Over the 139 years of service that Doncaster Gate Hospital has given to Rotherham it has been staffed by hundreds of dedicated people who have provided medical care and assistance to those in need. When the Hospital first opened to patients in April 1872 the Medical Attendants consisted of Mr Pearce as House Surgeon, Mr Cheesewright as Assistance House Surgeon and Miss Penny as Matron. There is no mention of any staff below these ranks but it can only be assumed that they were supported by a dedicated team. However the census of 1881 records that Miss Hale the Matron had a staff of Nurses only numbering four. While nationally the decision over the issue of registered trained nurses was debated over the Nurses at Doncaster Gate could have been supported by a number of volunteers or girls wishing to go into the profession.
With the beginning of World War One the nursing profession received a great influx of women would wanted to do their bit for the war. This development along with the establishment of the Ministry of Health and the Nurses Registration Act in 1919 increased the numbers within the profession. This increase can be seen at Doncaster Gate.
Doncaster Gate became one of the training hospitals for nurses from the age of 18. This was an important mile stone in the history of the hospital as it became as place of teaching as well as a place of medical treatment. As the idea of Cadet Nurses became popular, this again swelled the rank of those working at Doncaster Gate and increased the capacity of the hospital both through physical labour and the expertise which were acquired at a young age.
As a result of these developments Doncaster Gate Hospital has a rich heritage in Nursing which has become part of Rotherham’s history; clearly demonstrated in the Rotherham Advertiser’s celebration of the first Matron’s 100th birthday on 12th March 1938.
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