Badsley And The First World War

In 1911 staff worked under the management of the Matron Mrs. Hawes who was paid £75 per annum. It was reported that she was very strict running a tight ship, expecting nothing but the best from all her staff who worked long hours. During the same year a sum of £35 had been spent on drugs at the hospital, for the 234 cases that were treated in that year. The following year 1912 the same year as the Titanic sunk, 312 patients were treated at the hospital. Over the years great pressure was put on the horse drawn ambulance that was frequently being used. Once the ambulance staff had gone to the home, brought the ill person to the hospital then disinfected the ambulance, which they did after each journey, it could take up to two hours. So the need for a second ambulance became urgent, it’s unclear if a second ambulance was purchased. Nothing was more evident, than the need for a second ambulance after a total of 446 cases with scarlet fever being the main cause of worry for the Town, with 334 people being admitted with the illness to the isolation hospital in 1913 . Nursing so many people, quickly put strain on the hospital and its staff. So the decision to reduce the number of days a patient could stay in the hospital was taken. The average hospital stay was now 30 to 42 days. Other illnesses as well as scarlet fever were also treated during the year. Enteric fever, diphtheria, T.B, and cerebro spinal fever (meningitis).

As the threat of the First World War loomed over Britain in 1914. The strain of the past year had put great pressure on the isolation hospital. The strain on the staff had led to health problems, one nurse resigned another needed to be treated in the hospital, and another probation nurse was also on long term sick leave. This left only two nurses to cover the scarlet fever ward of which one had to devote her time to looking after a woman in a dying condition while trying to support the other nurse who was left with a heavy work load. There was a shortage of medical staff owing to many being on active service with the forces or supporting services to the war cause.

During the first year of the war only 46 fresh cases were admitted into the hospital of which half were boys under 16 years old. Three of the elder patients were discharged as early as possible to join the Army and accompany British soldiers who were already fighting abroad. Major Harry Rhodes of the The 5th Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment who's headquarters were situated at Rotherham, was admitted to the hospital on the 8th August 1914 as an attack of scarlet fever had made him very ill. On each ward a daily newspaper and weekly advertiser as well as maps would inform patients of the ongoing progress of the war.

All patients at Badsley Moor Lane, thought it was a good idea to place a war box on each ward, allowing their families and friends the opportunity to collect for the war funds. At the end of each month the money was collected and after a discussion with patients the money would be distributed to a good cause.

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© Neil and Janet Croft 2005