Memorial Stone Unveiled To Chiswick Hospital
The Chiswick Lodge founder Dan Mason remembered for his contribution to local life
A Memorial Stone has been unveiled at Chiswick Mall to remember the spot where the Chiswick Lodge Hospital was founded by local businessman and philanthropist Dan Mason.
The new stone, a replica of the original foundation stone of the hospital, was unveiled by Sir Alan Munro, President of the Old Chiswick Protection Society (OCPS) at a ceremony attended by a local group keen to preserve the memory of the gift bequeathed to the people of Chiswick.
Sir Alan Munro unveiled the replica stone and spoke of Dan Mason
Dan Mason was the founder (with his brother Charles) of Cherry Blossom Boot Polish, which had its factory by the Hogarth Roundabout. He built a hospital on Chiswick Mall in the 1930s and gave it to the people of Chiswick in perpetuity, having purchased Rothbury House and erected the hospital behind it.
The foundation stone was laid in 1936. The hospital went from being a general hospital to a maternity hospital to a pschyo-geriatric hospital – and then, in spite of a prolonged local campaign to retain it, it was sold for housing development nearly ten years ago. During its time as a maternity hospital, it was the birth place of singer Kim Wilde and Pete Townshend of the Who. Sir Roger Bannister worked as a Doctor there.
(l-r)The Vicar of St Nicholas, Fr. Simon Brandes, Cllr John Todd and Dorothy Bartram
The developers had intended to honour the history of the hospital by retaining the foundation stone and re-laying it, but it was lost in the building works.
The replica stone, which was unveiled last week (Feb 28) was commissioned by the developers Jones Lang LaSalle, and elegantly engraved by John Das Gupta.
Sir Alan Munro, President of the Old Chiswick Protection Society, paid tribute to Dan Mason, who did so much for the people of Chiswick, and to Dorothy Bartram, who indefatigably led the fight to keep the hospital open and then was the prime mover behind getting the replica stone made and installed.
The group who attended the ceremony
It now graces the wall along Chiswick Mall where the hospital used to be, for the many passers-by to see and admire, and to keep the name of Dan Mason alive.
Dorothy Bartram has written a history of the hospital, published by the History Society and available for £5 from Chiswick Library. She has also written Memories of Chiswick Hospital, shortly to be published.
March 6, 2013