Photograph/postcard (Many thanks to Keith Boulton) showing a view of the sanatorium. Here you can see the road, called 'Conifer Heights', which brought people and goods to and fro off the B4197 on Ankerdine Hill. As it turned the corner towards the main house it became 'Pine Grove'.

DEATH OF DR. H. GORDON-SMITH – County Chief Tuberculosis Officer – Saturday 13th May, 1939. (The Evesham Standard)

DEATH OF DR. H. GORDON-SMITH – County Chief Tuberculosis Officer – Saturday 13th May, 1939.

We regret to record the death on Saturday of Dr. Harry Gordon-smith, Chief Tuberculosis Officer for Worcestershire, at Knightwick Sanatorium.  For 31 years he had been Medical superintendent of the King Edward VII Memorial Sanatorium, Knightwick, being appointed in 1902. Four years later he was appointed by the Worcestershire County Council as their Chief Tuberculosis Officer. In which capacity he had control of the whole of the tuberculosis arrangements for the county. Dr. Wyndham Parker, the County Medi­cal Officer, in a tribute, said this morning of Dr. Gordon-Smith :- "He was one of the most able clinicians on chest cases in the Midlands and his services to Worcestershire will long be re-membered, not only by medical men in the county but by a host of grateful patients who passed through his hands in the sanatorium." "Probably an outstanding feature was the kindness and unassuming manner for a man of such great ability." "While it may truthfully be said that Dr. Gordon-Smith's chief interest in life was his work, and in particular the campaign against tuberculosis, he was also very fond of outdoor life. particularly of shooting and fishing, golf and cricket." HIS LIFE'S WORK Dr. Gordon-Smith. who was educated at Cambridge and trained at St. Bartholo­mew's Hospital, was highly qualified. hold­ing the degrees of M.A., M.B., and B. Ch. His advice was always welcomed by medical practitioners in those doubt­ful cases of tuberculosis in which his specialised knowledge was of such value. He was proud of St. Bartholomew's Hospital where be qualified and throughout his life kept in close touch with that institution. It afforded him great joy when his so followed him to "Barts" to qualify for his degrees.   He was most modern in outlook an up- to-date in his methods of treatment. He had adopted the pneumo-thorax and the new gold treatments, and was a highly qualified expert in X-Ray treatment. The new X-Ray apparatus installed at the Sanatorium last year he worked entirely himself, finding it a great aid to diagnosis. In addition to his competent medical administration at Knightwick he found time to take a keen interest in and supervise the 30 acres of orchards and gardens there. He was a man of extraordinary tact, was extremely gentle in manner and be­loved by all with whom he came in contact. Patients and former patients particularly will suffer deep remorse through his passing. Dr. Gordon-Smith, who was 62 years of age, leaves his wife, one son and three daughters. FUNERAL SERVICE AT KNIGHTWICK The little church of St. Mary. Knight­wick, was filled with mourners on Tuesday when the first part of the funeral  service was conducted by the Rector, the Rev. J. R.  Burns, assisted by the Rev, B. B. Woolrych (Powick). Dr. Gordon Smith had requested that no flowers should be bought, and close friends and grateful patients sent tributes  direct from their gardens. The chief mourners were Mrs. Gordon Smith (widow), Mr. Donald Gordon Smith (son), Mrs. Malcolm Taylor and Miss Diana Gordon Smith (daughters), Miss N. Gosling (niece), Sister Watford and Nurse Holloway. One daughter. Miss Valerie Smith, is in Hong Kong.

COUNTY COUNCIL REPRESENTED Representing the County Authority were Mr. C. H. Bird (Clerk of the Peace), Mr. E. T. Nicholas (County Treasurer), Mr. J. Hamilton Smith (Deputy County dacteriologist, representing the County Analyst and the Laboratory Staff), Miss Vinall and Mrs. Pitt (County Health Visitors), Mr. G. P. Cooper (Worcestershire County Officers' Association), Mr. G. Short (Worcestershire Insurance Committee), and the following representing the County Public Health Department were Dr. Wyndham Parker, Dr S. Deaner, Dr. R. B. Mayfield, Dr. M. Glover, Dr G. J. Eady, Dr G. C Harthan. Dr. A. B. Follows, Dr. M. J. Quirke, Dr. E. M. Bulmer, Dr. V. Pugh, Dr R. L. Corlett, Measrs. J. P. Holder (secretary), F. T. Fitzhugh, G. P. Cooper, H L Dyson, C. H. Davis, G. Nield, H. High, Mrs. N. D. Jones, Miss F. I. Ingram, Nurse O'Brien and Nurse Vineall. Governors of the Sanatorium present were Ald. G. W. Hobson, Miss E. H. Dixey, Mr. G. W. Nicholls and members of the Tuberculosis Committee present were Dr. F. W. J. Coaker(chairman), Miss Dora Harris. County Police: the Chief Constable(Capt. Lloyd Williams), and Inspector Holyhead.    Among the ex-patients attending were Mr. H. Wale and Mr. P. Meigh (1906) of Worcester, Mr. P. Spencer (1902) of Bewdley, and Mr. W. Choriton, Mr. F. Jones represented the present men patients, about 30 of whom stood along the road­side as the coffin was carried into and out of the church. OTHER MOURNERS Others present were the Rev. and Mrs. T. B. Wilson of Wolverley, Col. J. Farquhar, Ald. R. B. Worth, Ald. G. Ballard, Mr. Lionel Strettan. Mr. W. G. Hamilton Price  Mr.   and Mrs. W. Wheelock, Mrs. F. C. Jones, Mr. S. S. Somers, of Hagley. Mr. J. Ward, of Worcester. Mr. H. Stokes (J. Ward (Worcester) Ltd., Mr. John Stallard. Col.J. H.  Goddard. Dr. and Mrs Clarke, the Rev. P. Munby, Mrs. Hyams. Dr. S. C. Legge, Miss Langdon, Mr. S.Deaner, Mr. R. B. Mayfield,  Dr. J. Stewart, Mrs Vigors, Mr. R. Hartley, Mrs Hill, Mrs. Domkins, Major M. J. Quirk, Dr. U. W. N. Miles, Dr. Mitchell, Mr. W. J. Beard, Mr. L Beard, Mr. J. C. Bullock, Mr. T. A. Hobbs,  Dr. A. L. Sutcliffe, Mr. G. H. Montgomery, Mr. C. Robinson, Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Reid, Dr. R. S. McArthur, Dr. E. Stanley Robinson, Dr. H. P. Ashe Mr. T.Bates (representing the Honorary Staff of Worcester Royal Infirmary),  Mr.  R.  D. Tennant (representing Mr. H.  J.  Greswolde- Williams), Mr. G. W. Nicholls, Mr. H. R. Pullinger. Mr,  John Walker, Mrs. Romney Green, Miss Garman, Mr. and Mrs. P. Chance, MrJohnson, Mrs.Postill, Mr.J.W. Jones, Mr. T. LawsonWalker, Mrs. Briscoe, Miss Butler. Dr. A. R. Neligan, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Twinberrow, Miss, Holland, Mrs. Cuming   (representing  Admiral  R.  S.  D. Cuming), Miss Wrigley, Mr. H. E. Tovey, Mr. L. R. Jackson. Mr. T. H.Perkins. Among apologies sent were those of Viscount Cobham (President of the Knightwick Sanatorium), Col. C. F. Milward Chairman of Worcestersshire  County Council), Mr.  C.  H. Blackford, Dr. A. J.B. Griffin (Worcester Medical Officer of Health), Mr. W. S. Lane, Mr J. E. Willcox, Miss E. O'Brien, Mr. G. A. Stone, (Local Taxation Officer, President of Worcestershire County Officers’ Association), Miss E. N. Smith  (Hon. Secretary Worcestershire County Officers Association), Mr. E. G. Russelland Mr. B. C. Hammond (County Surveyor).

TRIBUTE BY FORMER PATIENT    Somehow, in  one’s  imagination,  one had always thought of Dr. Gordon Smith as men have thought of the Pyramids of Egypt, as being there (at Knightwick) for ever and as being immune from the havoc and change which death and disease work. Alas, this was  not to be  and death has now removed one who counted for so much in our affections and esteem. He was one of the kindliest souls I was ever privileged to meet and my heart is filled with sorrow as I write this. As one of the many hundreds who passed through his hands, and was the object of his personal interest and care at Knightwick Sanatorium, I feel-yea, have always felt - that I owed him a deep debt of gratitude that I could never hope to repay. It is given to few men to possess the finer attributes of character and disposition to the degree that he possessed them. One had only to look into his eyes - they were in very truth " Wells of Tenderness " - to be assured that he was one of Nature's gentlemen. His work was a kind of religion to him and he was never guilty of neglecting it. During the whole of my somewhat lengthy stay at Knightwick I never saw him suffer even a temporary loss either of dignity or temper. One could, with perfect truth, say of him as he walked from "shelter " to " shelter," or from " shelter " to " pavilion," that he " went about doing good." Nor did he ever grow weary of well doing. He loved, and lived for his work. He realised and responded to the call of poor afflicted humanity to be ministered unto, making it his life's work to minister in the capacity for which Providence had so richly endowed him. DR. H. GORDON-SMITH Though I cannot be present when his mortal remains are laid to rest, I want these poor broken expressions of appreciation to be as a flower to be dropped sorrowfully but unobtrusively into his grave, for when he is laid to rest. Mother Earth will take into her bosom one of the gentlest, tenderest and noblest souls that ever graced the medical profession.