The Dilke Memorial Hospital
Courtesy of: Jennifer Hancocks. Uploaded: .
Built by public subscription and opened in 1923. Named in memory of Sir Charles Dilke (1843-1911), M.P. for the Forest of Dean 1892-1911. The original building is the single storey building to the right.
It was announced on May 10th 2006 that "The Dilke" was to close. Stephen Golledge, chief executive of West Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust brought the news to the Forest. The Dilke is to close within 6-12 months. Lydney Hospital is also to close "once a new community hospital for the Forest at a new site is opened" The Dilke was built and equiped through the contributions of individuals and organisations, some of the contributors are listed below:
| Contributor | Amount |
|---|---|
| General Public | £ 1,500 |
| The Miners | £ 873 |
| The Red Cross | £ 4,000 |
| Sir Harry Webb (M.P. for the Forest of Dean) | £ 3,000 |
| The Commissioner of Woods | £ 500 |
| "An Estate in Bournemouth" | £ 500 |
| Miners Welfare fund | £ 200 |
| Promised from Miners Welfare fund | £ 200 |
| (The total amount needed to build and equip The Dilke was £10,800) | |
| 1925 extension | |
| 6,300 households contributing one penny a week. (note: this would be "old pence" where 240 pennies = £1) | |
| Miss Lisa Frances Crawshay | £ 1,000 |
| Forest of Dean Miners Welfare Joint District Committee | £ 1,000 |
| Source: The Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Review - 27th January 2006 and 14th April 2006 (research by Mrs Mabel Beach) | |
Among the contributors to the fund set up in 1911
to build The Dilke were :
H.H. Asquith (Prime Minister) and members of the Cabinet, the Bishop of Oxford,
the Governor of the Bank of France, people of Brussells, Rouen, India, U.S.A.
and New Zealand, Sir Thomas Crawley-Bovey, Sir Hubert Parry, Maynard Colchester-Wemyss,
the Forest of Dean Coal Owners Association, the Forest of Dean Freeminers Association,
the Forest of Dean Miners Association. "But the contributions that Charles
would have appreciated the most were the halfpennies and pennies given by the
workers of the Forest".
Source: "Four Personalities from the Forest of Dean", Ralph Anstis, Albion House, 1996.
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