Community1. Women's Christian Temperance Union A Women's Christian Temperance Union formed at Ossett in 1891. At its inaugural meeting a local newspaper reported the platform was "filled with ladies" who "fairly surprised many persons in the audience by their ability as public speakers". All of the speakers advocated total abstinence as the antidote to intemperance and stressed the powerful influence wielded by women in the home.
2. Miss Boileau - Health Visitor The appointment by the Wakefield Sanitary Aid Society of Miss Boileau as a health visitor in 1903 initiated an improvement in maternity care in Wakefield. In 1906 she founded Babies Welcome, the first organisation of its kind to encourage pregnant women to save money to buy baby clothes and other necessities. Later it also made grants to those in need and a similar organisation was established in Leeds. Wakefield's first health visitor was appointed in 1908 and in 1917 a maternity hospital, central child welfare centre and ante-natal clinic were established. St John's Mount opened in April 1919 with Charlotte Dickson of the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital as first matron. Fees for expectant mothers were set at 10s a day plus a further 2s for maintenance. In 1928 Dr Jessie Eeles was appointed as the first doctor with specific responsibility for the children's and women's services and the new maternity hospital was opened in October 1935
Copyright 2004, John Hargreaves |
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