 | Lady Layard’s Journal Go to a Date Search the Journal |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |
28 September 1903 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Monday. 28th [September 1903]. A day of great excitement. H.R.H. Princess Christian formally opened our new International Hospital. Since the night 2 years ago when I formed the project I have had many difficulties to over come. I had been at the Italian hospital one day to see some sick English sailors—who were burnt by an explosion on a yacht. I found they had been in bed 3 weeks & never once had been washed. I could not rest that night so I light the electric lamp got a pencil & wrote down a plan for making a foreign hospital wh I proposed at a committee meeting the next day wh was held in this house of the Sailor’s Institute—& today the work is so far complete. I had 2 sales of amateur pictures for it in London—have collected & worked for it & £1000 has already been invested for the hospital. When I returned from London this spring I found the members of the committee downcast so I offered to take the whole thing on my own shoulders & to work it out—this was accepted. Nurse Clare (Miss Eaton) is our matron, a nice & capable woman. We have hired a charming house, let to us by Miss Holland at a very moderate rent—8 beds have been allowed by the authorities & I took the occasion of Pss Christian being here to ask her open the hospital solemnly. She also offered her name at Patron. Soon after breakfast Connie & I ran off to the Giudecca taking the steamer across from the Zattere to see what preparation were being made at the hospital. There were sailors putting up flags—& general cleaning & arranging going on. Connie buckled to & cleaned & arranged the little chapel– Mr Brown was there & brought us back to our lunch in his gondola. Directly after lunch I went off back to the hospital to receive the guests we had invited wh were all (& they were few) the English & American residents who are in Venice, the Prefect, the representative of the big Italian hospital, newspaper correspondent, Boni the jeweller, Moise della Torre the antiquary shopman, &c &c. About 3.20 the little garden was full of people where Pss Christian came up to the riva accompanied by Pss Charlotte S. Meiningen & followed by Pss Victoria & Miss Loch & Connie, the Committee, Mr Horatio Brown, Dr Someren & I received them at the door & led them in. The foreign consuls were 1st presented & then the committee led the Princesses up to the ward where Mr Seale the pro tem chaplain read a prayer & blessing. We then all returned to the green house where Mr Brown read a formal speech, the Pss Christian thanked Miss Holland for her generosity & me for my activity & then declared the hospital open. Refreshments were then served & I had hard work presenting different people to H.R.H. & trying not to forget those who I knew would like it. Then after tea came the inevitable photographing & abt 4.30 the Princesses took up their departure. I & Miss Loch came home to rest ourselves & the Princesses went out alone for an evening row. In the evening Mr Woods & Capt. Mark Ker & Mr Hamilton came to the sailor’s Institute with us all to be present at a Sailor’s Concert & Capt. Ker sang comic songs to them with great spirit wh pleased them immensely. We came home abt 10.30. Capt. Leighton of SS “Sultana” was in the chair & after God save the King was sung, 2 cheers were given for the Princesses. | |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |