Jump to content

WW1 'hospitals'


mike142sl

Recommended Posts

Apparently my great uncle was badly injured in the great war and sent to Sheffield to be treated.

The story is sketchy but he was treated by the VAD and my great aunt visited him whilst he was here. She lived in Manchester and caught a train to Sheffield, presumably Vistoria in those days, where she was put on a tram which dropped her at the door of where he was being treated.

There is a picture of him in his bed somewhere in the family which I am desparately trying to get hold of, and when I do will post here.

Does anyone know where he may have been?, there may well have been several locations where the VAD operated but the only snippet we might have is that it was a building close to Abbeydale St John's Church on Abbeydale Rd, which is now a Royal Mail building.

If anyone has anymore clues, or any pictures I would be most grateful.

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stupid question on behalf of those who don't want to ask (and me) ...

VAD ?

Presumably not a belated-Halloween spelling mistake VAD the Impaler ... :unsure:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The teacher training college in Collegiate Crescent became the Base Hospital in WW1. There is a little bit of history on this site.

This doesn't fit with the Abbeydale reference, but the Ecclesall Road trams would have run close to this building. I was told once that some (convalescing?) patients were housed in part of the school on Pomona Road.

second thoughts...

Take a look at this Great War Forum thread and in particular Dean's message (he may chime in here :) )

The closest to Abbeydale Road looks like Carter Knowle School.

Hugh

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's great.

Hopefully we will be able to locate the picture, although I gather it's in a large box full of old family pictures so sorting through it might take some time with people 'remembering' each picture they find!!!

I'll update this as soon as I can.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The teacher training college in Collegiate Crescent became the Base Hospital in WW1.

This doesn't fit with the Abbeydale reference, but the Ecclesall Road trams would have run close to this building. I was told once that some (convalescing?) patients were housed in part of the school on Pomona Road.

second thoughts...

Take a look at this Great War Forum thread and in particular Dean's message (he may chime in here :) )

The closest to Abbeydale Road looks like Carter Knowle School.

Hugh

We had heard of the Collegiate Crescent site because my Dad used to be a lecturer there when it was the college. However my mum does not believe the windows are the same as she can rememeber from the picture.

Having read Dean's , message there are plenty of locations to consider. Particularly Oakbrook Hall (where was that?), Ranmoor School (again where was that) and Woofindin House which I think is now the Trent RHS site on Old Fulwood Rd. I'm sure these may have had trams pass the doors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest plain talker

The teacher training college in Collegiate Crescent became the Base Hospital in WW1. There is a little bit of history on this site.

This doesn't fit with the Abbeydale reference, but the Ecclesall Road trams would have run close to this building. I was told once that some (convalescing?) patients were housed in part of the school on Pomona Road.

second thoughts...

Take a look at this Great War Forum thread and in particular Dean's message (he may chime in here :) )

The closest to Abbeydale Road looks like Carter Knowle School.

Hugh

I have links with Pomona Street School (now "Porter Croft") a friend of mine was a teacher (possibly he headmistress) there, sixty-odd years ago, and she mentioned the use of the school as a "hospital"

wasn't Middlewood hospital used as a war hospital? My grandpa was in Wharncliffe hospital when I was a small child in the mid-1960s, recovering from Pneumonia, and I'm sure it was, at one time, called "Wharncliffe War Hospital"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Trefcon

Mike, Oakbrook is what is written in the Sheffield year book, but it could be OAKWOOD, that is in Rotherham and was also a War Hospital.

Dean.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Reminded me I'd got this. The last bit on the reverse is interesting and quite poignant I think, and the detail bit (upside down, top left). Dates from the middle of the war I believe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Any idea who sent this, Bayleaf? My other half said straight away, this sounded like an American soldier as he refers to the "base hospital" and "injured Tommy's" neither phrase sound like an English writer to me either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Any idea who sent this, Bayleaf? My other half said straight away, this sounded like an American soldier as he refers to the "base hospital" and "injured Tommy's" neither phrase sound like an English writer to me either.

Unfortunately not Tsavo. What you see is all I have. There's no trace of a stamp or postmark, so if it was posted it must have been in an envelope.

Re base hospital, Hugh's link has this

"The First World War

On the outbreak of the First World War the 3rd Northern General Hospital became a Base Hospital established in Sheffield for dealing with the wounded from the Front. The hospital was first formed at Brook House, Gell Street, but later took over the Sheffield Teachers' Training College in Ecclesall Road. The wounded began to arrive there in August 1914, after the battle of Mons."

So I suppose it could date any time from late 1914. Perhaps the reference to Tommies might indicate the writer was a civilian rather than a soldier? As far as I know in the 1st WW the Americans simply passed through Britain on the way to France or were shipped directly to France, rather than being stationed here as in the second 'unpleasantness'.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The picture of the entrance - is that where the hunters bar roundabout is now?

I've always thought so Mike, just a little way into the park. That area was remodelled in the 50's when the present roundabout was built. The ornate drinking fountain was removed, and the line of the river changed. You can see the old layout on Richard's map

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mike, Oakbrook is what is written in the Sheffield year book, but it could be OAKWOOD, that is in Rotherham and was also a War Hospital.

Dean.

Wouldn't that be Oakbrook on Fullwood Road which was the former home of Mark Firth and in 1919 was taken over by the sisters of Notre Dame and where they opened there school in 1935?

http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/pi...ff.refno=s02641

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Teachers Training College, Ecclesall Road when in use as the 3rd Northern Base Hospital during WW1. It was taken over by the army for 5 years during which time 64,555 wounded or sick soldiers were treated there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wouldn't that be Oakbrook on Fullwood Road which was the former home of Mark Firth and in 1919 was taken over by the sisters of Notre Dame and where they opened there school in 1935?

http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/pi...ff.refno=s02641

Looks like you may be right Mike, see the first paragraph here

http://www.notredame-high.co.uk/index.php?...n&Itemid=31

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...