Dilke Memorial Hospital - Cinderford - Gloucestershire

The Opening of the Dilke Hospital 1925
The original foundation stones covered during the disabled ramp construction

1927 Death of Dr Bangara Dr M.L.Bangara

M.L.Bangara was born at Mangalore in South India in 1881. After qualifying as a doctor at Edinburgh University he moved to Cinderford in 1915 working in his own practice and at the Dilke Memorial Hospital.

In addition to his work as a doctor, he was an active member of the community and a leading light in a variety of local organisations including the Freemasons, Cinderford Horticultural Society, Dickens Fellowship, Excelsior Band and Cinderford Male Voice Choir.

Dr Bangara died of complications following influenza shortly after his 46th birthday in 1927. The 'In Memoriam' pamphlet published later that year shows the very considerable affection and respect in which he was held in Cinderford.

Dr R.N.Nanda

One of the mourners at Dr Bangara's funeral in 1927 was his colleague Dr R.N.Nanda of St Briavels. Like Dr Bangara, R.Natha Nanda qualified in Scotland. According to Kelly's Directory, he succeeded Dr Moyle in practice at Humphrey's Lodge, St Briavels, and also as medical officer and public vaccination officer for the St Briavels district, in about 1922. He continued to practice in St Briavels at least until the mid-1940s.

Pix courtesy County Records Office

Dr Satyendra Nath Seal

Dr Satyendra Nath Seal practised with Dr Bell at Barton Street in Gloucester in the early 1920s. Like Dr Bangara, Dr Seal was a graduate of the medical school at Edinburgh University.

April 26th 1945 Queen Mary visited the Dilke Hospital
Queen Mary was the wife of George V and mother to Edward VIII and George VI.had her hand x-rayed at the Dilke hospital on a Royal visit .
    

1988 Closure of the maternity unit

Gloucestershire Society for Industrial Archaeology
The Society assisted in 1988 in an unsuccessful campaign to prevent the closure of the maternity unit at the Dilke Memorial Hospital in the Forest.  Its closure greatly reduced the chances of future generations fulfilling one of the necessary conditions to become a freeminer, that is to be born in the Hundred of St. Briavals

Wednesday, 10 October 2001 09:51
The Scotsman · www.scotsman.com
143 SNAKES IN CUPBOARD
A nurse yesterday opened a hospital boiler room cupboard to be confronted by 143 snakes. The nurse screamed in terror and leaped to safety as the grass snakes moved towards her. Staff rushed to help but the nurse, who has not been named, was unable to calm down until she was told they were not poisonous. Eric Pritchard, a reptile expert who caught the snakes at Dilke Hospital in Cinderford, Gloucestershire, said: "I suspect a pregnant snake sneaked into the boiler room and then set up home."