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WWI Aldridge Manor convalescent hospital marks centenary | WWI Aldridge Manor convalescent hospital marks centenary |
(1 day later) | |
A former military hospital that cared for convalescent soldiers in World War One has been recognised with a blue plaque to mark the centenary of its opening. | |
Aldridge Manor House in Walsall was used as medical facility between 1916 and 1919, treating 941 injured and ill servicemen. | Aldridge Manor House in Walsall was used as medical facility between 1916 and 1919, treating 941 injured and ill servicemen. |
It was mainly staffed by volunteers, other than two qualified nurses and a village doctor. | It was mainly staffed by volunteers, other than two qualified nurses and a village doctor. |
The plaque unveiling was at 15:00 GMT. | |
Local historian Sue Satterthwaite, who has written a book about the hospital, said: "At the time Aldridge was a small Staffordshire village of less than 3,000, but they found enough local volunteers to perform all of the duties within the hospital such as nursing, cleaning, cooking, laundry and administration. | Local historian Sue Satterthwaite, who has written a book about the hospital, said: "At the time Aldridge was a small Staffordshire village of less than 3,000, but they found enough local volunteers to perform all of the duties within the hospital such as nursing, cleaning, cooking, laundry and administration. |
"Others from the village offered to serve on the committee which ran the hospital and to be involved in fundraising, going door-to-door every week collecting subscriptions." | "Others from the village offered to serve on the committee which ran the hospital and to be involved in fundraising, going door-to-door every week collecting subscriptions." |
The Aldridge Auxiliary Convalescent Hospital received its patients from the 2nd Birmingham War Hospital and as the war progressed it took more and more patients. | The Aldridge Auxiliary Convalescent Hospital received its patients from the 2nd Birmingham War Hospital and as the war progressed it took more and more patients. |
It began with 20 and ended with more than 60 - at one point the Manor House was so overcrowded the schoolroom of the local Methodist church was used for sleeping accommodation for 10 men. | It began with 20 and ended with more than 60 - at one point the Manor House was so overcrowded the schoolroom of the local Methodist church was used for sleeping accommodation for 10 men. |
Donations from the collieries, brickworks and munitions factory allowed the hospital to carry on. | Donations from the collieries, brickworks and munitions factory allowed the hospital to carry on. |
"The flu epidemic in November 1918 was the hospital's darkest hour," Ms Satterthwaite said. | "The flu epidemic in November 1918 was the hospital's darkest hour," Ms Satterthwaite said. |
"Even the village doctor lay gravely ill and volunteers from Walsall and further afield came to help. | "Even the village doctor lay gravely ill and volunteers from Walsall and further afield came to help. |
"Sadly a volunteer nurse, Alice Amelia Potts, and a patient, Private Matthew Nell of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, died". | "Sadly a volunteer nurse, Alice Amelia Potts, and a patient, Private Matthew Nell of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, died". |
One of the speakers at the plaque's unveiling ceremony was Pte Nell's granddaughter Marilyn Preece. | |
She thanked the people of Aldridge for all they did to try to save her grandfather's life a century ago. |
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