Yeovil's Virtual Museum

Dr. Charles James Marsh

The 'Second Founder' of Yeovil District Hospital

 

Charles James Marsh was born in 1856 at Stratford Subcastle, Salisbury, Wiltshire, the son of farmer John Marsh (b1823) and his wife Eliza (b1824).

In the 1861 census John and Eliza, together with their four sons; John (b1850), William (b1851), Arthur H (b1854) and Charles, together with a servant, lived at 'In the Roads', Stratford Subcastle, where John was described as a 'Farmer of 486 Acres Employing 9 Men & 6 Boys'.

During the 1870s Charles left home and studied at St George's Hospital, Tooting, London. Founded in 1733, St George's was, and remains today, one of the UK's largest teaching hospitals.

In 1880 he moved to West Coker to start work at Yeovil's Fiveways Hospital. This would be the start of the association between Charles Marsh, TD, LRCP, MRCS, LM and Yeovil's hospitals that would last until 1926.

In the 1881 census 25-year old Charles was listed living at 91 West Coker Village with his mother Eliza, younger brother Alexander (b1864) a Solicitor's Articled Clerk, a boarder and two domestic servants. Charles gave his occupation as 'Physician & Surgeon'.

In 1883 Charles, in the Devizes Registration District of Wiltshire, married Emily Neale May (b1864). They had a son Charles Graham Neale (1884-1911) and a daughter Ellie Kathleen Neale (b1886). Sadly Emily died in Yeovil during the autumn of 1887. She was aged just 23.

In 1890 Charles married Emily Sarah Jackson at Brighton, Sussex. Originally from Holloway, London, Emily had been one of the early trainees at the Nightingale School of Nursing attached to St Thomas' Hospital. She was Matron of Fiveways Hospital from 1887 but resigned on her marriage to Charles, by this time one of the Consulting Surgeons at the hospital.

In the 1891 census Charles, Emily and their children from his first marriage, together with three servants, were living at 4 Penn Hill. Charles listed his profession as "Duly Registered Physician & Surgeon as a General Practitioner". By 1901 only Charles, Emily, Ellie and a servant were living at Penn Hill, with Charles listing his occupation simply as 'Surgeon etc.'.

The family were still in residence in 1911 and by this time Charles Jnr had returned home (he was a 'Ship's Purser (Out of Employ)'. The family had two servants at this time. Charles Jnr, who had been a pupil at Sherborne School, contracted tuberculosis, possibly from his mother, and died at 4 Penn Hill in 1911, aged 26. In memory of his son, Dr Marsh founded the CGN Marsh Prize for cricket at Sherborne School, he also presented altar rails (designed by Mr Bligh Bond) to the Church of St John Baptist in Yeovil. There is also a memorial pew for Charles in the Sherborne School chapel.

Charles' second wife, Emily, died in 1917.

Charles became Senior Consulting Surgeon at the Fiveways Hospital and became one of the prime supporters in the drive for the new Yeovil General Hospital. By the time of the First World War it was becoming clear that the Fiveways Hospital was too small for its purpose. In 1916 the hospital trustees purchased Kingston Manor, from the estate of Thomas Dampier-Bide, together with its extensive grounds known as Bide's Gardens, with the intention of building a new larger hospital. Because of the war, building on the new hospital site did not begin until 1921, the foundation stone being laid in June of that year and the first patients were admitted on 16 December 1922.

In 1924 Charles began serving as Secretary of the new hospital and, although he retired from practice in 1926, he remained Secretary of the hospital until 1934.

In 1929 Charles, accompanied by his daughter Ellie, travelled to Winnipeg, Canada, on board the Canadian Pacific steamship Duchess of York, as a delegate attending the 98th Annual Convention of the British Medical Association.

Dr Charles James Marsh died at Yeovil on 29 May 1940, aged 84. His will (see below) was proved in July at Bristol and his effects were valued at £28,880 13s 3d (about £5.5 million at today's value).

 

 

A portrait of Charles James Marsh, taken shortly after his arrival in Yeovil in 1880.

 

Courtesy of South Somerset District Council

Fiveways Hospital photographed by Henry Stiby around 1880, about the time that Charles first arrived at the hospital.

 

A photograph of around 1885 of a group attending a cricket match. Charles Marsh is 5th from left in the back row, wearing a bowler hat.

 

Emily Sarah Jackson was Matron of Fiveways Hospital from 1887 but resigned on her marriage to Charles in 1890.

 

The Prince of Wales touring the new District Hospital in July 1923. At left is Dr Charles Marsh, by this time the Senior Consulting Surgeon.

 

Dr Charles Marsh, in his later years as Yeovil Hospital's Senior Consulting Surgeon.

 

Dr Charles Marsh in retirement.

 

The Medical and Nursing Staff of the new Yeovil General Hospital in 1932. At centre are the Matron, Miss Ruth Anderson, and Dr Charles Marsh who worked at the hospital from 1880 until 1926, rising to become Senior Consulting Surgeon.

 

 

 

I CHARLES JAMES MARSH of Yeovil in the County of Somerset Physician and Surgeon hereby revoke all Wills and testamentary disposition heretofore made by me and declare this to be my last Will  1. I APPOINT my daughter Ellie Kathleen Neale Marsh Harold Arthur Robert Edmond Unwin of Yeovil aforesaid F.R.C.S. (England) and William Bernard Drake of East Coker near Yeovil aforesaid Webbing Manufacturer (hereinafter called "my Trustees") to be the Executors and Trustees of this my Will  2. IT IS MY WISH that the said Harold Arthur Robert Edmond Unwin and William Bernard Drake shall each have a piece of plate or some other suitable present (free of duty) as a token of my appreciation of their kindness in undertaking the trusts of my Will And my daughter shall at her sole discretion be entitled to purchase or procure such articles as she may consider suitable for this purpose the cost thereof to be borne by my estate  3. I BEQUEATH to my said daughter absolutely (free of duty) all my motor cars and motor accessories and garage stable and garden furniture and effects and the produce of the garden and all the plate plated articles linen china glass books pictures prints furniture and articles of household or personal use or ornament wines liquors and consumable stores and other articles and effects of every kind which at my death shall be in or about my dwellinghouse or any buildings or grounds occupied by me therewith but except money or securities for money And I also bequeath to her free of duty the sum of Four hundred pounds and all the shares I hold at my death in Hope Brothers Ltd. to be paid and transferred to her immediately after my death and in priority to all other legacies and bequests hereby or by any Codicil hereto bequeathed  4. I ALSO GIVE AND BEQUEATH to my said daughter (free of duty) the sum of Twenty-five pounds which I desire shall be subscribed by her to the Yeovil District Hospital to enable her to become a Life Governor thereof but I declare that this expression of my wish shall not be held to constitute a trust  5. I DEVISE my dwellinghouse at Penn Hill in which I am now residing together with the pleasure grounds lands gardens outbuildings and appurtenances thereunto belonging and also the land adjoining thereto (which I recently purchased) together with the buildings thereon Unto my said daughter absolutely  3. I EXPRESS the with (but without imposing any testamentary obligations on my Trustees) that my Trustees shall at the discretion of my daughter (to be communicated to my Trustees within three months of my death) pay to my gardener Frederick Hunt the sum of Fifty pounds and such amounts as my said daughter may thin desirable to all or any other of my servants in my employ at the date of my death  7. I BEQUEATH the sum of Two hundred pounds free of duty to the Governors of Sherborne School such sum to be invested by them and the income thereof applied as follows :- In the first instance for the purpose of obtaining a suitable presentation cricket bat (to be called "the C.G.N. Marsh Presentation Bat") with small silver shield or plate attached inscribed "Sherborne School C.G.N. Marsh Average Bat Year..." to be presented annually to the Scholar at such School who holds the highest average score for not less than six innings in cricket matches played for such School during the last preceding cricket season and for obtaining some small badge or trophy (to be called "the C.G.N. Marsh Badge or Trophy) to be presented to the Captain of Cricket in the said School during the same season the selection and purchase being left to the Authorities of such School And to apply the remainder of the said income in augmentation of the income of the Superannuation Scholarship Fund of such School  8. I BEQUEATH the sum of One hundred pounds free of duty to the Governors of Weymouth College to be invested by them and the income thereof applied for the purpose of obtaining a Presentation Cricket Bat and Badge or Trophy (to be called "the Marsh Presentation Bat and Badge or Trophy" respectively) for the benefit of the Students of Weymouth College under the same conditions in all respects as are above mentioned with regard to Sherborne School except that the Shield or Plate shall be inscribed "Weymouth College Marsh Average Bat Year..."  9. I DECLARE THAT THE RECEIPT of the Treasurer Secretary or Clerk to the Governors or other authorised officer of Sherborne School and Weymouth College respectively shall be a sufficient discharge to my Trustees for the respective legacies bequeathed by the last two preceding clauses of this my Will  10. I BEQUEATH the following legacies to be paid and payable on the death of my said daughter but without any interest in the meantime that is to say :- (a) To the Vicar and Churchwardens of St. John's Church Yeovil aforesaid the sum of Five thousand pounds such legacy to be applied as to four-fifth parts thereof in providing and erecting a new stained glass window worthy of such Church over the Altar (in substitution for the existing window there) ( the centre piece of such new window to be a representation of the Crucifixion) and otherwise in beautifying and improving the interior of the East end of the said Church and as to the remaining one fifth part thereof for such purposes connected with the said Church as the said Vicar and Churchwardens shall in their discretion think fit PROVIDED ALWAYS and I hereby direct that until the above mentioned four-fifth parts of the said legacy of Five thousand pounds shall have been used or applied for some one or more of the purposes hereinbefore specified the same or such part thereof as shall not have been so used or applied shall be invested by the said Vicar and Churchwardens in some investments authorised by law for the investment of trust funds and the income thereof as and when received shall be paid to the Governors of Yeovil District Hospital to be applied by them for the benefit of such Hospital  (b) To the Governors of the Yeovil District Hospital aforesaid the sum of Ten thousand pounds to be applied by such Governors for the purpose of naming or establishing and endowing a Ward to be called "the Marsh-Jackson Ward"  (c) To the Governors of the Yeovil District Hospital aforesaid the further sum of One thousand pounds to be invested and the income thereof paid to the Matron for the time being of the said Hospital And I declare that it is my express wish and intention that such income shall not be considered as a part of the salary or emoluments of such Matron and shall not be taken into account by the Governing Body of such Hospital in fixing such salary the object of this bequest not being to save the income of the Hospital but to ensure so far as possible that the Matron thereof shall be highly qualified  (d) To the Public Trustee the sum of Three thousand pounds to be invested by him and the income thereof to be paid by him annually during the first week in November in each year in equal proportions respectively to the Vicars and Churchwardens for the time being of St. John Baptist Church Holy Trinity Church and St. Michael's Church all in Yeovil aforesaid such sums to be spent and applied by such Vicars and Churchwardens for the purpose of providing in their respective Parishes Blankets or bodily comforts for such families (consisting of not less than two children under the age of fifteen years) in poor circumstances as they shall in their absolute discretion consider in need of such comforts and a certified account of how such sums have been expended shall be rendered annually to the Public Trustee by the said Vicars and Churchwardens not later than the April following the payment and I direct that the Public Trustee shall be empowered to withhold further payments of such income until such certified accounts shall have been rendered to him and the amounts so withheld are to accumulate and be added to future payments  (e) To the Governors of St. George's Hospital Hyde Park Corner London the sum of One thousand pounds one half of which is to be applied towards the St. George's School Scholarship and the remainder to be applied towards the upkeep of the Hospital  (f) To the Governors of Sherborne School the sum of One thousand pounds in augmentation of the Sherborne School Scholarship Fund and  (g) To the Governors of Weymouth College the sum of One thousand pounds in augmentation of the Weymouth College Scholarship Fund  11. I DECLARE that the receipt of the Treasurer Secretary Clerk to the Governors or other authorised officer of Yeovil District Hospital Sherborne School Weymouth College and St. George's Hospital respectively and the Vicar and Churchwardens for the time being of St. John's Church aforesaid shall be sufficient discharges for all legacies or sums of money bequeathed or payable to the Governor of such Hospitals Sherborne School and Weymouth College and the Vicar and Churchwardens of such Church respectively under or by virtue of this my Will  12. I DEVISE AND BEQUEATH to my Trustees all the rest and residue of my real and personal estate of whatsoever description and wheresoever situate Upon trust that my Trustees shall sell call in and convert into money such parts thereof as shall not consist of money and shall out of the moneys produced by such sale calling in and conversion and out of my ready money pay my debts and funeral and testamentary expenses and the pecuniary legacies hereinbefore bequeathed (other than the legacies made payable on the death of my said daughter) and the duties payable in respect of any legacies hereinbefore bequeathed free of duty and shall invest the residue of the said moneys and stand possessed of the said residuary moneys and the investments for the time being representing the same (hereinafter referred to as "my residuary estate") Upon trust to pay the income to my said daughter for her life without power of anticipation during any coverture   AFTER the death of my said daughter my Trustees shall hole my residuary estate as to one half part or share thereof Upon trust for such person or persons and for such purposes as my said daughter shall from time to time or at any time by deed or deeds revocable or irrevocable or by Will or Codicil appoint And as to the remaining one half part or share thereof Upon trust for all my nephews and nieces in equal shares PROVIDED that if any nephew or niece of mine shall die in my lifetime or in the lifetime of my said daughter leaving issue at the death of my said daughter such issue shall take and if more than one equally between them the share which his her or their parent would have taken in my residuary estate if such parent had survived me and my said daughter  I DIRECT that in the event of my brother Alexander Selfe Marsh surviving my said daughter then the portion of my residuary estate which under the last preceding clause would go to his daughter Hilda shall be held in trust and invested and the income to arise therefrom shall be paid to my said brother during his life and after his death my Trustees shall hold the principal sum representing the said investment upon trust for my Brother's said daughter Hilda absolutely but if she shall die during the lifetime of my said Brother then I give the said share to the children of my late nephew and Godson Charles Kenneth Marsh in equal shares absolutely upon their attaining the age of twenty one years such gift to be in addition to any other benefit they may receive under this my Will  IN WITNESS whereof I have hereunto set my hand to this my Will contained in this and the three preceding sheets of paper this twenty-second day of December One thousand nine hundred and thirty-six

Charles J Marsh

SIGNED by the said Charles James Marsh the Testator as and for his last Will in the presence of us both being present at the same time who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto set our names as witnesses

H.F. Gould Yeovil Solicitor     J.G. Budden Clerk to Messrs Newman Paynter & Co Solicitors Yeovil

 

I CHARLES JAMES MARSH of Yeovil in the County of Somerset Physician and Surgeon hereby declare this to be a Codicil which I make this twenty-ninth day of June One thousand nine hundred and thirty-six  WHEREAS by Clause 8 and Clause  sub-clause (g) of my Will I have made certain bequests to the Governors of Weymouth College Now I hereby declare that these gifts are conditional on the College remaining as at present constituted and connected with the Church of England and if during my lifetime or the lifetime of my daughter the constitution of the said College shall be altered to come under the control of the Roman Catholic or Nonconformist Church then I revoke the said bequests and I give the same to the Governors of Sherborne School and the Governors of St. George's Hospital London in equal shares in addition to and augmentation of the bequests already made to them under my said Will 2. IN all other respects I confirm my said Will  IN WITNESS whereof I have hereunto set my hand the day and year first before written

Charles J Marsh

SIGNED by the said Charles James Marsh as and for a Codicil to his last Will in the presence of us both being present at the same time who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto set our names as witnesses

Margaret Nicholls  Windemere Widow   E. Kathleen N. Marsh Penn Hill Yeovil Spinster

 

On the 3rd day of July 1940 Probate of this will with a Codicil thereto was granted at Bristol.