Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital
Encyclopedia
The Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital in Taplow
, Buckinghamshire
, was a pre-war civilian hospital and a centre for research into rheumatism
in children. The hospital was closed in 1985 and lay derelict for more than two decades afterwards.
, the Astor family
family invited the Canadian Red Cross
to build a military hospital on part of the Cliveden
estate. The Red Cross built a small hospital, the Duchess of Connaught Red Cross Hospital, on the site with equipment from Canada.
In 1940, during the Second World War, the Canadian Red Cross demolished many of the existing buildings to make way for a new, larger hospital with more equipment; this was named the Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital.
After the war the hospital was donated to the UK for use as a general hospital and research centre into rheumatism in children. Soon after the completion of its transformation, it opened to the public in 1947 and soon afterwards came under the supervision of the newly formed National Health Service
.
In the following years, the hospital gained a large maternity
unit and was also a training school for nursing
and midwifery
.
The Special Unit for Juvenile Rheumatism served as a centre for the treatment of arthritis
and rheumatism and became world-famous due to the work and reputation of its foremost specialist, Dr Barbara Ansell
.
. The closure of the hospital was announced in 1985 and it closed later that year.
The staff quarters remained in use until 1988 and, until this time, the hospital grounds were patrolled by security guards. After this, however, the hospital buildings were left abandoned and unattended.
The derelict hospital gathered quite a reputation locally for its state of disrepair and the site subsequently became a destination for curious local youths and urban explorers
.
The buildings were finally razed in 2006 after the local council gave permission for developers to build houses and flats on the site.
Taplow
Taplow is a village and civil parish within South Bucks district in Buckinghamshire, England. It sits on the east bank of the River Thames facing Maidenhead on the opposite bank. Taplow railway station is situated near the A4 south of the village....
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, was a pre-war civilian hospital and a centre for research into rheumatism
Rheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
in children. The hospital was closed in 1985 and lay derelict for more than two decades afterwards.
History
In 1914, during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Astor family
Astor family
The Astor family is a Anglo-American business family of German descent notable for their prominence in business, society, and politics.-Founding family members:...
family invited the Canadian Red Cross
Canadian Red Cross
The Canadian Red Cross Society is a Canadian humanitarian charitable organization and one of 186 national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies....
to build a military hospital on part of the Cliveden
Cliveden
Cliveden is an Italianate mansion and estate at Taplow, Buckinghamshire, England. Set on banks above the River Thames, its grounds slope down to the river. The site has been home to an Earl, two Dukes, a Prince of Wales and the Viscounts Astor....
estate. The Red Cross built a small hospital, the Duchess of Connaught Red Cross Hospital, on the site with equipment from Canada.
In 1940, during the Second World War, the Canadian Red Cross demolished many of the existing buildings to make way for a new, larger hospital with more equipment; this was named the Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital.
After the war the hospital was donated to the UK for use as a general hospital and research centre into rheumatism in children. Soon after the completion of its transformation, it opened to the public in 1947 and soon afterwards came under the supervision of the newly formed National Health Service
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
.
In the following years, the hospital gained a large maternity
Maternity
Maternity or motherhood is the social and legal acknowledgment of the parental relationship between a mother and her child.It is specially related with the protection of the baby and the mother within and after the childbirth.-See also:...
unit and was also a training school for nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
and midwifery
Midwifery
Midwifery is a health care profession in which providers offer care to childbearing women during pregnancy, labour and birth, and during the postpartum period. They also help care for the newborn and assist the mother with breastfeeding....
.
The Special Unit for Juvenile Rheumatism served as a centre for the treatment of arthritis
Arthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
and rheumatism and became world-famous due to the work and reputation of its foremost specialist, Dr Barbara Ansell
Barbara Ansell
Barbara Mary Ansell CBE, FRCP, FRCS was the founder of paediatric rheumatology.Born in Warwick, Warwickshire, England, and educated at King's High School for Girls there, Ansell qualified at Birmingham in 1946 and did her post-graduate training at Hammersmith...
.
Closure
In the early 1980s the hospital was becoming increasingly redundant due to health authority budget cuts and certain functions being superseded by the nearby Wexham Park Hospital in SloughSlough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
. The closure of the hospital was announced in 1985 and it closed later that year.
The staff quarters remained in use until 1988 and, until this time, the hospital grounds were patrolled by security guards. After this, however, the hospital buildings were left abandoned and unattended.
The derelict hospital gathered quite a reputation locally for its state of disrepair and the site subsequently became a destination for curious local youths and urban explorers
Urban exploration
Urban exploration is the examination of the normally unseen or off-limits parts of urban areas or industrial facilities. Urban exploration is also commonly referred to as infiltration, although some people consider infiltration to be more closely associated with the exploration of active or...
.
The buildings were finally razed in 2006 after the local council gave permission for developers to build houses and flats on the site.