Saturday 16th April 1921 was an important day for the aims of the health history of Rotherham. Over 100 people gathered in the beautiful surroundings of Oakwood Hall to watch the chairman of the Health Committee Ald. W. Wormaid, O.B.E. lay the corner stone of the new sanatorium. Part of Oakwood Hall still stood in the charred and blackened skeleton of its former self, having been destroyed by fire almost two years before. Building work had already began returning it to its former glory. The hall itself would become an administrative block and two convalescent blocks, with each block containing 32 beds. The nursing block, that would hold 36 beds, was now almost complet. The beautiful 66½ acres of land in which the hospital was situated was purchased for the price of £3500 or £52 16s 6d per acre. All the new work on the hospital was planned on general principles and details recommended by the Ministry of Health. Though a purely utilitarian design, wherever possible the building would be taken back to its original look, though no architectural features that would increase the cost were permitted.
Tenders for the building work were invited in July, 1920, and that of Messrs. Henry Boot and Sons Ltd., for the sum of £45,959 was accepted. Their office was situated at 12, Lower Grosvenor Place London. The contract conditions were issued by the Ministry of Health and the General Manager of Messrs. Boot would keep regular contact with them. Three other tenders were also received for £49,000, £50,000 and £51,000 respectively. Each of the new blocks contained eight bedded wards, at the end of these were two bedded cubicles, as well as a duty room and bathroom accommodation. The wards were arranged to allow 54 square feet per patient, the height of the cubicles being nine feet or thirteen feet for the larger wards. The hall itself had been fitted out to accommodate 23 members of staff. But in the 1920's there was only a Matron, 1 trained nurse, 2 other nurses, 3 maids and one night nurse always on duty. The Sanatorium was supplied from the town's water and electricity supply.
The Public Health Committee were delighted that they would have an up to date sanatorium which would be situated in a lovely park and health promoting surroundings. The new sanatorium would be the first of its kind in Rotherham and would cost less than its present tuberculosis administration. Around this time some T.B. patients were being treated at Badsley Moor Lane Hospital but numbers of patients were scattered in institutions all over the country. The Council had entrusted the duty of visiting each of these institutions to the chairman of the Public Health Committee to ensure the right treatment was given at the right price. Some of the sanatoriums the Rotherham Corporation had to visit were in Wakefield, York, Lincoln and Barnsley. As the institutions were scattered so far apart the task had proved timely and costly. Therefore it was felt a better service could be given if Rotherham's tuberculosis patients were all in one area. The estimated cost of the savings achieved by giving up the maintenance of these beds in the different parts of the country was approximately £4349 per annum.
Rotherham Corporation wanted to make the ceremony as brief and as simple as possible due to the industrial upheaval that was occurring. The wartime industrial boom was finished the and huge war debts were beginning to be felt. Unemployment had risen rapidly to two million by mid-1921 and many wages had been cut. It was felt unwise making this a grand occasion owing to the economic climate. Due to this, the brief ceremony was confined to councillors, men from the medical profession and their wives, a clergyman and those who had direct association with the sanatorium. The gathered crowd listened to a number of well spoken speeches that were made by councillors and medical professionals. Most of them went on to express their appreciation of the loyalty and support of the people of Rotherham. Some speeches pointed out the benefits the sanatorium would bring to the health of the people of the town.
© Neil and Janet Croft 2005