Page 9 - Hunstanton Town & Around - September 2013
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Tel: 01485 533422 email: editor@townandaround.net           Hunstanton Town & Around September 2013 9
        occupation which also caused its  for  wounded  soldiers  and  the
        first financial difficulty.  Only 314  children’s building could be used
        civilians  were  accepted  in  1915  to  accommodate  the  extra  staff
        which  meant  that  at  least  600  that  would  be  required.    The
        deserving,  working-class  people  country  was  engaged  in  the
        suffering from serious illness, had  greatest war ever known and he
        been deprived of the benefits for  hoped that a large number of the
        which   they   had   paid.  subscribers  would  be  patriotic
        Subscriptions totalling £277 were  enough not to withdraw any more
        withdrawn that year and no new  of  their  contributions.    They
        life subscriptions or legacies were  should  accept  that  the  needs  of
        received.  A debt of £500 had been  wounded  soldiers  were  greater
        incurred, as the war had caused  than  those  of  convalescent
        considerable additional expenses,  civilians.  He knew that two thirds
        and these were increasing.  As a  of  the  people  entitled  to  issue
        precaution  against  air  raids,  letters of recommendation for poor
        windows and skylights had to be  patients never took advantage of
                                                                                                   SAFE AGENT
        darkened  and  the  insurance  the opportunity.
        upgraded to include the risk of the  Most of the committee opposed
        Home  being  bombarded.    Food  his proposal and decided instead to
        prices had increased, as had the  keep  faith  with  the  subscribers.
        price of heating the buildings, and  They voted by a large majority to
        the  railway  authorities  had  allow only the children’s home to
        withdrawn  the  cheap  tickets  for  be offered for the accommodation
        patients travelling to and from the  of wounded soldiers. This would
        Home.  An application to the War  allow  them  to  use  the  main
        Office for an extra allowance for  building to accommodate 40 male
        expensive  medicines,  surgical  civilian patients in the men’s wing
        dressings and appliances had been  and 40 women and 20 children in
        refused. The Treasurer indicated  the women’s wing.  They were of
        that a weekly loss of 11 shillings  the opinion that if the War Office
        and  11½  pence  per  patient  was  were determined to accommodate
        being  incurred.    The  financial  injured  soldiers  in  Hunstanton
        situation was only partly relieved  there  was  plenty  of  spare  land
        by  a  gift  of  £50  from  Miss  where  they  could  erect  wooden
        Algerina  Peckover, of Wisbech.  huts  which  could  be  made  very
        An  attempt  was  made  to  raise  comfortable at little expense and
        funds by allowing the ten cots in  not interfere with the management
        the children’s home to be named  of the Home.
        after donors, but only William and  A copy of a letter addressed to
        Emily  Floyd  of  The  Villa,  the  Secretary  of  the  Home  was
        Sandringham  Road,  Hunstanton  published by the Lynn Advertiser
        took advantage of the offer.   on 28 January 1916
          On  26th  January  1916  a  My  Dear  Sir,-Yesterday’s  vote
        crowded Annual Meeting of the  reducing  the  number  of  beds
        subscribers  to  the  Convalescent  offered  to  convalescent  soldiers
        Home was held at The Guildhall,  from 85 to 20, instead of adopting
        Cambridge.  Hamon addressed the  the policy I advocated of placing
        meeting and said that ‘to use an  every  bed  in  the  Home  at  the
        Americanism, the committee had  disposal of the War Office during
        bitten  off  more  than  they  could  the continuance of the War, is of
        chew when they offered beds to the  such  variance  with  what  in  my
        military   authorities.’      He  judgement, is the policy which we
        reluctantly  proposed  that  the  ought to adopt, that I feel I can no
        Home  should  be  closed  as  a  longer  remain  a  member  of  a
        convalescent home and be handed  committee with whose policy I am
        to the Red Cross at Norwich for  not  in  sympathy.    I  shall  be
        the  duration  of  the  war  and  a  obliged, therefore, if you will take
        further  6  months  afterwards  if  immediate steps for removing my
        necessary.  The expense of running  name   from   the   General
        the premises would then be taken  Committee,  and  will  ask  the
        out of their hands apart from the  members  to  select  another
        rates  and  taxes.      The  main  Chairman, I remain etc. (Signed)
        building could provide 100 beds  Hamon Le Strange.
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