Great War Memorial Hospital

The Great War Memorial Hospital was unveiled in 1923 and was dedicated to veterans of the Great War from the Perth district.

In 1921, Major J.A. Hope, a Perth barrister, suggested that a hospital could serve both as a tribute to local heroes and service to the people. The idea was adopted by the IODE, Red Cross Society and several other organizations in Perth. On March 2, 1921 a group of five men, Mayor Hope, Hugh A O’Donnell, Edwin H. Wilson, Henry M. Shaw and Edgerton R. Stedman, applied to the Province of Ontario for Letters Patent to authorize the forming of a “Corporation without share capital” to be called The Great War Memorial Hospital of Perth District. It was granted, and the original, dated June 21, 1921 now rests in a vault at the Great War Memorial.

In 1922, Victoria Hall was purchased for $9,812.45. Perth and District was soon to have its Memorial Hospital. Hugh Archibald Richards and William J. Abra, of Richards & Abra, converted the mansion owned by Hon. John A. Stewart for the Great War Memorial Hospital. In 1925 the hospital opened with 20 patient beds. Mrs. W. Danner offered to finance a memorial wing and in 1939 the Danner Wing opened. Richards & Abra designed the Danner Pavilion.

The Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital was incorporated in 1995 following the amalgamation of the Smiths Falls Community Hospital and the Great War Memorial Hospital.

Inscription

[front/devant]

Great War Memorial Hospital of Perth & District

[plaques on columns/plaques sur colonnes]
GREAT
WAR
MEMORIAL
HOSPITAL

[dedication plaque/plaque commémorative]
TO REMIND US OF GREAT SACFRICE AND OF
OUR DUTY. THIS HOSPITAL IS DEDICTAED
TO THE MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THE TOWN
OF PERTH AND THE TOWNSHIPS OF BATHURST
DRUMMOND NORTH BURGESS AND NORTH ELMSLEY
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR KING
AND COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918
AND WHOSE NAMES ARE RECORDED WITH
GRATITUDE AND LOVE IN THE BOOK OF
REMEMBRANCE PLACED BELOW AND IN HONOUR
OF THEIR COMRADES FROM THESE MUNICIPALITIES
WHO SO GLORIOUSLY SERVED

[sign/signe]
Perth and
Smith Falls
District Hospital
GREAT WAR MEMORIAL SITE

L’hôpital Great War Memorial et l’hôpital communautaire de Smith Falls se sont fusionnés pour former The Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital, en 1994.

L’hôpital a été inauguré en 1923, en hommage aux vétérans de la Grande Guerre du district de Perth.

Le texte de l’inscription figure dans la section anglaise.