It has been announced in the Chronicle and Echo that four blue plaques will be sited in the town and we at the Archives are thrilled that William Barratt will be honoured.
There are a lot of Northamptonians who owe Mr and Mrs Barratt a great deal of thanks for their generosity since the opening of the Maternity Home in 1936, and the gynaecological block two years later.
William Barratt’s wealth came from the family Boot and Shoe business and as an ardent socialist he was keen to leave a lasting legacy for the people of Northampton.
The fact that he and his wife were unable to have children of their own may have influenced their decision but they were blessed with thousands of ‘Barratt babies’.
He and his wife Alice donated £20,000 for the cost of building the maternity home.
Mr Barratt was involved in the planning and decoration of the building and stipulated that the local authorities contribute to the upkeep of the home.
It was designed as a 32 bed unit and nursery, with two delivery suites and a single room for an ante-natal patient on the 1st floor.
The building was spacious and the quality of the furnishings was superior.
Mr Barratt wished it to be a separate building with a separate entrance.
He also thought there should be an arrangement for patients coming in to contribute to their own maintenance within their means.
Mr Robert Watson was appointed obstetrician and gynaecologist in 1935.
At first there was concern shown by local general practitioners as they felt the maternity home would affect the wealth of their practices, as they managed their own obstetric cases, and there were suggestions that only abnormal cases and the poor with unsuitable home conditions who should be admitted, or patients should be attended by their own doctors in the maternity home.
[caption id="attachment_5377" align="alignleft" width="289"] Matron-in-charge, Miss Eleanor Hague[/caption] The Barratt Maternity Home was opened on 4th July, 1936 by HRH Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone.
This was an impressive building with a rose garden in the middle of the drive.
There were symbolic storks either side of the front door.
Here we have matron-in-charge, Miss Eleanor Hague, and (below) with her nurses and new mothers on the ante natal ward in a photo taken in 1950.
When Miss Hague retired in March 1965, 2,886 babies were delivered in her last year compared to 700 babies during her first year in the new maternity home It soon became apparent there was an urgent need for surgical beds in the main hospital and the number of gynae beds was reduced.
Mr Barratt solved this problem by giving money to build a gynaecological block which was fully equipped lavishly furnished and costing over £20,000.
On the ground floor was a new maternity out-patient department along with 34 gynae beds, an operating theatre and various ancillary rooms.
Mr and Mrs Barratt declared there was no need for any formal opening of this block and it came into use in 1938.
What a wonderful legacy from Mr and Mrs Barratt.
[caption id="attachment_5378" align="aligncenter" width="980"] Miss Eleanor Hague, with her nurses and new mothers on the ante natal ward in a photo taken in 1950.[/caption] Julia Corps, volunteer at the NGH Historical Archive.