Singleton and Patrick's Plains Benevolent Society
In 1846 at the third annual general meeting of the Singleton Benevolent Society at Cox's Inn, the committee urged 'friends of benevolence' to come forward and liberally and cheerfully continue to place their subscriptions and donations at the disposal of the Committee so as to enable them to ameliorate the condition of the destitute, and alleviate the suffering of the afflicted fellow creatures in the town and district of Singleton. Perhaps some of those at the meeting recalled a young man named William Hooker who had come to Singleton from the Bulga in 1845 in a very distressed condition. From the energies of Dr. Vallack lodgings were procured (a proper building had yet to be provided for the purpose). Aid was promised however William Hooker died on Sunday morning at 2 o'clock before he could be assisted. He had an inflammation of the lungs for nearly a month without medical advice. It was agreed that an asylum could do much real good in alleviating the mental and bodily sufferings and miseries of fellow creatures. At the Annual general meeting in 1846 those who had some of their dependents relieved by the society but who had never contributed funds were called on to enter their names and qualify themselves to recommend applicants.
Those present at the Third Annual General Meeting:
Thomas Cullen, treasurer, Helenus Scott, President, John Keating Honorary Secretary, Mr. J. Browne, T.B. Cox, Henry Dangar, J. Holden, James Kingsbury, W.C. Lesley, T.W. Robinson, Mr. Rotton, Dr. Stolworthy, Dr. VallackThe Society had three major means of raising money - public donations of money, funds from the police fines and contributions from those whose dependents (assigned servants, employees etc) used the facility. They also accepted other donations. John Browne Bossley, late resident of the township donated flour to the society's poor and afflicted, Mr. Munro provided transport and Drs. Stolworthy and Vallack gave their services of attendance and advice gratuitously as well as working on the committee. The Amateur Theatrical Company also contributed towards the Society.
The following settlers in the vicinity were thanked for their generous donations which were the means of 'feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, administering relief to the diseased, extending the helping hand in accidents and burying the dead:
Reverend T. Cameron, Reverend, M. Stephens, Mr. Bailey, Mr. Lesley, Mr. Browne, Mr. Munro, Mr. Horne, Mr. Cullen, Mrs. H. Dangar, Mrs. Burdekin, Mrs. Perrett, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Cox, Mr. Hope, Mr. Ogg, Mr. Scott, Mr. Larnach, Mr. White, Mr. Dangar, Captain Russell, Patrick Ryan
A committee was formed consisting of John Browne, T.W. Robinson, T.B. Cox, W.C. Lesley, J. Holden, Alexander Munro and James Kingsbury and Dr. Stolworthy and Mr. Browne were to solicit donations on behalf on the society from the inhabitants of Singleton.
| Applicant | Condition | Relief Afforded |
| Dennis | Age & Infirmity | Two week's rations, and medical aid |
| Glossop | Age (80) | Two week's rations, and travelling expenses to Sydney |
| Yeby (Aboriginal) | Board, lodging medical aid, and burial expenses | |
| Moon | Infirmity | Two weeks' board and lodging, medical aid, and travelling expenses to Sydney |
| Darcy | Debility | Board and lodging medical aid, and travelling expenses to Sydney |
| Desmond | Age & infirmity | Seven weeks' rations, and medical aid |
| Davey | Accident | Rations |
| Blake | Invet. disease | Rations, medicine, and clothing |
| Studley | Sudden death | Funeral expenses |
| Webb | Age | 10/- towards expenses to Sydney |
| McGrady | Consumption | Travelling expenses to Sydney |
| Fox | Diseased thigh | Rations and medical aid |
| Bene | Dropsy | Medicines |
| Walker | Indigence | Rations |
| Thompson | Scurvy | Rations and medical aid |
| Rawlins | Blindness | Clothing |
| Toohee | Wretchedness | Rations and clothing, medical aid and burial expenses |
| Dorman | Infirmity | Rations and clothing |
| Delmore | Consumption | Medicines and burial expenses |
| Mackersay | Aneurism | Board, lodging, medicines etc |
| Clare | Rheumatism | Rations and clothing |
| Child (Orphan) | Death | Burial expenses |
In 1849 the committee submitted a report to the annual meeting outlining the donations and funding. They had received £26/9/6d from private subscriptions, £17/5/6d from Police fines, £80/8/9 from unclaimed pound cattle, Govt. grants £62/5/11d, Proceeds from public ball £11/10/0d, Collections from Churches £6/0/0d.
The patients who had received treatment at the expense of the Benevolent Society in that year were also noted:
Hospital Patients
| Thomas Cagney | 690 days in hospital, suffering from old age and general debility (100 years old) | Still in hospital |
| William Waldon | 389 days in hospital. Tumour | Died |
| John Mahon | 117 days, Chronic asthma | Died |
| Alexander McLean | 31 days, diseased spine | Died |
| Michael Parker | 28 days, accident from the upsetting of a dray | Discharged cured |
| Benjamin Cann | 3 days, debility | Forwarded to Maitland |
| William Simpson | 70 days, rheumatism | Discharged, cured |
| Henry Seakins | 26 days, secondary symptoms | Discharged, cured |
| Mrs. Lamb | 11 days, consumption | Removed by her husband |
| Henry Bates | 21 days, broken leg | Died |
| Francis Ramsay | 2 days, blind and destitute | Forwarded to Maitland |
| H.J. Crofton | 14 days. Destitution | Discharged |
| William Wilson | 88 days, Diseased lungs | Left of his own accord |
| Benjamin Smallwood | 56 days, chronic rheumatism | Still in hospital |
| Patrick Dunn | 28 days, consumption | Died |
| Cornelius Burns | 42 days, Scurvy and chronic rheumatism | Still in hospital |
| Patrick Keefe | 2 days, destitution | Forwarded to Maitland |
| William Barter | 45 days, broken leg | Still in Hospital |
| Patrick Carr | Brother and 4 children, 2 days, accident from upsetting of a dray | Discharged |
| M. Donald | Wife and 5 children, 28 days, accident from the upsetting of a dray | Still in hospital |
Out door patients
| Dorman, Thomas | 7 days on society, suffering from destitution; relief given, rations and clothing | Discharged |
| Green, Richard | Wife and two children, 42 days, husband a bad leg; surgical attendance and rations to family | Discharged |
| Dawson, James | Wife and six children, 28 days, husband broken arm; surgical attendance etc and 10/- per week | Discharged |
| Rawlins, Thomas | Blindness | Clothing |
| Jackson, William | And wife 126 days, husband, injury to arm; medical attendance and rations | Still on society |
| Poulton, William | Blindness | clothing and cash |
| Kenavy, Thomas | Paralysis | clothing |
| Harmon, George | 14 days, Disease of the lungs; medical attendance and rations | Discharged |
In 1850 the Annual General Meeting was held at the Forbes Hotel. In the absence of the President Henry Dangar, who excused himself from attending through indisposition, John Bronwne, of Macquarie Place took the chair. In the committee report that followed it was revealed that from the practice adopted of boarding out patients it was impossible to carry out beneficially the objects of the society therefore they decided to rent a building which was converted into an asylum. A matron was appointed and the entire arrangement was proving very satisfactory. A total of twenty two patients had been admitted to the asylum; 1 had since died and 4 were likely to be permanent inmates. Of the out door relief patients 3 had died and 4 were still on the books. The committed filed the following information:
Indoor Patients
| Cagney, Thomas | 151 days, complaint, old age and debility | removed |
| McDonald | Wife and 5 children. 56 days. injuries received from upsetting of a dray | discharged |
| O'Donnell, Michael | 40 days; hydrocele | discharged |
| Smallwood, Benjamin | 365 days; general debility | still in asylum |
| McMackin, William | 25 days; fistula | discharged |
| Brown, James | 1 day; ulcerated leg | discharged |
| Barter, William | 119 days; broken leg | Discharged |
| Davies, William | 130 days; broken leg | discharged |
| Jones Ishmael | 15 days; disease of lived | died |
| Burns, Cornelious | 210 days; chronic rheumatism | still in asylum |
| Kenavy, Thomas | 31 days; paralysis | dismissed for drunkenness |
| O'Neale, John | 10 days; debility | discharged |
| Smith, William | 28 days; syphilis; | forwarded to Sydney |
| McCarty, Dennis | 91 days; old age and debility | still in asylum |
| Ryan, Patrick | 3 days; ulcerated leg | still in asylum |
| Ratcliffe, Patrick | 19 days; old age and debility | still in asylum |
Outdoor patients
| Green, Richard | Wife and 3 children; 105 days; husband ulcerated leg and unable to provide for is family - | relief given, medical attendance, and rations for family. |
| Jackson | and wife; 14 days; injury of the arm; | medical attendance, and rations |
| Banks, William | 28 days old age and debility | 8s 6d. per week |
| Richardson , J | and wife; 175 days; old age and debility; | still on the books |
| Kenavy, Thomas | destitution | clothing |
| Green, John | 14 days; rheumatism; | medical attendance and rations for family |
| Elton, Henry | 210 days; chronic dysentery | still on the books |
| Harman, George | wife and child; 70 days; husband disease of the lungs, died; child dysentery, died | medical attendance and rations |
| Rawlins, Thomas | Blind | clothing |
| Day | Wife and 6 children; husband sick and unable to maintain his family | rations and bedding |
| Cavanagh | wife and 5 children; 35 days; dysentery (husband) | medical attendance and rations to family |
| Griffin | wife and 5 children; dropsy (husband), died | medical attendance and rations to family |
| Dorman, Thomas | Destitution | rations and clothing; still on books |
| Anderson, Mrs | and two children; destitution | rations |