THE BOURNE NURSING ASSOCIATION was established in the late 19th century through the encouragement of Alderman William Wherry (1841-1915). He proposed that such an organisation should be formed with voluntary subscriptions and public grants as a permanent memorial to Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897 but the suggestion got a mixed reception and there was some opposition.

Nevertheless, Alderman Wherry pressed on with his idea and his enthusiasm won the day with the association being formed two years later in 1899 and he was appointed its president. Within ten years, nurses were making almost 2,000 visits a year to treat patients in their own homes, in the town as well as Dyke and Cawthorpe villages, and it was at this time in 1909, that the association was offered a property for use as a cottage hospital, a large detached house of red brick and blue slate on the corner of North Road and Meadowgate. The house, called Brooklands, had been the home of Mr Joseph Butterfield who had moved from Yorkshire some years before and when he died, it was bequeathed in his will to the town on the condition that it should be devoted to the relief of suffering. Miss Eliza Butterfield, one of his two daughters, was appointed a trustee to ensure that his wishes were carried out.

Alderman Wherry, one of the overseers of the parish of Bourne at that time, was also a trustee of Mr Butterfield's will and under his guidance, it was decided that the association should have the use of the house as a cottage hospital and the official opening took place on 28th June 1910 and was performed by the Countess of Ancaster

The first patient was already being treated at the time of the official opening. He was William Thornton, aged five, who had fallen from a bridge in Eastgate breaking his thigh which was set on the kitchen table before he was admitted to the ward to recover which he did sufficiently to present a bouquet to the countess. William incidentally, lived to be 63 and died in July 1969.

The cottage hospital soon became a valued medical amenity for the town and district. In 1914, a total of 71 patients were admitted while staff nurses paid 2,068 visits to various cases of sickness in the district. All householders and their dependents in Bourne were admitted to the hospital free of charge provided their gross income did not exceed 25 shillings a week while people living outside the town were given a similar facility on payment of one guinea a year. Regular fund raising also continued to boost hospital finances with an annual subscription from the Earl of Ancaster and other donations from all sections of the community, some as small as one penny.

The hospital was greatly enlarged in 1920 as a memorial to those who fell in the Great War and the new wing was officially opened on Wednesday 11th May 1921 by Lady Florence Willoughby who was accompanied by her husband, Colonel H D Willoughby, the Member of Parliament for the constituency. The improvements included the addition of two new wards, one with four beds for women on the ground floor and a similar room upstairs was converted for use as a men's ward. Each of the wards had a small adjoining room for nurses in attendance and each had lavatory and bath accommodation while a large room downstairs was converted for use by private patients. The new wing also provided a flat for the matron and sufficient staff accommodation whereas before, some of the nurses had lived outside in a hostel.

By 31st December 1922, 84 patients had been treated in the hospital during the previous ten months and 31 in their own homes and financially, the Butterfield was keeping its head above water. By 1965, the hospital was maintaining 12 beds in three wards, one male, one female and one private. There were five full time nursing staff and four part time with a further four employed on night time duty and there were also four kitchen staff and a porter. Minor surgery was performed in the operating theatre and the hospital also had a busy casualty department while weekly clinics were held by visiting consultants.

In that year, on February 13th, a patient, Miss Sarah Saunders, celebrated her 100th birthday and received a telegram of congratulations from the Queen together with a visit from council leaders who presented her with a bouquet. She was also sprightly enough to receive a television reporter and camera crew and the film of her interview appeared that evening on Anglia TV.

The Butterfield continued to provide a valuable medical service for the town and public opinion helped it survive several attempts at closure, particularly in October 1982 when nurses and members of the public turned out in force to protest and 6,000 people signed a petition demanding that it remain open. But financial restraints and a streamlining of National Health Service resources eventually sounded the death knell and it closed in 1983. Officers from Age Concern in Bourne, supported by local councillors, persuaded Lincolnshire County Council to buy the building from the Peterborough Area Health Authority for £26,000 for use as a day centre by old people and this has been its role since 1985.

It is known as the Butterfield Day Care Centre, now a registered charity which is self-financing but assisted with grants from local authorities. In 1989, the facility was catering for 300 people with day care provision for a further 120, the average age of members being 77, and its operation was seen as a means of keeping the elderly out of sheltered accommodation by allowing them to stay in their own homes and remain active in the community. By 2001, it was open only on four days a week, catering for around 30 people a day with an average age of 84. By 2002 there were 90 elderly visitors a week and the centre was providing meals and social activities together with bathing facilities, hairdressing, chiropody, a library, a domestic service offering help in 80 homes and gardens and, most importantly, a place where the elderly can meet and talk, knowing that they will be picked up and returned home in the centre's minibus.

This is a large building in a commanding location and although there have been many alarms about its future in recent years, the facility continues to survive.

NOTE: This article was published by The Local newspaper on 10th February 2006.