of reign.
The Corporation acquired the 17 acres of land, at a cost of £2,072. The contractors, Messrs. Thornton and sons of Rotherham, as well as others put their tenders into the Corporation to complete the building work. The Corporation accepted W. Thornton and sons tender for £11,994 in May of that year. As well as the cost, W. Thornton had a high reputation for sound work and they were confident that the ratepayers could safely assume the building would be properly constructed in every detail. The building would be built in local brick and stone dressed with a slated roof, the total cost including drainage, making of two roads, fittings and furniture was estimated at £21,000.
© Neil and Janet Croft 2005