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UK Railways Without the Great War?


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32 minutes ago, Fenman said:


To add to that: had society been more fairly organised... if there had been social security... if medical treatment was affordable...

 

Well, quite. But none of those things were true. Which is why that society was a breeding ground for revolutionaries, not, as earlier posters implied, a stable society at risk of infection by that evil foreigner Lenin. 
 

Paul

At the risk of drifting further off topic, we visited the mining museum at the now closed Snibston Discovery Park, a few years ago.

I was astonished to learn that there were no sick bays, or doctors, in mines, up until the 1950's.

Furthermore, if a miner was off sick, or suffered an injury at work which meant he couldn't work, then they went home, without pay, and treated themselves if they couldn't afford a doctor.

What medical facilities there were, were provided by the men themselves, at their own cost, usually via the Union.

I think we forget how lucky we are, and how far we have come.

Edited by rodent279
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3 minutes ago, rodent279 said:

At the risk of drifting further off topic, we visited the mining museum at the now closed Snibston Discovery Park, a few years ago.

Iwas astonished to learn that there were no sick bays, or doctors, in mines, up until the 1950's.

Furthermore, if a miner was of sick, or suffered an injury at work which meant he couldn't work, then they went home, without pay, and treated themselves if they couldn't afford a doctor.

What medical facilities there were, were provided by the men themselves, at their own cost, usually via the Union.

I think we forget how lucky we are, and how far we have come.

Many doctors had insurance schemes where for a small amount a week the miner could cover the costs of a big bill. most of the citys and many bigger towns had free hospitals run by charities .

 

GWR was famous for their medical facilities at Swindon to which any employee could be sent.

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32 minutes ago, rodent279 said:

At the risk of drifting further off topic, we visited the mining museum at the now closed Snibston Discovery Park, a few years ago.

I was astonished to learn that there were no sick bays, or doctors, in mines, up until the 1950's.

Furthermore, if a miner was off sick, or suffered an injury at work which meant he couldn't work, then they went home, without pay, and treated themselves if they couldn't afford a doctor.

What medical facilities there were, were provided by the men themselves, at their own cost, usually via the Union.

I think we forget how lucky we are, and how far we have come.

 

In some areas of the country mining companies did provide medical facilities.   Sometimes this extended to funding beds in hospitals as well as some form of sick pay.

 

Information from talking to (very old) retired miners quite a few years ago.

 

David

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On 23/01/2020 at 10:44, TheQ said:

Many doctors had insurance schemes where for a small amount a week the miner could cover the costs of a big bill. most of the citys and many bigger towns had free hospitals run by charities .

 

GWR was famous for their medical facilities at Swindon to which any employee could be sent.

 

Indeed, I believe the GWR health care scheme was one of the inspirations behind the founding of the NHS.

 

The GWR (along with Huntley & Palmers) also paid for the construction of the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.

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1 hour ago, RJS1977 said:

The GWR (along with Huntley & Palmers) also paid for the construction of the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.

 

Extension, maybe. The London Road building was opened in 1839 on land donated by Henry Addington; having been founded with the patronage of William IV it opened under the patronage of his niece Victoria. Whenever I go past I reflect that some things don't change: patrons prefer to endow buildings over staff and equipment.

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19 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Extension, maybe. The London Road building was opened in 1839 on land donated by Henry Addington; having been founded with the patronage of William IV it opened under the patronage of his niece Victoria. Whenever I go past I reflect that some things don't change: patrons prefer to endow buildings over staff and equipment.


In many ways I submit that's not a bad thing. A building is a big lump of capital that a charitable organisation will have trouble finding, so a big lump gift is appropriate, but staff and equipment needs to be continually resourced out of regular income: if you rely on an occasional patron for it then sooner or later you won't get one when you need it and will be in big trouble. 

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