Among other Presidents have been the widowed Lady Banks; Lord Yarborough, on several occasions; the Honble. and Rev. John Dymoke; to whom succeeded the Honble. Henry, afterwards Sir Henry Dymoke, Bart.; Lord Worsley; the Right Honble. E. Stanhope, M.P.; J. Banks Stanhope, Esq. After the death of Mr. Stanhope, Jan. 18th, 1904, it was resolved, at a special meeting of the Governors, Jan. 28th, that the Secretary should record, among the minutes, their regret at his death, and their high appreciation of his
long and generous support. The chairman was requested to send a copy of this to the Honble. Mrs. Stanhope; and at a meeting held on March 31st, following, a very kind letter in reply was read from Mrs. Stanhope, promising her support in the future, in lieu of that of the deceased gentleman. The chairman was again requested to convey to her the thanks of the Governors, and Mrs. Stanhope was elected and continued to be President until her death, October 25th, 1907.
Among Vice-Presidents have been two Earls Fortescue (father and son); Lord Worsley: Sir Joseph Hawley, Bart.; J. Hassard Short, Esq.; Earl Manvers; C. H. Massingberd Mundy, Esq.; General Sir E. Brackenbury, Knight of Hanover; J. Lewis Ffytche, Esq.; Capt. Dallas York, Lord Willoughby d’Eresby; Sir H. M. Hawley, Bart.
For many years a ball was given in aid of the funds, in the Assembly Room, Bull Hotel, Horncastle, which (with the exception perhaps of the “stuff” ball at Lincoln) was the most fashionably attended of any such gathering in the county. Among the stewards of this ball we find the names of G. M. Alington, Esq., of Swinhope Hall; Joseph Livesey, Esq., Stourton Hall; C. Waldo Sibthorpe, Esq., Canwick Hall; G. F. W. Sibthorpe, Esq.; Col. Sibthorpe, M.P.; the Right Honble. C. T. d’Egremont, M.P.; E. Heneage, Esq., M.P.; Capt. Mansell, of Well Hall; G. B. Langton, Esq., of Langton Hall; J. Banks Stanhope, M.P.; Sir Montague Cholmondly, Bart.; Sir Charles H. J. Anderson, of Lea, Bart.; Sir William Ingilby, Bart., Ripley Castle, Yorks; Lord Yarborough; H. Handley, M.P., Sleaford; Lord Amelius Beauclerk; Capt. Boucherett, North Willingham Hall; Honble. Capt. Monson; Capt. Lionel Dymoke.
Among the lady patronesses were Lady Worsley, the Duchess of St. Albans, Lady Mary Christopher, Mrs. G. W. Sibthorpe, Lady Anderson, Mrs. Livesey, Lady Nelthorpe, Lady Dymoke, Lady Albinia Pye.
These balls were discontinued, to the general regret, and to the loss of the dispensary, after the year 1871; and to make up for the loss Mr. J. Banks Stanhope in that year presented the institution with a cheque for £20.
We close this list of officials, with a brief account of the dispensers, on whom the efficiency of the institution largely depended. They were usually qualified chemists, or surgeons and apothecaries; and generally also acted as secretaries. The first of these we have already named, Mr. John Chislett, to him succeeded Mr. Lewis Bilton, secretary and compositor, 1793–1799; L. Barton, compositor, 1799–1801; G. Lunn, compositor, 1801–1807; John Lenton, compositor, 1807–1809; William Morley, compositor, 1809–1810; Thomas Taylor, surgeon apothecary, compositor, 1811–1826; Thomas Snaith, Surgeon, 1826–1834; William Ward, surgeon and apothecary, 1834–1839; W. Shepherd, 1839–1840 (ad interim); Francis Macarthur, [124] dispenser, 1840–1865; William Caunt, dispenser, 1865–75; William Betts, Chemist and Druggist, 1875, Lady-day; elected secretary Nov. 2nd, 1882; his services have extended over a longer period than those of any previous dispenser.
On the death of the Champion, Sir Henry Dymoke, Bart., April 28th, 1865, the Governors resolved to erect a new dispensary, as a memorial of his long connection with the charity. Circulars were issued inviting subscriptions, and, among other donors, Robert Vyner, Esq., of Gautby Hall, gave £200;
the site of 52, North Street, was purchased, and the present building was erected in 1866. In 1867 the old house in the churchyard was sold for £142 11s. 4d., and the new premises were occupied in the autumn of that year. It was built from the designs of Messrs. Bellamy & Hardy, Architects, of Lincoln, the contractor for the work being Mr. Robert Carter, Builder, of North Street, Horncastle. The original contract was for £765, but the ultimate cost, with furniture, lawyer’s expenses, &c., amounted to £1,026 10s. 11d. It is subject to a ground rent of £1 to the Stanhope estate.
Of late years the support, by subscriptions, has on several occasions been inadequate. In January, 1899, there being a deficit of £70, the late Mr. J. Banks Stanhope gave the Governors a cheque for that amount. In the year 1905, there being again a serious deficit, application was made to the trustees of the Hurstcroft and Snowden charity, and they contributed £20 on condition that 25 poor children should receive medical treatment free of charge. A further sum of £53 14s. remaining as a surplus, in the hands of the Soup Kitchen Committee, was also given to the funds. Canon Quarrington, formerly Vicar of Horncastle, also contributed £20; and other donations made up a relief fund of £106 (see Report for the year). The debt was thus wiped out, but death having carried off many former subscribers, increased support will be needed in the future.