The small infirmary was becoming increasingly in demand by 1886 and the Board of Guardians put a proposal to the Local Government Board. These were the plans for a new hospital which would be erected at the workhouse in an area previously used for garden purposes. The new building would consist of four large wards, day rooms, kitchen, surgery, nurses day and night rooms and a laundry and washroom. The total length of the building was 235ft 5ins and each ward had a well-fitted bathroom, lavatories, storeroom and pantry. The new hospital accommodated 52 males and 52 females. A hot air ventilating stoves would heat the large rooms the smaller rooms were heated by open fireplaces. The cost of the building and furnishing was £5384 6s.
The Local Government Board authorised the plans on the 30 July 1886 with the estimate cost of the new building being £5,850. As the new building began to take form an argument took place among the members of the Board in November 1886 regarding the girders that were going to be used. Mr Cox moved that only English girders should be used he explained further that if they purchased Belgian girders, ever if they were cheaper, they were doing injury to the Rotherham trade, which was greater than any saving in money. The Rev. W. H. Blazeby pointed out that girders made in Parkgate were less than twice the cost than them proposed from Belgium. The Rev W. H. Carr explained that the Belgian girders had a little higher bearing power than English ones. The Chairman said they wanted as good a building at as little cost as possible. Eventually it was decided that all the materials used in the building should be English made and as far as possible of local production. By April the following year the clerk had received an letter from Butterley a English Company to say they would supply the girders.
© Neil and Janet Croft 2005