A well-attended event presented at length by our speaker. He started by explaining that in the early 20^th century, there were no hospitals in the east of the city. Therefore Handel Cossham, a man with a good fortune, in his will bequeathed to pay for a hospital on Kingswood Hill.

The hospital was built in 1907, 4 wards each with 80 beds. Resident Matron, Doctor and Gardener appointed. Honary (no pay) and Working Consultants were used. The matron had extensive duties appointing nurses. It was a voluntary hospital and as normal not enough money, pre NHS.

Indeed, it had its first closure in 1909 due to finance plus Small Pox outbreak. On reopening a patient might pay a guinea a week. The hospital was home to Belgian Refugees during WW1 !

For comparison in 1963 Cossham attendance was 51,000 per year at a cost of 18s 7d each, Frenchay 22,500 and 31s 6d.

Numerous interesting and thought-provoking facts were provided in the talk.

It finished with the refurbishment of 2013 to complete the story, so far.