The History of Northcott House
In October 1946 a Public Meeting was held to discuss the adoption of a scheme for the provision of a Town’s War Memorial and a War Memorial Committee was elected consisting of 26 persons representing the Borough Council, HM Services and the Voluntary Bodies in the Borough.The original idea was to provide an extension to the existing War Memorial Hospital but this was found to be impossible because of the introduction of the National Health Service, and eventually the Committee decided on a Rest Home for aged residents of Gosport.
In June 1947 the Committee gratefully accepted an offer from a local industrialist, Mr GV Northcott, “to make a gift of Bury Hall and grounds as a foundation for a fund for aged people”. Bury Hall and grounds consisted of an old mansion (which had suffered extensive war damage) and some 3.5 acres of grounds. This gift enabled the Committee to start their appeal for funds to build the initial stage of the scheme which was planned as 20 old people’s bungalows on the eastern and western sides of the grounds.
A value payment was obtained from the War Damage Commission in respect of the ruined mansion. The appeal immediately caught the imagination of the townspeople, with the result that very shortly sufficient monies had been subscribed by voluntary organisations and businesses in the Borough to make it possible to let a contract for the erection of the 20 bungalows.
The local builders formed a Consortium and selected one of their number to undertake a contract at an unbelievably low figure, whilst the local builders' merchants undertook to supply bricks, sanitary ware and other fittings at trade price or below.
The Chamber of Trade organised a Trades Exhibition and succeeded in raising sufficient money to cover the cost of a completed bungalow, whilst a Charity Fund (established as a result of the loss at sea of H.M. Submarine "Thames") also donated a sum sufficient to cover the cost of another bungalow in memory of the crew who lost their lives.
A national building contractor, who at the time was engaged in developing an estate in the Borough, generously undertook (free of charge) the construction of the necessary roads and sewers to serve the bungalows, whilst the Public Utility Companies provided the utility services free of charge.
As a result of these generous donations, and the good will which was forthcoming to such an amazing degree, the bungalows were completed and fully equipped ready for occupation on 26th October 1950. The opening ceremony was performed by the Lord Bishop of Salisbury.
The War Memorial Committee agreed that the scheme should be administered by a Housing Society and the God's Port Housing Society Limited was registered (with charitable status) under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1893 on the 1st December 1948. The objects of the Society were "to carry on the industry, business or trade of providing housing and associated amenities (including facilities for rest and recuperation) for elderly persons of restricted means resident in the Borough of Gosport". It was decided that the primary qualification for the residential accommodation provided by the scheme should be "war loss" suffered in either the 1914-18 or the 1939-45 World Wars - "loss" being interpreted to include the loss of a member of the family contributing to its support or loss of a home as a result of enemy action.
The second stage of the scheme was the erection of a Residential Home in the grounds of Bury Hall, and after considerable research and a great amount of free architectural advice, plans were prepared for a 42-bed residential block, including staff accommodation, at an estimated cost of £33,100. An interest-free loan of approximately half this sum was made available by the Hampshire County Council as the Welfare Authority under the National Assistance Act 1948 and the balance was rapidly achieved as a result of a further generous gift from Mr. G.V. Northcott and donations from many organisations and private individuals in the Borough.
The Residential Home was opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on the 20th July 1955 and named "Northcott House". The Home is fully equipped and furnished to a very high standard of comfort, and is fully staffed. Further pictures of the Queen Mother's visit can be seen in the Gallery section.
The management of the whole complex is in the hands of a Management Committee, the members of which are elected at the Annual General Meeting of the God's Port Housing Society. The Society is dependent for its income on the rental from the flats and bungalows and the charges made to the residents of Northcott House. A number of the residents pay the full cost of their accommodation but a substantial number are financially supported by Hampshire County Council Social Services Department which accepts responsibility for a proportion of the charges of such residents.
In 1957 the Society received a gift of £5,000 from Mr. J.J. Wallis to cover the cost of the erection of four additional bungalows in memory of his brother who was a former Master at the Gosport Grammar School.
The Ornamental Gardens which form a most attractive setting for Northcott House and its surrounding bungalows and flats were accepted by the Borough Council as an Open Space for the use of the public, with the result that maintenance is undertaken by the Borough Council free of all charge. A further development of the scheme was undertaken in 1966, principally as a result of a bequest of £15,000 under the Will of the late Miss Maude Baily, a resident in the Borough. A generous gift of £5,000 from Mr. Walter Masterman in memory of his late wife, together with a further interest-free loan from the County Council, enabled the Society to undertake the addition of a new Wing to accommodate elderly residents, and to add a new Residents' Lounge.
The construction of the new Wing was completed in June 1968 and it was named "The Maude Baily Wing" in memory of Miss Baily, and the new lounge was named "The Masterman Lounge" in memory of the late Mrs. Masterman. The final stage of the scheme, consisting of eight single person flatlets, was completed in 1973. These flatlets provide suitable accommodation for persons left alone in the bungalows after the death of their partner, thus freeing the bungalows for occupation by couples on the approved waiting list, or for single persons on the approved waiting list for flats.The initial cost of the flatlets was £32,000 and funds were in hand to meet this figure as a result of a most generous bequest from the late Dr. J.C. Glen, who practised in the Borough for many years.
In 1976 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother made a return visit to Northcott House. Pictured with Her Majesty are the Chief Exectutive W.G.T. Adey (left) and George White, Chairman (4th from left).
The War Memorial Committee having accomplished its task of setting up the Home is no longer in being. The God's Port Housing Society, which consists of the shareholders of the God's Port Housing Society Limited, meets every year to receive reports from the Management Committee, which is responsible for the running of the scheme. The Committee is serviced by the General Secretary and Chief Executive, Assistant General Secretary, and Treasurer.
In 1990, the Society undertook the construction of a further extension to Northcott House in order to increase the number of single rooms available for allocation. This development was made the object of the Mayor of Gosport's Charity Appeal for the Civic Year 1990/91, and the Society is particularly grateful to the Mayor of that year, the late Councillor Sidney Leyland, C.C., who formally opened the extension on 23rd March 1991.
In 1993, after conversion of the former Hospital Wing, some 17 beds became designated as "Nursing Beds" and the Home acquired Dual Registration as a Residential and Nursing Home. Subsequently, a further 3 rooms were converted to "Nursing", giving a total of 35 Residential Beds and 20 Nursing Beds. In 2000, a further 5 beds were converted to Nursing, so that the Home now comprises 30 Residential and 25 Nursing Beds.
As a result of a significant Grant from Gosport Borough Council in 1998, it was possible to extend the 8 bedsit flatlets in Glen House to convert them to flats with a separate bedroom, new heating and hot water systems and to further improve them by the installation of a shaft-lift in each of the two blocks.Apart from the interest-free loans from the County Council, the entire cost of the scheme has been raised by voluntary contributions, bequests and grants.
In 2002, as a consequence of receiving a significant bequest from the Estate of Mr. Albert Poore, a long-time resident of Gosport, it was possible for the Trustees to commission the erection in the grounds of a detached bungalow specifically designed for persons with physical disabilities. Tenants are required to be formally Registered Disabled. The Society's Management Committee resolved that the bungalow be named "Adey Lodge" as a permanent gesture of appreciation of the more than 30 years' service to the Society of their late Chief Executive, W.G.T. Adey, Esq., J.P.
The Society's property now comprises 25 bungalows and 8 flats, the main building, Northcott House, and the administrative offices (which originally formed staff accommodation) which are named "White House" in honour of the late Mr. George White, who worked for and served the Society for very many years as its Chairman, and his wife Mrs. Daisy White, who also served as a member of the Management Committee.
The Society is non-profit making, any and all operational surpluses being used to maintain the buildings, equipment and furnishings of the Home, bungalows and flats. The Society is grateful for bequests and donations to the General Funds and to the Residents' Comforts Fund. Individuals and organisations with an interest in our work may become shareholders with full voting rights on applying through the General Secretary and Chief Executive for consideration by the Management Committee.
The Society's continuing efforts to improve our accommodation are the best evidence of our pride in being the Trustees of this "Living" War Memorial.
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