Our Health Service should hang it's head in shame for letting a well loved hospital in wonderful parkland go to wrack and ruin after closing it in December 2004. This is just a very small section of the hospital that has had a wonderful history.
The building in yesterday's picture was part of the original mansion house that was built in 1853. Moving on to WW1 the land and buildings were bought for the purpose of a hospital for the returning soldiers. In this photograph is a lovely Art Deco building that was used as a Sanatorium for the treatment of Tuberculosis, here the windows could be opened wide and the patients wheeled out on the balconies.
It became a US Army Medical Unit during WW2 before become a wonderful hospital for the rest of it's life. It concentrated on orthopedics, rheumatology and respiratory conditions. Sorry I'm now going to get on my high horse, tin helmets on everyone.
As I have said, this was well loved hospital, my Sister-in-Law was a nurse here for 40 years and her Mother before her. The government knows our hospitals are blocked up with patients that need somewhere to go to recuperate or the elderly that can't return home. This hospital should never have been closed and would have helped our saturated general hospitals. Come on, refurbish it and use it, don't let it rot away like this..
what a fabulous building, maybe beyond repair, but yes sometimes you do wonder what to powers that be think or not think! Convalescence in retirement homes is not an answer as my mum found out a couple of years ago, they didn't feed her well and if she hadn't got us fighting her cause, she would had gone downhill when she needed building up again .
I find abandonment sad, yet I love to see it captured. I feel the photos give it another moment of recognition. Nicely captured and I enjoyed the history. Fav.
Ahh, 45 years ago started work here. Fresh air and isolation are your key words, and guess hospitals now work on just the opposite with technology and a central hub. I remember such a happy place, but agree your photo paints well a picture of great sadness. Fav
The history is deeper than that. The house and estate were onced owned in the early 20th Century by the Potter family, wealthy merchants. But what is really interesting is that Beatrice Potter became Beatrice Webb. if you look up Beatrice Webb on the net you you will find details of one of the great women of the 20th Century. I quote from wikipedia " Martha Beatrice Webb (née Potter; 22 January 1858 – 30 April 1943), was an English sociologist, economist, socialist, labour historian and social reformer. It was Webb who coined the term "collective bargaining".[1] She was among the founders of the London School of Economics and played a crucial role in forming the Fabian Society." Not only that but her research work led to the founding of the welfare state in this country and ultimately to the health service.
Here in Stonehouse we have tried for many years to save the premises and return it to health and social care but it is now in the hands of a government agency waiting to be sold off to the highest bidder, the Homes and Communities Agency. The plans for an integrated Health and Social Care facility are still available but we have been told that the site will never be used for health again. The agency needs the money. I have posted a recent image on my newly created page on 365 joyus1uk which will give you a wider view of the location an wonderful site.
What a rotten thing to happen to a beautiful building...... good fun to explore in its current state, but should be returned to being habitable in some shape or form
A shame, but that seems to be the way of things in the NHS. A friend of my husband has been waiting for a year for his knee op.It's been cancelled 5times already. Now he can barely walk. His pre-op check has been done three times, such a waste of money.
Sounds like a common problem world wide after reading all comments. The dollar/pound is more important than common sense!! Keep fighting! I really enjoyed reading David's @joyus1uk added info too :)
So sad when hospitals close. The hospital where I was born in Yorkshire and where my Mum was a nurse was built in 1895 and has gradually reinvented itself ever since. It is still going strong and has been replaced bit by bit until now there is a modern hospital on site. Pity they can't do that with this building.
Sadly, all countries and governments are the same all over the world Heather. They would rather close down a good hospital, and abandon it or sell it for a shopping centre than pay people to work and make life easier for their own people
Here in Stonehouse we have tried for many years to save the premises and return it to health and social care but it is now in the hands of a government agency waiting to be sold off to the highest bidder, the Homes and Communities Agency. The plans for an integrated Health and Social Care facility are still available but we have been told that the site will never be used for health again. The agency needs the money. I have posted a recent image on my newly created page on 365 joyus1uk which will give you a wider view of the location an wonderful site.
Interesting narrative too.