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Somerset County Herald and Taunton Courier. Saturday 25 Jun 1938
Page 5 Col 16
HOMES FOR FOUR OLD LADIES
NEW ALMSHOUSES AT WEST MONKTON
GENEROUS GIFTS
THE OLD LEPER HOSPITAL SAVED
New almshouses at West Monkton were opened on Saturday afternoon by Major J. A. GARTON, former High Sheriff of Somerset. These almshouses, erected at a cost of £1,500, are to rehouse the four occupants of the almshouses at the end of East Reach, Taunton, known as St. Margaret's Leper Hospital or the Spital Almshouses, which was condemned as unfit for habitation.
The occupants, who are cared for by the West Monkton Charity, are Mrs. R. HURFORD and Mrs. S. TOTEN, both 87 years of age; and Mrs. D. KNIGHT and Mrs. S. E. NATION, who are both over 70.
The new building has been erected largely through the kindness of Mrs. Janet ROSE, of Marlows, West Monkton. A lady whose good works in West Monkton are well known, she is over 80 years of age, and as she has been ill for some weeks was unable to attend the opening ceremony. She is the widow of General ROSE, for many years a stipendiary magistrate in London.
Mrs. KNIGHT, one of the occupants of the almshouse, was also unable to attend on account of illness.
ST. MARGARET'S HOSPITAL.
The old almshouse, founded some time between 1174 and 1185, and built as a hospital for lepers, was part of a larger building, and was dedicated, as were many similar institutions, to St. Margaret. It came into being when victims of the terrible disease of leprosy were far from uncommon. In 1236 it received a grant of protection from King Henry the Third, and later received benefactions from Thomas LAMBRIGHT, of Lambrit, a Taunton merchant. An old legend says that the hospital was burnt down in the early part of the reign of King Henry the Eighth, and that it was re-built by Richard BEERE, Abbot of Glastonbury. This story seems to be borne out by the carved stone shield bearing the initials “R.B.” which appears on the end of the building. In 1612 regulations were made for the administration of the foundation as an almshouse, and so it had continued to the present time. The present endowment amounts to about £80 yearly. The four tenants are poor women who had lived in the parish of West Monkton for two years, and, under a new regulation, they must be in receipt of old-age pension or its equivalent. They receive pensions of 4s a week and free medical treatment.
CONVENIENT HOMES.
The new building is designed in the late 18th Century style. The walls are of brownish grey brick, and the roofing tiles match in tone. A deep plaster-covered cornice surrounds the whole building beneath the eaves. Each house has a fair-sized living-room with a bed recess, so that the occupant obtains the benefit of the living-room fire on winter nights. The living-rooms are fitted with large modern ranges. There are a scullery-larder and lavatory in each house. The builders were Messrs. W. POTTER & Sons, Ltd., Taunton.
THE TRUSTEES.
The Rector of West Monkton, the Rev. C. A. HUTCHINSON, chairman of the Trustees, presided, supported by Major and Mrs. GARTON, and the following Trustees:- Sir William MEADE-KING, accompanied by Lady MEADE-KING, Mr. E. H. M. LUCKOCK, with whom was Mrs. LUCKOCK, Mr. Gilbert REDLER, Mr. Fred RICHARDS, Mr. C. R. RICHARDS, and Mr. J. MILLINGTON, Clerk.
Mr. F. A. HAWKER, another trustee, was unable to be present.
Others present were Mr. E. C. FRANCIS, the architect of Lloyds Bank Buildings, Taunton and of Long Meadow, West Monkton, and Mrs. FRANCIS, Colonel and Mrs. THURSTON, Glebe Court, West Monkton, Mr. and Mrs.NICOLSON, of Weston-super-Mare, formerly of Creech Barrow, Mrs. REDLER, Mrs. HICKLEY, Water Leas, West Monkton, Mr. E. E. TROTMAN, Musgraves, Mr. J. E. OWENS (chairman of the Parish Council), Mrs. OWENS and Miss OWENS, Captain BULLEN, C.A., and Mrs. BULLEN, Mrs. MATTHEWS, Adsboro, and Mrs. CORNISH, Bathpool.
The Rector dedicated the buildings and offered prayer, and asked Major GARTON to declare them open.
A UNIQUE MEMORIAL.
Major GARTON, in his address, pointed out that the beautiful old building which previously formed the almshouses was a unique and ancient memorial, but had been condemned as unfit for habitation. It seemed a great pity that there should be any question of demolition, and so the Rural Community Council found a “fairy godfather” who was prepared to buy the old almshouses and to restore them in their old style as offices of the Rural Community Council of Somerset.
PRESERVING VILLAGE LIFE.
That Council tried to further in all sorts of directions the good of the rural community in general. Anything which was for the betterment of conditions of those who lived in country villages was the work of the Rural Community Council. It had been the means of providing a large number of village halls and producing very efficient village dramatic societies. It had also been the means of saving village crafts and industries which were at one time in danger of dying out owing to the output of factories, &c.
He wanted them to realise what wonderful work the Somerset Rural Community Council was doing and also to realise that, in a sense, the building of those almshouses was due to the “fairy godfather,” who was prepared, not only to buy, but to spend a large sum of money in making the beautiful old almshouses a worthy memorial to the worthy capital of Somerset.
GENEROUS BENEFACTORS.
When the scheme was decided upon it was necessary to find something to take the place of the old almshouses. Mrs. ROSE then came to the rescue. They were sorry she was ill and unable to be there because one thing they would have done would have been to show their gratitude for what she had done and made possible. They were also grateful to another – one whose name was not to be made public – who had done a lot towards making the provision of the almshouses possible. He was one who lived among them, and whose life was at their service. The Almshouse Committee also deserved the greatest possible thanks for all they had done in the matter. They congratulated the architect who designed the houses. He lived in the village, and it was a splendid thing that the whole thing had been “more or less done amongst themselves.” He hoped that now the almshouses were built that the ladies who were going to occupy them would enjoy them for many years to come.
THE OLD WAYS.
The younger ones among them might be carried away with the idea that all the modern inventions rather put the old things out of date. That was entirely wrong. They still needed the old experiences, the old quiet times for thought, and quiet times for doing things without hurry, in spite of the fact that they could do so much more now because of modern inventions.
He wanted them to realise how much they owed to the past. In Somerset at the beginning of the Christian era, the seed of Christianity was planted at Glastonbury, and from there branched out, as symbolised by St. Joseph's staff, into the whole of Somerset and England, into the Empire, and, perhaps, throughout the world. England, through that one seed, was indispensable to the world in bringing about “peace on earth, goodwill towards men,” which was a most important thing, and was, he believed, so closely linked up with the traditions of the past. It was the older people who, with their experience, would steady the younger ideas and stop them from running away.
Major GARTON was thanked for opening the almshouses by the Rector.