ered to
the suffering poor, but because it was a pioneer institution of its kind;
while the area of its usefulness has probably been more extensive than
that of any similar charity in the county.

Dispensaries were established at Louth in the year 1803, at Lincoln in
1826, at Grantham in 1838, at Boston in 1852, at Market Rasen in 1857;
but Horncastle was in advance of the earliest of these by more than a
dozen years. Further, the records of the charity shew, that, in the
early years of its existence, patients were here treated from places so
distant as Spilsby, Friskney, Wainfleet, Trusthorpe, Theddlethorpe,
Alford, Fotherby, Marsh Chapel, Saltfleetby, Boston, Lincoln, Sleaford,
Grantham, and even beyond the county, from Loughborough, Hull, and
Beverley.

This, it may be explained, was mainly due to the fact that it was
virtually the creation of a man who was, in many matters, in advance of
his time, that great public benefactor, Sir Joseph Banks, Bart., of
Revesby Abbey, who held the Manor of Horncastle, and took the greatest
interest in the welfare of the town and neighbourhood.

At a preliminary meeting held at the Bull Inn, Horncastle, on Wednesday,
Oct., 28, 1789, it was resolved, apparently on his initiative, to
establish a dispensary; and this took formal shape on Dec. 3rd following,
when the governing body was elected, consisting of Sir Jos. Banks,
President, with Vice-Presidents the Honble. Lewis Dymoke, King's
Champion, Thomas Coltman, Esq., William Elmhirst, Esq., Treasurer, and
Richard Clitherow, Gent., legal adviser; the Honorary Physicians being
Edmund Laycock, M.D., and Edward Harrison, M.D., with Mr. John Chislett
as Surgeon and Apothecary.

A code of rules was drawn up, which, with occasional revisions, to suit
changing circumstances, remain substantially the same to the present day.
A donation of 10 guineas constituted a life Governor, a legacy of the
like amount gave the trustee paying it the same privilege. An annual
subscription of one guinea made the subscriber a Governor during the
year. Church or chapel collections of two guineas secured governorship
for the year to the minister, and an additional Governor for each two
guineas so collected. The officials were to be a President,
Vice-Presidents, and Treasurer, elected annually at a special meeting of
the Governors. Other regulations, as to patients and their attendance,
numbered between 40 and 50.

The institution was to be open on Tue