THIS week’s photograph captures the ceremony of laying the memorial stone at the Monmouth Cottage Hospital on the Hereford Road, on September 27, 1902.

Building work was obviously well underway to replace the old hospital in St James’ Square in Monmouth with this purpose built one.

Lord Llangattock, as President of the hospital and leading contributor to the building fund – he had given £2,000 – was invited to lay the memorial stone in the main entrance.

The ceremony had begun with a procession from the old hospital to the new, led by the Fire Brigade and including the Mayor and Corporation, the Grammar School staff, honorary medical staff, Hospital Governors and subscribers.

A crowd of a thousand apparently gathered at the site for the ceremony.