Passmore Edwards District Cottage Hospital

Passmore Edwards District Cottage Hospital, Tilbury, Essex, also known as Tilbury and Grays District Cottage Hospital was a hospital in Tilbury, Essex.

History

The hospital was one of several cottage hospitals funded by John Passmore Edwards, a wealthy philanthropist, journalist, newspaper owner and Member of Parliament. In 1894 Tilbury had a population of 14,000, a busy dock, but no hospital.^[1] Passmore Edwards agreed to contribute £2000 towards the construction of a cottage hospital.^[1] He was asked to lay the foundation stone in October 1895,^[2] the hospital opened in 1896, and was enlarged in 1900-1901.^[3] The hospital Chairman was Sidney Holland^[4] who had just joined the management committee of The London Hospital, in Whitechapel, and was also Chairman of Poplar Hospital.^[5][6][7] The hospital closed in 1969 and hospital provision was taken over by Orsett Hospital, now Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.^[8]

Notable staff

The first two matrons both trained at The London Hospital under Matron Eva Luckes.^[9]

• Caroline Myra Watson (1856-1948), Matron 1896-1915.^{[9][10][11][12]} Watson trained between 1889-1891 and stayed on to work as a staff nurse afterwards.^[13][14] In 1895 she moved to Poplar Hospital as a Sister.^[14] As hospital Chairman, Holland oversaw the selection of a matron for the new hospital and appointed Watson without advertising the position.^[4]
• Anna Cornelia Jeppsen (1880-1951), Matron 1915- until at least 1918.^[15] Jeppsen trained between 1910-1912.^[16] After her training she stayed on as a staff nurse and undertook Midwifery training before becoming matron in Tilbury.^[17][18][19]