Caroline Anne Smedley founded the hydropathic hospital which was opened on Bank Road in 1882^[1] in memory of her husband, the hydropathist and mill owner John Smedley. "It has 24 bed-rooms, and is capable of accommodating upwards of 30 patients"^[2]. Mrs. Smedley was an adviser at the Memorial Hospital, and for many years took an active part in diagnosing the cases of the patients free of charge^[3]. The hospital site was where Ralph Davis's first hydro, South View Cottage, had been^[4].

Mr and Mrs Davis were still at South View a year later[[5]. At present is is unclear who followed on from them, but the last person to practise hydropathy at South View was James Hawley, another bathman at who had worked at Smedley's before setting up on his own. He began to advertise his establishment in 1876[6].

On this page are two very similar views of the Memorial Hospital, with the top image probably dating from around 1915-20 judging from the clothes of the two pedestrians on the far left are wearing. The second photograph was taken quite a few years before as the trees were less mature and there was no clipped hedge behind the wall.

As Robert Wildgoose, J.P., the hospital's chairman, pointed out in 1892, the institution was intended for the sick poor. The hospital was not endowed, nor was it in any way connected with Smedley's Hydropathic Company. It relied on subscribers, though by 1892 several had died so the institution's managers were seeking replacements. Dr. Cecil Sharpe was administering hydropathic treatment at that time, Dr. Hunter was the consulting physician and Mr. Challand, the hydro's manager, was also giving his services. So the hospital may not have been connected with the company, but it was using the hydro's staff and had the support of its directors^[7].

"A wing was added in 1897 in memory of the late Dr. William Bell Hunter, chief physician at the Smedley establishment^[8]" and there were then 28 beds for patients who paid their board but received free treatment. In 1912 the board was 10s per. week^[1]. By 1916 this had risen to 12s 6d and in 1925 the charges had become 21s for men and 17s 6d for women; it was still that rate in 1941 although the number of beds had dropped slightly to 26.

Electric lighting was installed in 1939 thanks to the generous gift from W. Williamson, a resident of the hydro who died that year. At the hospital's annual meeting in July Mrs. Cecil Sharpe, the chairman, stated that there had been fewer patients in the early part of the year. They also suffered from the death of Dr. G. C. R. Harbinson, who had been the hospital's consulting physician for 39 years, and the resignation because of ill health of Dr. Robert MacLelland who had been its visiting physician for 30 years. The Matlock miller Mr. Ernest H Bailey, who had served on the committee, had also died; he bequeathed £100 to the hospital and a bed was endowed in one of the wards as a permanent record of his work. However, Dr. Geoffrey Holmes and Dr. H. Rhys Davies had replaced the doctors. Both Captain Harry Douglas, managing director of Smedley's, and his son Henry were on the management committee as was Mr. G. W. Fordham who was the Douglas family's next door neighbour on Cavendish Road^[9].

When Smedley's Hydro was requisitioned on the first day of the war in 1939 its elderly residents had to be evicted. Several moved into the hospital.

Unfortunately Dr. Holmes, the consulting physician, passed away in 1943 and later newspapers reported who had passed away at the hospital rather than who cared for them^[10].

The hospital became a Convalescent Home. Around 1948 the Ministry of Health rejected a proposal for Smedley's Hydro to join the National Health scheme but they did take over the Smedley Memorial Hospital^[11]. The hospital finally closed its doors and was taken over by the Youth Hostel Association (YHA). The building has now been converted into flats.

The list below, showing the names of the secretary, treasurer and matron, has been compiled from trade directories (coloured links to on line transcripts).

See the hospital's entries in 1891 census | 1901 census

References (coloured links go to on site transcripts):

^[1] Kelly's 1912, p.334.

^[2] "Derbyshire Courier", 7 October 1882. Notes from Matlock.
"This hospital was formerly the South View Hydropathic Establishment".

^[3] "Derbyshire Times", 5 March 1892. Death of Mrs. Smedley of Riber Castle.

^[4] See Matlock & Matlock Bath Public Notices & Announcements, 1855 and 1879. Also Chesterfield House Hydro, Matlock which became Ralph Davis' hydro.

^[5] Ralph Davis was still advertising South View in Kelly's 1864 Directory.

^[6] James Hawley can be found at South View in Kelly's 1876 Directory and in the 1881 census. James and Rebecca Hawley placed a number of advertisements in the press for their South View business between 1876 and 1881, including this:
"Derbyshire Times", 15 June 1881
SOUTH VIEW HYDROPATHIC INSTITUTION, NEAR THE STATION, MATLOOK BRIDGE. CONDUCTED by Mr. and Mrs. HAWLEY. Formerly and for many years at Smedley's Establishment. Terms Moderate. Prospectus Free. Electric Baths. TO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN VISITING MATLOCK. ... An advert a week later said they had now extended the accommodation.

^[7] "Derbyshire Times", 23 July 1892. The Smedley Memorial Hydropathic Hospital. Annual meeting.

^[8] Bryan, Benjamin (1903) "History of Matlock - Matlock, Manor and Parish" London by Bemrose & Sons, Limited. Hunter was the original owner of Hillside, later West Lea. See, for example, his entry in Kelly's Directory of 1891.

^[9] "Derby Daily Telegraph", 25 July 1939. Patients show a decrease. Smedley Hospital at Matlock. Mrs. Sharpe had been widowed in 1928.

^[10] "Derbyshire Times", 20 August 1943.

^[11] "Derby Daily Telegraph", 9 March 1950.

^[12] "Derbyshire Times", 26 October 1945. Mrs. Needham passed away on 10 Oct 1945.