Tenth annual report and accounts : 1923 / The Homes of St. Giles.

  • Homes of St. Giles (London, England)
Date:
1924
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Tenth annual report and accounts : 1923 / The Homes of St. Giles. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    7/20 (page 5)
    As stated in the last Report, ;^i44 had been lent for a year free of interest, towards the cost of the Chaplain’s cottage. This sum has now been repaid, with grateful thanks for the timely help thus afforded. The last Report referred to an anonymous promise of ;^i,ooo, to be given under certain conditions, which, with all our efforts, have proved impossible of fulfilment. Sir Otto Beit has now permitted us to make use of his name in an Appeal, and has modified the terms of his offer to our great advantage. He has promised 5s, for every pound collected before the end of July, 1924, apart from regular subscriptions, whether we attain to a certain figure or not, his own limit being ;£,'i,ooo. There are no other conditions : the money can be put to an endowment fund or used otherwise, as the Committee think fit, invested would materially lessen the burden of financial strain ; but, on the other hand, money is still required for improvements, especially for a road to the new bungalow, badly needed, and for electric light for the patients, to many of whom, with their blindness and crippled hands, oil lamps are a source of danger. Every.effort maist now be made to raise the full ;^',4,ooo (towards which about 1,350 has already been collected) in order to reap the utmost benefit from Sir Otto’s most generous offer. In accordance with the Articles of Association Sir James Du Boulay and Sir William Haynes-Smith retire from office, but, being eligible, offer them¬ selves for re-election, January, 1924. POSTSCRIPT, Since the above Report was written “ St, Giles ” has suffered an irreparable loss in the death, on the 19th of February, of Sir Malcolm Morris, Chairman since its foundation in 1914. Sir Malcolm’s splendid work in medical science, and the enthusiasm with which he attacked every problem concerning the prevention of disease, have made his name familiar to the British public. What he did for lepers in England is hardly known outside a small circle. It is difficult to imagine how, without his support, this little Company, at that time in the hands of trustees without infiuence or experience, could have struggled on under the extremely difficult conditions which arose immediately after its formation owing to the outbreak of war. In spite of more important work he never forgot the wants of St. Giles, His kindness was extraordinary : he was a personal friend of each of the patients, who looked forward to his visits, and were cheered bv the mere thought of his coming ; and those visits he continued even when he was ill, and hardly able to bear the fatigue of the long journey. Looking at the ten vears’ history of “ St. Giles,” one may trulv say that its growth from its precarious beginnings, with opposition and difficulties on everv side, to its present secured position, is mainly due to Sir Malcolm Morris.