RETURN

Those who gave generously

Frederick Acton, a solicitor (probate £55,398: 1933), who left £10,000 to the Nottingham General Hospital, was described on his death as the "greatest hospital and enthusiast Nottingham has ever known" a man of "zeal and untiring efforts in promoting the welfare and progress" of the institution (Haynes, N. 29: 2013).

William Goodacre Player (probate £1,606,739: 1959) of the Player tobacco empire had a share capital of some £200,000 and by 1900 employed 1,000 workers yet it was not simply the money he donated (purportedly some £150,000) which made Player a noteworthy benefactor. With a reputation for conscientiousness and attention to detail, he saw it as his job, amongst other things, to check on the condition of the hospital chapel's paintwork, to ensure that surgical waste was being correctly disposed, to help redesign the porters uniform, to meet with local fundraisers and to help recruit local manufacturers and the gentry to stand for office (Haynes, N. 297: 2013).

Frederick Acton

William Goodacre Player

Sir Louis Pearson (probate £459,954: 1943), who ran a major engineering company, when asked how much time managing the hospital took, thought some "two or three afternoons a week, at least (Haynes, N. 297: 2013).

As a major donor, Sir Louis Pearson donated £13,000 and raised a further £12,000.

Sir Louis Pearson

His nephew, Lieutenant-Colonel Noel Gervis Pearson (probate £393,367: 1958) who took over in 1942, continued to run the family engineering company, but apparently it was the hospital which "made the chief interest (one might say hobby) of his life in which he visited every day (Haynes, N. 297: 2013).

Lieutenant-Colonel Noel Gervis Pearson