Kent 1914 - 1919 - Hospitals (Military, VAD, Civil, Special and Private) and other buildings used to accommodate military patients, or proposed for use.
The hospitals in Kent were a great mixture of general and specialist main and auxiliary military establishments, VAD hospitals, small convalescent units (sometimes in private houses) and others. There were numerous private initiatives, especially early in the War – some of the more formal examples are the Army Nursing Homes at Folkestone, one Sittingbourne VAD which withdrew from Kent VAD and continued privately, and the Yarrow Home at Broadstairs which was organised and staffed by the Committee of Management for a time. Where the War Office capitation grant was payable, presumably the organisers had to account for their expenditure and be subject to some sort of inspection. The only accounting information that has come to light so far is that produced by the finance committee of the Joint War Committee of the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St John.
|
Location |
Name of Hospital or Building Used |
| Abbey Wood | Shornells VAD Hospital (Kent/112) (October 1914 - January 1919) |
| All Hallows | Parish Room (24 September 1914 - ) ( run by Kent/16 VAD Higham). Set up as a 12 bed hospital for the care of the sick at the forts. |
| Ash | Village Hall VAD Hospital (26 beds)(Kent/128) (October 1914 - January 1919) |
| Ashford | Congregational School VAD Hospital (50 beds)(Kent/48)(October 1914 - February 1919) Swanton House (March 1919, opened as hospital for pensioners) Technical Institute (considered as a replacement for the Congregational School in mid 1916 initially rejected by the Government because of the effect on educational provision, but later used probably because it was a newly completed building)16 Godinton (Bruce, Appendix 6)(† 13 beds) Lady Northcote’s Convalescent Home, Eastwell Park (offered to Canadian Red Cross Society, received convalescent patients from Monks Horton in the summer months of 1915 & 1916) The Grosvenor Sanatorium, Kennington (used to treat Imperial soldiers & sailors suffering from tuberculosis) |
| Beckenham | Kent/96 VAD ran their hospital at - Balgowan Road Schools (November 1915 - March 1919) Kent/86 VAD ran their hospital at - Christ Church Schools (October 1914 - October 1916) Kelsey Cottage (October 1914 - October 1916) Girls Secondary Schools, Lennard Road (October 1916 - December 1918)16 |
| Bexley | Kent/130 ran - Gardenhurst VAD Hospital (Kent/130) (October 1914 – 28 February 1919) Hurst Place (Hospital for Officers) |
| Benenden | The Grange |
| Bexley Heath | West Kent Nursing Home * |
| Bickley | Kent/78 ran a hospital at – Southwood (14 October 1914 – 31st January 1919) |
| Biddenden | Village Hall VAD Hospital (Kent/102)(October 1914 - October 1916) Birchley (non-convoy hospital)† |
| Birchington | Quex Park VAD Hospital (79 beds)(Kent/178)(October 1914 - January 1919) Annexes : Mansford House (October 1914 – October 1916) St Mary’s, 3 Beach Avenue(October, November 1914 only) The Thicket (St Michaels), Cross Road (used night of 15/10/14 and then July 1916 – January 1919) St Saviour’s, Minnis Road (opened in October 1914 for women Belgian refugees and later for wounded soldiers) Fernleigh, Margate Road (home of Robert Grant, JP) (14 October 1914 – 22 December 1914) Beresford Lodge Auxiliary Hospital for Officers (30 beds, convalescent) (August 1915 – December 1916) (funded by the Joint War Committee) Service Club (non-convoy hospital)† |
| Blackheath | Blackheath & Charlton Hospital, Shooter’s Hill Rd (Civil) Dobson War Relief Hospital, 22 Charlton Rd (Private) Kent View, Shooter’s Hill (December 1914) (The Baronness d’Erlanger) (Listed in BRCS Roll of Hospitals, 27th March 1915 – 10 occupied beds.) |
| Broadstairs |
Kent/146 ran their hospital (77 beds) at -
Fairfield (October 1914 - March 1919)
Roseneath (October 1914 - March 1919)
Whittuck Home
Yarrow Home, (October 1914 - September 1917), 150 beds (firstly run privately then re-opened as an annexe to the Granville Canadian Hospital, Ramsgate from October 1916, probably closing September 1917) Grand Hotel, convalescent hospital for Canadian Officers, (early 1917 - September 1917) 300 beds Beaumont House (from c. end 1916, as a home for nurses at Yarrow) Overblow House, South Parade (offered to the Canadians as a convalescent home January 1916 but not taken) |
| Bromley | Bromley VAD Hospital (Kent/52) opened in October 1914 and closed at the end of December 1918. It was accommodated in various buildings, at least to begin with - Bromley Palace Elstree 88 Hayes Road 21 Holwood Road Holy Trinity Convent Sanatorium Langley Wood Masonic Hall Quernmore South Hill Wood Whitegarth Kent/168 VAD ran their hospital at Church House (18 September 1915 – 31 March 1919) Kent/174 VAD ran their hospital at - Springhill (November 1915 - February 1919) Kent/54 VAD ran their hospital at - St Marys Church Hall (October 1914 - December 1918) Canadian Convalescent Hospital (Bromley Park Hotel)(20 April 1915 – 31 August 1918) (This was the first Canadian Convalescent Hospital in the Country. Kingswood Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Dulwich was attached to it from April 1916. This hospital closed in April 1919.) Dainton Nursing Home, Upper Park Road, Bromley (Autumn 1914) (Listed in BRCS Roll of Hospitals, 27th March 1915 – 30 occupied beds) Lady Margaret Hospital, 31 & 33 London Road, (this was a fruitarian hospital and was offered to the WO especially for Indian soldiers (Chatham News, 28/11/1914, p.10). Some Belgians accommodated here c. 1915. Holy Trinity Convent (used for a fortnight for wounded Belgians, October 1914) Phillips Memorial Hospital (24 beds offered Autumn 1914) Bromley Cottage Hospital (accommodated wounded Belgians in Autumn 1914) The Domestic Economy College building was used as a VAD hospital (not sure which one, or whether this was at Bromley Common)16 |
| Bromley Common | Hospitals in this area were run by Kent/50 VAD - Lodore, 22 Mason’s Hill (7 beds, October 1914 – May 1915) The Rookery (18 beds, October 1914 – May 1915) Primitive Methodist Schoolroom, Bloomfield Rd (25 beds, October 1914 – May 1915) Oakley (50 beds, May 1915 – December 1919) 36 Bromley Common |
| Canterbury | Kent/70 VAD ran their hospital at - St Augustine’s College (August 1914 - September 1914) Dane John House (100 beds)(19 September 1914 - ) (At some time this was used as a Canadian Convalescent Hospital) Kent/100 VAD ran their hospital at - Abbots Barton (40 beds)(4 September 1914 - January 1919) Annexe at Pinecroft, Barton Fields (11 beds) Ersham House Reception Hospital Military Hospital, Infantry Barracks (225 - 334 beds) No. 2 Military Hospital (2,000 beds) Kent & Canterbury Hospital (Civil, 40 - 45 beds) Isolation Hospital Casualty Clearing Station. This unit opened early in 1915 when Dover became a large disembarkation centre. Similar to a unit at Eastleigh which worked in conjunction with Southampton, its purpose was to identify and receive patients whose needed only brief hospital treatment and could then be discharged fit. The camp location of the unit proved unsuitable and it closed within a short time. (Source: Official History, Medical Services, Vol 1, p.92) |
| Charing | Charing VAD Hospital (40 beds)(Kent/182) - Vestry Hall (October 1914 - December 1918) Manton House (November 1916 - December 1918) Wakeley House (Private, 42 beds) Petts Farm (Convalescent) (Bruce, Appendix 6)( † Class ‘B’ hospital, 8 beds) |
| Chatham | Fort Pitt Central Military Hospital Drill Hall Military Hospital, Fort Pitt (1914) |
| Cheriton | Girls School (October 1914 used briefly by Kent/32 Folkestone) |
| Chipstead | Kent/58 VAD (Chevening) ran their hospital at - Mission Hall (October 1914 - March 1919) Chipstead Place (October 1914 - January 1915) |
| Chislehurst | Kent/60 VAD ran their hospital at - Abbey Lodge (October 1914 - March 1919) Lomas (mentioned as being auxiliary of the Ontario Hospital at Orpington, along with Abbey Lodge, March 1918, war diary of ADMS Canadians, London District) Brooklyn, Lubbock Road (used until January 1915) Christ Church Hall (October 1914 - ?) Coed-Bel School Sanatorium (October 1914 - March 1919) Hillside (September 1918 - March 1919) Lamas (September 1915 - March 1919) Parish Room Kent/66 VAD ran their hospital at - Holbrook (October 1914 - July 1916) Hollington House (1915 - ?) Hornbrook (October 1914 – 25 September 1918) The Gorse (July 1916 – 25 September 1918) |
| Cobham | Meadow Room ( 6 October 1914 - ) (Run by Kent/16 Gravesend (Higham)) Cobham Hall (Australian convalescents) |
| Cranbrook | Vestry Hall VAD Hospital (42 beds)(Kent/10)(October 1914 - ?) |
| Crayford | Kent/84 VAD ran their hospital at - Parish Hall (October 1914 - January 1915) Friendly Society Hall (October 1914 - January 1915) |
| Cross-in-Hand, Sussex | Isenhurst (Shorncliffe Group – Bruce, Appendix 6) |
| Dartford | Kent/116 VAD ran their hospital at - Wesley Hall (October - November 1914) Heath Close (November 1914 - ) Dartford War Hospital (Lower Southern Hospital buildings) (5 June 1916 – 2 March 1918)(48 officers, 1,034 O/Rs, German POWs) Orchard Military Convalescent Hospital (1,200 beds) (24 May 1915 - ) (Handed over to the Australian military authorities in August 1916) American Hospital (Southern Hospital buildings) (1918) |
| Deal | The Grange Hospital(1914 - March 1919), not a Kent VAD hospital, at one time this comprised four buildings: The Grange, London Road (No.I)(28 beds) Sholden Lodge (No.II)(52 beds) Winchester House and later ‘The White House’, London Rd. (known as No.III) (At one time Beresford, an adjacent house, plus another house was also used in connection with No.III) Maristhorpe, Beach Street (No.IV)(60 beds) Glack House, Upper Deal (45 beds)(Canadian Convalescent Hospital, auxiliary of Monks Horton Convalescent Hospital, opened, 13 September 1915, closed 5 March 1918) Warden House Red Cross Hospital (listed in the JWC Finance Committee Report for 1918 but not previously) The Infirmary at the Royal Marines’ Barracks Victoria Hospital (civil hospital, took some military patients) |
| Dover | Garrison Military Hospital (6 officers, 267 O/Rs) Sections: Castlemount (13 officers, 65 O/Rs) Duke of York’s School (1 officer, 69 O/Rs) Marina Military Hospital (310 beds) The Friendly Societies’ Convalescent Home taken by the Canadians as a Convalescent Home in September 1915 but closed following objections from Dover Garrison in November 1915. Waldershare Park (The Earl of Guildford offered his house to the Canadians as a hospital in 1915, but it was rejected due to its position and the cost of necessary facilities) 7 Guilford Lane (Convalescent Home for 2 officers) |
| East Malling | Clare House * |
| East Sutton | Little Charlton Manor, (20-25 beds, December 1914) (Sir Robert Filmer, Bt) (Listed in BRCS Roll of Hospitals, 27th March 1915 – 20-25 occupied beds) |
| Eastry | New Hospital, Eastry near Dover (affiliated to Shorncliffe Military Hospital) (Mrs Kennedy, Hon Sec) 24 occupied beds (BRCS Roll of Hospitals, dated 27th March 1915, filed with BRCS Executive Minutes) |
| Edenbridge | Eden Hall VAD Hospital (Kent/88) (October 1914 - January 1919) Marlpit Court (March 1915 - January 1919) Church House (October 1914 - March 1915) Marlpit Hill Men’s Institute (October 1914 – March 1915) |
| Elham | Parish Room & adjoining house VAD Hospital (Kent/46) (October 1914 - ?) |
| Eltham | Avery Hill Training College Hostel Building, 240 beds, an auxiliary to the Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich (July 1915 -) Southwood Military Hospital (nurses posted abroad from here in BRCS Summary of Work, July 1915) |
| Erith | Oakhurst (a County of London Branch Auxiliary Hospital, run by Greenwich & Woolwich Division, British Red Cross Society) |
| Etchinghill | Canadian Special Hospital for Venereal Patients in the Elham Union workhouse building (later St Mary’s Hospital) (540 beds) (22 August 1916 – 6th June 1919) |
| Farnborough | Wesleyan Church Hall VAD Hospital (Kent/80) (October 1914 – December 1918) |
| Faversham | The Mount VAD Hospital (Kent/140) (18 November 1914 - October 1918) Lees Court, Sheldwich Gatefield House (December 1914) Military Hospital Cottage Hospital, provided x-ray facilities |
| Folkestone | Manor House VAD Hospital, The Leas (Kent/24) (October 1914 - January 1919) (108 beds) Army Nursing Home, Manor Court, 38 Manor Road (45 beds) Army Nursing Home, York House, Cheriton Gardens (42 beds) (both of these were set up and run privately by local doctors) Royal Victoria Hospital (Civil, <100 military beds) Westcliffe Canadian Eye & Ear Hospital (325 beds) (20 October 1915 – 20 September 1919) (This hospital originally had a department of plastic surgery, which transferred in May 1917 to the Ontario Hospital, Orpington.) The Clifton Hotel was suggested for nurses’ accommodation for the above hospital in 1917 to allow expansion at Westcliffe. St Andrews Convalescent Home, East Cliff (received some Naval convalescents)( † 28 beds) Wear Bay House (50 beds)(initially opened as a convalescent hospital, used by the Canadians as a Convalescent Hospital for typhoid cases, but not taken over by them) The Queen’s Canadian Military Hospital, Beachborough Park (130 beds) Run by the Canadian War Contingents Association. Canadian Convalescent Hospital at Greenville Hotel, Red Cross Convalescent Homes and South End (1915) St Gabriel’s Home (King Albert’s Hospital for Convalescent Belgian Soldiers No. 4) Belgian Soldiers’ Convalescent Home, Winterbourne, Earls Avenue Isolation Hospital Lewis Turkish Bath Hotel (the Canadians used this hotel, at least briefly in March 1916, for convalescing Officers) Leas Hotel (considered in late 1916 but not taken up) The Metropole Hotel (used for one month from October 1914 for wounded Belgian soldiers) The old Harvey Grammar School building (October 1914) |
| Gillingham | Royal Naval Hospital |
| Goudhurst | Lidwells VAD Hospital (35 beds)(Kent/122)(May 1915 – 31 March 1919) Brandfold (adjacent house to Lidwells) considered February 1917. Gore Court (Private, Convalescent) closed 16 March 1919 |
| Gravesend | Technical School prepared as a hospital of 200 beds by the VAD in August 1914. Rosherville Hotel VAD Hospital (Kent/42) (15 November 1914 – January 1919) New Thames Yacht Club VAD Hospital (Kent/92) (October 1914 - May 1919) Knock Hall Lodge (1914? - May 1919) Gravesend Hospital, Bath Street (Civil, 52 beds) Military Hospital, Milton Barracks Milton Mount (treated venereal patients) |
| Greenhithe | Ingress Abbey VAD Hospital (Kent/118) (July 1917 - December 1918) |
| Greenwich | Miller General Hospital (Civil, 10 beds) |
| Hastings (in Sussex but specially attached to Kent VAD in 1914/15 at least) | Mrs Stubbs’s house (Holmesdale Gardens?, October 1914 - ?) Mr Parks’s house (January 1915 - ?) Hermitage (120 beds)(Canadian Convalescent Hospital) Sanatorium (60 beds)(Convalescent) (Bruce, Appendix 6) |
| Hawkhurst | Kent/156 VAD ran their hospital (38 beds) at - Lillesden Park (October 1914 - February 1915) Oakfield (February 1915 - December 1918) Seacox Heath – Convalescent Belgian soldiers in Autumn 1914 Elham Hill was considered by the Canadians for use as a convalescent hospital for typhoid cases |
| Hayes | Kent/82 ran their hospital at: Hayes Grove (October 1914 - May 1916) The Warren (October 1914 - May 1916) Coney Hill (October 1914 - May 1916) |
| Headcorn | Homeville Hospital (†18 beds, Class ‘B’) |
| Herne Bay | VAD Hospital (27 beds)(Kent/90) 1 Downs Park (October 1914 – December 1917) Queen Victoria Hospital (Civil, 15 beds) White Lodge, Reculver Rd, Beltinge (Private, Dr JH Percival Vivian) Military Hospital (225 beds), was in the buildings of the Railwaymen’s Convalescent Home and the Friendly Societies Convalescent Home at Beltinge East Cliff Nursing Home, Canterbury Road (offered as an auxiliary hospital to the ADMS Canadians, Shorncliffe in August 1916. I am not sure if it was ever used as such.) Homeland (Convalescent Home for 3 officers) |
| High Halstow | May’s Farm, Sharnal Street (Convalescent Belgians) 17 |
| Higham | Great Hermitage VAD Hospital (Kent/16 with Kent/92 (Gravesend)) (1915? – June 1919) |
| Hollingbourne | The Union Infirmary took 19 wounded British soldiers from Fort Pitt in November 1914 (South Eastern Gazette, 14/11/1914 p.2) Hollingbourne Institute “accommodated upwards of 20 wounded soldiers” (South Eastern Gazette, 1/12/1914 p.8) |
| Hunton | Cheveney (12 beds, convalescent) |
| Hythe | Imperial Hotel (3 days in October 1914) Military Hospital (Appendix to ACI 98, September 1915) Grand Hotel (may have been proposed as a Canadian Convalescent Hospital, not sure if it was used) A property next to the Imperial Hotel was proposed as a 100 bed convalescent hospital to the Canadians in March 1917, but I do not think it came about. Sandling Park (Canadian Officers’ Convalescent Hospital) |
| Kemsing | Kent/192 VAD ran their hospital at: Village Hall October 1914 – December 1918) The Firs (October 1914 - April 1915) Club Room (1916 - December 1918) |
| Larkfield | Mr Baxendale’s house (1914-1915?) Fernleigh (1915-1919?) (26 beds) Possibly run privately. |
| Lenham | Foresters Hall (1915? - December 1918) Stanmore House VAD Hospital (35 beds)(Kent/134)(May 1915 – December 1918) The County Sanatorium - Canadian Special Hospital (Tubercular) (7 December 1917 – 7 July 1919) |
| Littlestone | Romney Marsh VAD Hospital (40 beds)(Kent/136) - Madeira House (March 1916 – March 1919) Adjoining house (1918 - March 1919) Mr E Tubbs’s house (Staff Hostel) |
| Lydd | Military Hospital, Holmstone Camp (built in 1893 to serve the Gunnery School, referred to in the Appendix to ACI 98, September 1915) |
| Lympne | Lympne Castle (Canadian Convalescent Hospital, 70 - 100 beds, 2 October 1916 – February 1917) |
| Maidstone | Howard de Walden Institute VAD Hospital, Marsham Street, (Kent/190) (50 beds) (September 1914 - March 1919) Hayle Place VAD Hospital (Kent/14) (80 beds) (October 1914 – January 1919) Barham Court (Private) (Col. Warde, MP) (Listed in BRCS Roll of Hospitals, 27th March 1915 – 30-50 occupied beds) The Mote (Private) (Sir Marcus Samuel, Bart) (Listed in BRCS Roll of Hospitals, 27th March 1915 – 20 occupied beds) Military Hospital (Preston Hall) Barracks Hospital Coxheath Infirmary (used towards the end of the War) |
| Margate | Wanstead House VAD Hospital (116 beds)(Kent/152)(October 1914 – October 1917) Lawn House Sanatorium (Convent) Grosvenor Place (October 1914 – February 1915) Upcott, Surrey Road Dunedin, Lewis Avenue, Cliftonville (October 1914 – 16 March 1915) Wavertree, Second Avenue, Cliftonville (October 1914 – c.July 1915) The Highlands King’s Cliff Canadian Red Cross Nurses Rest Home (Opened 17 April 1916, evacuated August 1917 because of air raid dangers) Royal Sea Bathing Hospital (Civil Hospital, 50 beds for military patients) Cottage Hospital † |
| Minster, near Ramsgate | Hill House Military Hospital (Poor House, 170-179 beds)(October 1915) |
| Minster, Isle of Sheppey | Military Hospital (54 beds) |
| Monks Horton | Canadian Convalescent Hospital (650 bed tented hospital 1 May 1915; became Canadian Command Depot 24 May 1915; reopened as Convalescent Hospital on 21 June 1917, closed 1 August 1918) (However also listed as a 350 bed Canadian Convalescent Hospital in January 1917 †) |
| Orpington | Village Hall VAD Hospital (Kent/108) (October 1914 – March 1919) Sherlies (used temporarily for a small number of VAD patients in Spring 1915) Ontario Military Hospital (19 February 1916. Became No 16 Canadian General Hospital 10 September 1917 until 1920) Crofton Grange School hall (provided some emergency accommodation in October 1914) |
| Paddock Wood | Village Hall VAD Hospital (Kent/18) (October 1914 – December 1914 transferred to Pembury) |
| Pembury | Church Institute VAD Hospital (Kent/18) (December 1914 – December 1918) |
| Pluckley | Surrenden Dering (in mid 1916 this house was being considered by the Canadians for use as a convalescent hospital) |
| Ramsgate | Ramsgate VAD Hospital (Kent/2) Royal Sailors’ Rest (10 October 1914 – August 1915) Nethercourt (100 beds)(August 1915 – October 1917) Granville Canadian Special Hospital (903 beds)(15 November 1915 – 18 October 1917 transferred to Buxton, Derbyshire), plus annexes Chatham House School (September 1914 prepared by the VAD but not used, then March 1916 – September 1917), 250 beds Townley Castle School, (May 1916 – September 1917), 50 beds Princess Patricia’s Canadian Red Cross Hospital, (St Lawrence College), (26 January 1917 – 1 September 1917), 800 beds Hotel St Cloud, Victoria Parade (considered in late 1916 but not taken) Ramsgate General Hospital (used for local emergency military cases and for some Naval cases) |
| Rochester | St Bartholomew’s Hospital, New Road (Civil, 50 beds) |
| Rolvenden | Village Hall VAD Hospital (20 beds)(Kent/28)(October 1914 – December 1918) Sparkswood * |
| St Margaret’s at Cliffe | Morley House was proposed for use as a Canadian Convalescent home in 1915 but not used on account of the proximity to the Dover defended area. |
| St Mary Cray | The Institute (opened later October 1914, 25 beds, closed in December 1914) Staffed by Kent/108, Orpington VAD. |
| Sandgate | The Bevan VAD Hospital (Kent/30 & Kent/36)(250 beds)(October 1914 - March 1919) Devonshire House (previously a private nursing home) The Helena (Bruce, Appendix 6) (30 beds) Chichester Memorial Hall (equipped as a 22 bed hospital in August 1914) |
| Sandwich | Military Hospital (at Richborough Camp) (100 beds) Guildford Hotel, Sandwich Bay (considered by the Canadian Red Cross Society for a rest home for nurses, but not taken) |
| Seal | Wildernesse VAD Hospital (Kent/6) (October 1914 – December 1918) The Firs, Stone Street |
| Selling | Luton House (29 July 1915 – 4 September 1916)(Canadian Convalescent Hospital) |
| Sevenoaks | St Johns Hall VAD Hospital (Kent/56) (October 1914 - March 1919) Cornwall Hall VAD Hospital (Kent/76) (September 1914 – March 1919) Coombe Bank (Convalescent) Suffolk House (December 1914) (Listed in BRCS Roll of Hospitals, 27th March 1915 – 46 occupied beds.) |
| Sheerness | Military Hospital Sections: Broadway Schools Minster Isle of Grain |
| Shoreham | Kent/114 VAD ran their hospital at: Church House (October 1914 - May 1915) Myrtle Cottage (May 1915 - July 1916) Shoreham Place (May 1915 - July 1916) The Vicarage (July 1916 - December 1918) |
| Shorncliffe | Shorncliffe Royal Military Hospital (434 beds) Helena Hospital, Shorncliffe (14 beds, for officers) Moore Barracks Canadian Hospital (967 beds) (May 1915, on 10 September 1917 became No 11 Canadian General Hospital, and included the affiliated hospital at Beachborough Park) |
| Shortlands | Kent/164 VAD ran their hospital at: Valley Road Schoolroom (October 1914 - July 1915?) 2 Valley Road (July 1915 – end of 1918) |
| Sidcup | Kent/62 VAD ran their hospital at: Congregational Lecture Hall and Sunday School (October 1914 - February 1919) Wesleyan Church School (1915 - February 1919) The Queen’s Hospital, Frognal (Special hospital for facial injuries) (August 1917 - ) |
| Sittingbourne | Kent/72 ran - Trinity Hall (14 October 1914 - 10 May 1915) The Glovers (10 May 1915 - January 1919) Kent/68 (resigned from Kent VAD September 1915, but continued privately) ran – 13 Canterbury Rd (October-November 1914) Whitehall - (November 1914 – 15 April 1919) Gore Court (RAMC Hospital) |
| Southborough | Kent/98 VAD ran their hospital at: Victoria Hall (October 1914 - August 1915) Park House (August 1915 - January 1919) |
| Speldhurst | Kent/74 VAD ran their hospital at: Bidborough Court (October 1914 – August 1916) 8 Nevill Park (2nd October 1916 - February 1919) |
| Strood | Kent/104, Kent/106 & Kent/126 ran Strood VAD Hospital: (3 September 1914 - December 1918) at Claremont House, 2 Frindsbury Road. Use of this continued into 1915. Rochester & Strood Co-operative Society Hall Wesleyan Church Sunday School Hall, Frindsbury Road (from May 1915) Note: In September 1914 a “large private house” near the home of Dr Skinner, the Medical Officer, was used. It accommodated 50 patients (‘First Aid’ October 1914), possibly |
| Sturry, near Canterbury | Canadian Officers’ Hospital, Broad Oak Lodge |
| Sundridge | Coombe Bank Farm Auxiliary Military Hospital (Mrs Amy Frances Scrimshaw, Matron, was awarded the Royal Red Cross, 1st Class, July 1919) |
| Sydenham | Brooklyn VAD Hospital (Kent/132) (May 1915 - March 1919) Edgehill House (February 1918 - March 1919) |
| Tenterden | Clifton House VAD Hospital (20 beds)(Kent/22)(November 1914 – December 1919) |
| Thanet | Isle of Thanet Isolation Hospital, Haine (In February 1915 a patient from Ramsgate VAD Hospital, suffering from enteric fever, was taken to this hospital, so it may well have been used for other cases throughout the War.) |
| Tonbridge | Kent/44 VAD ran their hospital at: Quarry Hill House (October 1914 – February 1919) Lyghe Institute (July 1915 - December 1918) Somerhill (? Photograph in ‘The Courier’ 11/9/1997) Tonbridge School Sanatorium (wounded Belgians were taken here first on arrival on 15th October 1914, all but two were moved to Quarry Hill House two days later) |
| Tunbridge Wells | General Hospital (Civil, 60 beds for military patients) Kent Nursing Institute (Civil, 32 beds for military patients) Eye and Ear Hospital (Civil, 15 beds for military patients) Kingswood Park VAD Hospital (Kent/172): Park House (? – January 1919) Calverley Lodge (April 1917 - ?) Blackhurst (January 1918 for a number of months) Macquarie (1918 - March 1919) Ross Fairfax, Pembury Rd Rust Hall VAD Hospital (Kent/154): Rust Hall (5 April 1915 -August 1919) Mission Hall, Rusthall (1916) Rusthall Beacon (Staff Hostel, March 1917 -1919) Rusthall Girls School, High St. (1917 -May 1919) The Elms (Staff Hostel, 1919) Kent/94 VAD ran - West Hall, Chilston Road (October 1914 - ?1915) Bredbury (?1915 – 14/1/19) Crothers (?1915 - January 1919) Broomlands, Langton Green (Private) A detachment of Sussex VAD ran a hospital at – St Mark’s The Hollands Nevill Park (closed 28/2/19) Shernfold Park, Frant (run by Sussex/8 VAD, closed January 1919) Hamptons (Mrs Burnaby Atkins) (Convalescents) 17 |
| Walmer | St Anselm’s VAD Hospital (100 beds) (Kent/22 and Kent/142) (October 1914 – 31 March 1919). This hospital used two houses belonging to Mr Justice & Lady Sargant – St Anselms and General’s Meadow. Canadian War Hospital, Nos. 23 and 24, The Beach (Canadian Convalescent Hospital, auxiliary of Monks Horton Convalescent Hospital) († 120 beds) (Opened c. September 1915, closed 5 March 1918) |
| West Malling | Malling House VAD Hospital (Kent/150)(November 1914 - January 1919) |
| West Wickham | Oak Lodge (considered by the Canadians in mid-1915 but not taken) Wood Lodge (offered/planned but never used, the detachment used buildings in Hayes) |
| Westerham | Dunsdale VAD Hospital (Kent/38) (October 1914 - March 1917) |
| Westgate-on-Sea | Kent/64 VAD ran their hospital (72 beds) at: High Beach (4 November 1914 - January 1919) Penrhyn Lodge (November 1915 - January 1919) Convent des Oiseaux, Tower House (Bruce, Appendix 6) († Class ‘B’ hospital, 30 beds, run by the Nuns of the Convent) St Michael’s Home (October 1914, still being used September 1916) The Vicarage Apsley Rise |
| Whitstable | Barn House VAD Hospital(30 beds)(Kent/138)(October 1915 - March 1919) Tankerton Military Hospital (300 beds) (October 1914 – c. 1921) developed from ‘The London Hospital Convalescent Home’ opened by Mrs JA Spender in 1899. Mrs Spender was Commandant and the hospital was largely supported by private donations. (The buildings are now the Marine Hotel, Tankerton.) Kerton (ref. Mentioned in evidence to the Babtie enquiry, December 1916) A Church Army Children’s Home, used to transfer convalescent patients from Tankerton. |
| Wye | Part of the Wye College buildings was used as a RAMC Hospital.16 |
Notes: Most of the VAD detachments referred to are women’s detachments, because they ran the VAD Hospitals. However, they were very often assisted by a local men’s detachment, who provided orderlies and assisted with the transport of patients to and from the hospitals. Class of Hospital: Class A Hospitals had “trained nursing personnel and suitable equipment” they received cot cases from Military Hospitals in Great Britain. A certain number of Primary Auxiliary Hospitals were authorised to receive patients direct from the Hospital Ships and were designated “Convoy Hospitals’. Class B Hospitals provided convalescence, but little or no treatment. They received convalescent and walking cases only. The classification dates from September 1915 when the term ‘Convalescent Home’ was abolished.
Sources:
1. ‘Kent’s Care for the Wounded’ by Paul Creswick et al, Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1915
2. ‘Kent VAD, Report of Hospitals & Detachments, 1914-1919, printed by S Bush & Co, Bromley, 1920
3. British Red Cross Society, Roll of Hospitals as at 14th December 1914
4. British Red Cross Society, Order of St John, Territorial Force Association & Civil Rolls of Hospitals, 1st October 1917 (St John Ambulance Archives, SJA A28/2)
5. List of Central & Auxiliary Hospitals in Kent under the control of Eastern Command (RAMC Historical Society)
6. Hospitals marked * - are listed with a letter regarding evacuation of hospitals in the event of invasion, dated 12 March 1915, from the Secretary of the Kent TFA (Kent War Papers, Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone)
7. Col. Herbert A Bruce, Report on the Canadian Army Medical Service, September 1916
8. History of the Canadian Forces: Medical Services, Sir Andrew MacPhail, Ottawa, 1925
9. Isle of Thanet Gazette newspaper
10. The Thanet Advertiser newspaper
11. Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Advertiser newspaper
12. The Kentish Express newspaper
13. The Kentish Gazette newspaper
14. The Hospital
15. † Canadian National Archives material – January 1917, return of hospitals showing bed capacity
16. ‘A History of the Kent County Council 1889-1974’ Elizabeth Melling, KCC 1974 Chapter IV The First World War 1914-1918
17. Centre for Kentish Studies, C/A2/12/7 List of homes in which there are convalescent soldiers, dated 2nd March 1915