Committee meetings 1841-46

The following notes have been extracted from the Minutes of the Committee of Management 1841-46 held at the Dorset History Centre (NG/HH/DO(C)/10L/191).

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1841

Wednesday, 17 March 1841

  • Page 1: Arthur H.D. Acland appointed chairman.

Wednesday, 24 March 1841

  • Page 3: Susan Wood appointed matron of the institution – her salary to commence on 25 March 1841.

Wednesday, 26 March 1841

  • Page 4: Drugs belonging to the Dispensary to be used by the hospital – to be given to Robert Gerrard Davis.

Wednesday, 31 March 1841

  • Page 6: Candidates for posts –

Physician: Dr. Jackson – “his license to practice medicine obtained from the University of Cambridge, letter from Dr Charles Whean [?] and his own letter to the Committee”

Surgeon: J. P. Aldridge – [documents not transcribed]; George Curme – diploma from College of Surgeons, testimonial from Mr H. G. Lyford, the surgeon of Winchester County Hospital, and a testimonial of character from the Revd. J. M. Colson, rector of St. Peter’s, Dorchester.

Surgeon: Mr. W. D. Tapp – offered himself as surgeon or consulting surgeon but did not send in any testimonials.

House apothecary: Mr. John Joseph Clapcott [details of paperwork not transcribed]; Mr. John Good – diploma from College of Surgeons and Apothecaries Company and “numerous most highly flattering testimonials of character and competency”.

Thursday, 8 April 1841

  • Page 9: Christopher Cook, Esq., M.D. and Christopher Arden, Esq., elected Consultant Physician and Consultant Surgeon, respectively.
  • Page 10: Votes counted – Jackson, Curme, Tapp and Good all elected to their various posts.

Thursday, 21 April 1841

  • Page 11: “Resolved that the flooring in the Matrons Room being in a very bad state & past repair, be cased”
  • Pages 11-12: Dietary proposed (subject to agreement by medical officers) – details not transcribed

Thursday, 28 April 1841

  • Page 13: Appointments – Susan Groves, nurse (£10.0.0 per annum); Hester Clark, housemaid (£7.0.0 per annum); William Lester, porter (10s. per week).
  • Page 14: Diet and consumption books ordered for the Matron. Diet table proposed at previous meeting had been agreed by Medical Officers. Hospital to open 6 May.

Thursday, 6 May 1841

  • Page 15: – Payne appointed cook (terms in minutes). Tender from Lucy Gould for the washing was accepted. Appointments of Susan Groves and William Lester confirmed as satisfactory ‘characters’ had been received. Water bed accepted from the ladies of the Lending Charity (subject to the charity being able to use it out of the Hospital if needed)

Thursday, 13 May 1841

  • Page 17: List of bills to be paid includes “Thos. Wood for Kitchen Furniture &c. – £22. 10.”

Thursday, 20 May 1841

  • Page 17: Bills ordered to be paid include “Matron for sundries – £2.4.1”

Thursday, 27 May 1841

  • Page 18: Elizth. Hoskins hired at £10.0.0 per annum (as nurse?).

Thursday, 3 June 1841

  • Page 19: Lower room (used as the porter’s room) to be fitted up as a bath room and the west attic over the Matron’s room to be fitted up as a porter’s bed room.

Thursday, 17 June 1841

  • Page 23: Bills to be paid include “Thos. Wood, for Brazier &c. – £2.15.6”

Thursday, 1 July 1841

  • Page 26: Register stove to be supplied for the Matron’s room.

Thursday, 29 July 1841

  • Page 31: Jane Corbin applied to be a nurse – Matron to get her ‘character’.

Thursday, 5 August 1841

  • Page 31: Jane Corbin appointed nurse – £10.0.0 per annum.

Thursday, 4 November 1841

  • Page: 53: Following salaries paid – Mr. Good (£12.10.0); Miss Wood (£5.0.0); Hester Clarke (£1.15.0); Susan Groves (£2.10.0); Jemima Payne (£2.0.0); Jane Corbyn (£2.10.0).

Thursday, 18 November 1841

  • Page 55: Mary Toper engaged as nurse on same pay as others.

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1842

Thursday, 17 March 1842

  • Page 77: The manager of the Dorchester Theatre is “willing to have a Play acted for the Benefit of the Hospital” – offer made by Revd. M. Colson and accepted by the Committee.

Thursday, 31 March 1842

  • Page 79: Wage increases – S. Groves (nurse) to £12 per annum & J. Payne (cook) to £9 per annum.

Thursday, 2 June 1842

  • Page 91: John Bolt “to be discharged as soon as a reply is received from the Bath Hospital”.

Saturday, 27 August 1842

  • Page 108: General Meeting: Following the death of Dr. Cooper, it was agreed that it was not expedient to appoint a consulting physician.

Thursday, 2 November 1842

  • Page 121: Mr. F. Wyatt appointed medical pupil. Terms of his appointment set out in minutes (pages 121-22). Also there is a description of how his accommodation was to be furnished (page 121).
  • Page 122: Letter sent to Bishop of Salisbury asking for a more experienced chaplain (text of the letter in the minutes).

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1843

Thursday, 4 January 1843

  • Page 135: Mary Cooking to be returned to her friends as a lunatic (contrary to rule 44).

Thursday, 12 January 1843

  • Pages 139-140: Hannah Barter, an in-patient, was made an out-patient. “On being questioned as to her comfort in the Hospital, she stated that the nurse of the Upper Ward was neglectful of the Patients and on several occasions had behaved & spoken unkindly towards them”.
  • Page 140: Upon further complaint against the nurse, Jane Corbyn, by the House Surgeon and Matron, the Matron was directed to give her notice and find another nurse.

Thursday, 19 January 1843

  • Catherine O’Lynn, travelling from Salisbury to Plymouth, was given a ticket by Hon. Mrs. Damer, but was rejected because she was in sufficient health to continue her journey and also she was pregnant so inadmissible.

Thursday, 2 March 1843

  • Page 151: Beds to be extended to 15 per ward.
  • Page 152: The surgeons and house apothecary presented the Hospital with an articulated skeleton.

Thursday, 16 March 1843

  • Page 154: Miss Wood reported that Jane Corbyn, nurse of the Upper Ward, was to leave Monday next.

Thursday, 23 March 1843

  • Page 155: Two beds in Lower Ward and one in the Upper Ward to be left vacant for emergencies.

Thursday, 30 March 1843

  • Page 156: Mr. Good tended his resignation as house surgeon.

Thursday, 27 April 1843

  • Page 164: There were the following candidates for the post of house apothecary:

S. J. Thomas – disqualified as he did not conform to the terms of the advertisement in The Lancet.

Alfred Emson

Charles Ingram

Thursday, 11 May 1843

  • Page 168: General Meeting: Alfred Emson was elected house apothecary by a majority of 77 votes.

Thursday, 25 May 1843

  • Page 171: Miss Wood stated that it was “quite necessary to have some additional help in the Wards and House generally”. Fanny Oates had conducted herself well and was willing to remain. Agreed by the Committee until the next monthly meeting.

Thursday, 1 June 1843

  • Page 173: Monthly Meeting: It was agreed that the Matron should engage Fanny Oates as a servant – to agree wages subject to the Committee’s confirmation (£5 recommended).
  • Page 173: Letter from Mr. Gollop – the patient in question said he was not a Unitarian and he had no wish to communicate with Mr. Smith. The rules say all patients can come with devotional books or be visited by the Minister of their congregation at their own personal request.

Thursday, 31 August 1843

  • Page 194: Mr. Knights signed the recommendation for Charles New to be admitted as a patient, on behalf of the Duke of Bedford. New was deemed as ineligible because he was only 3 years old.

Thursday, 5 October 1843

  • Page 200: Dr. Jackson said he was willing to move the day for seeing out-patients from Monday to Saturday. The Committee agreed.

Thursday, 18 October 1843

  • Page 204: The Committee resolved to increase the accommodation in the Hospital.

Thursday, 23 November 1843

  • Page 214: Jemima Trowbridge “having made herself very useful whilst in the Hospital, was permitted to remain as an assistant for a week or two, at Miss Wood’s request”.

Thursday, 28 December 1843

  • Page 222: The following wages were paid:

Mr. Emson £15.0.0.

Miss Wood £6.5.0.

Susan Groves £3.0.0.

Jemima Paine £2.10.0.

Mrs. Rigler £2.10.0.

Elizabeth Wills £2.0.0.

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1844

Thursday, 11 January 1844

  • Page 227: Mr. Ferrey, the architect, was in attendance and his plans were inspected.

Saturday, 13 January 1844

  • Page 229: General Meeting: It was resolved to take £1500 out of the account for extending the building.

Thursday, 7 March 1844

  • Page 242: Monthly Meeting: It was agreed to split the cases evenly between the surgeons.

Thursday, 14 March 1844

  • Page 243: Patient John Squires, “being attacked by Scarlet Fever”, was transferred to the attic.

Thursday, 5 September 1844

  • Page 284: 1st payment made to Mr Goddard, the building contractor – £886.13.4.
  • Page 284: It was agreed that Master J. Pope should be admitted on probation as a medical apprentice.

Thursday, 3 October 1844

  • Page 290: The terms for accepting medical apprentices were agreed (set out in the minutes, not transcribed).

Thursday, 5 December 1844

  • Page 303: Complaint received from Jos. Hopkins (an in-patient being discharged) about mistreatment on the part of some patients and also on the part of Master Pope, one of the apprentices. It was enquired into and the chairman was ordered to reprimand the apprentice.
  • Page 304: Monthly Meeting: Resolutions (detailed in minutes) were agreed on changes to the payments from and management of medical apprentices.

Thursday, 12 December 1844

  • Page 305: The porter [unnamed] is to be replaced and 1 months’ pay was awarded to him “in consequence of [his] destitute state”.

Thursday, 26 December 1844

  • Page 307: The following salaries were paid:

Mr Emson £15.0.0.

Miss Wood £6.5.0.

Ann Rigler £2.10.0.

Jemima Payne £2.10.0.

Elizabeth Wills £2.0.0.