Suffolk Hall VA hospital

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Suffolk Hall VA hospital Cheltenham
A large and fine house in Lypiatt Road in Cheltenham, Suffolk Hall was originally built as a residential house in the first half of the 19th century. By the time of the first world war it had become a school, and was lent to the Red Cross by Mr A. L. Soames. The house still stands today.	Gloucestershire Red Cross Hospitals 1914-1919
	The Abbotts, Cheltenham Badminton Bingham Hall, Cirencester Bitton Boddington, Staverton Cleve Hill, Downend Copse Hill, Bourton-on-the-Water Dumbleton Forthampton Gloucester Hillfield/Palace, Gloucester Horton, Chipping Sodbury Kitebrook, Moreton in Marsh Leckhampton Court, Cheltenham Lydney Nailsworth Naunton Park, Cheltenham New Court, Cheltenham Norton Hall, Chipping Campden The Priory, Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham Standish, Stonehouse St. Briavels St. John's, Cheltenham St. Martin's, Cheltenham Stow on the Wold Stroud Suffolk Hall, Cheltenham Tewkesbury Winchcombe
SUFFOLK HALL V.A. HOSPITAL GLOS. 26 final report from The Red Cross in Gloucestershire 1914-19

Date of opening—December 19th 1914

No. of beds

Admissions since opening to March 29th 1919

Deaths

Average number of resident patients daily

Average number of days each patient was resident

1368

1915
40.14

1916
51.59

1917
49.76

1918
48.31

OFFICERS

Commandant: Miss M. Hattersley-Smith

Medical Officer: Dr J. F. Johns, Mr Holmes

Lady Superintendent: Miss Harris

Quartermaster: Miss Marriott

Hon. Secretary: Miss Mott

Hon. Treasurer: Mr Shepherd

NOTE BY THE COMMANDANT

Suffolk Hall, formerly a boys' school, was kindly lent to Glos. 26 by Mr Soames at the outset of the War. The large gymnasium and schoolrooms made excellent wards. An outdoor recreation room and open-air shelter were provided by private funds, the latter to contain eight beds. An excellent theatre was completely fitted up, and here all the operations were performed until June 1917, after which the more serious cases were removed to the General Hospital owing to the shortage of surgeons, both those from Suffolk Hall having left for foreign service. The hospital received cases direct from the front, except during the winters of 1915 and 1916, when it acted as garrison hospital for the troops stationed in Cheltenham. The hospital, owing to the influenza epidemic, was filled to overflowing from January 1919, and the staff went though a very trying time.

The patients worked badges, did carving, painting, carpentry, etc., and the work done by them was sold for various causes. The hospital provided a stall at the bazaar held in aid of St. Dunstan's Hospital in November 1916, consisting partly of patients' work, and over £100 was realised.

Of the staff, at the close of the hospital in March 1919, there were seventeen remaining who had worked since the opening in December 1914.

Caption for bottom photo reads: (1) Major Sinclair's Universal Suspension Frame, showing leg suspended from overhead trolley. (2) Leg on Hammock Splint, with saline irrigator.

Gloucestershire Red Cross Hospitals 1914-1919

List of staff who served at Suffolk Hall V.A. Hospital