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withdrawn that year and no new of their contributions.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withdrawn the cheap tickets for be offered for the accommodation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.