"Unforgotten Lives at Netley Hospital"
Wishing you had bought a copy when it was in print?
I won't be printing any more but what if you could at least read its contents online?
Would you be willing to make a donation to Macmillan Nurses
to gain access to my book for a limited time?
I've loaded my book on to this website, all 136 pages, as a password-protected PDF document,
within in its own web page, see left or click Unforgotten Lives at Netley Hospital.
To access the page the book is on, you first need to donate a minimum of £5.00 to the above Charity and email me (at tudful@icloud.com) a screenshot of their "Thank you" message.
On receipt of this, I will email you the current password to access the web page.
The password will change on a Saturday and stay valid for 7 days so choose carefully when you ask for the password to get the maximum time to browse the book.
Alternatively, if you live near to Bitterne ... here's a chance to read the actual book!
Peartree Foot Health Clinic, Bitterne
Do your feet need a treat - toenails trimmed, bunions treated etc?
An alternative way for locals to read through my book is to make an appointment with Sharon!
In early November 2019, Linda Davies (now Davey) contacted me via this website
to add her personal memories of the Royal Victoria Hospital and Chapel ...
"As a child we were marched to the Hospital Chapel from Butlocks Heath Junior school.
It was a truly awesome yet terrifying place for us children. The stories of the Grey Lady were whispered in frightened voices; there was always someone who knew someone who had seen her.
I remember clearly the echoing of our footsteps against the vast gigantic structure.
In the 1950s, our school was the biggest building we’d seen. The fear of looking up at those eerie windows, many blanked out, lest we should see the ethereal face of the ‘Grey Lady’ staring back.
The chapel itself was atmospheric, cold and even to a 9 year old child seemed full of those
who had died in the past in spirit form.
We used to sneak into the grounds (only in daylight) by going along the beach. If we were stopped,
we always had the name of a child who lived in the married quarters ready as an excuse to be there.
We would dare each other to go up to H Block, the asylum as this was still in use.
I remember the high walls surrounding it.
My last memories of the hospital, then only the chapel, was as a teenager when we would go up to the Officers' Mess for dances.
Having visited the site recently, it was rewarding to see this wide open space being enjoyed by so many.
For me the ghosts of the past still lingered, the chill in my spine and that atmosphere
transporting me back 60 years."
Julie found this game for sale online ...
The Game ends at Netley War Hospital - see bottom right box!
With the growth in population, the need for more schools became evident.
The Old Schoolroom, Station Road, Netley Abbey
aka "Sunday School 1873" and today the Guides and Scouts' Hut
1924 - 1932
It has for years been widely believed that it was only a "Sunday school".
Information has now come to light that suggests it was originally owned by the Wiltshire Family
and in 1923, the Charity Commissioners authorised "The Old School Room, Hound" as a charity.
At time of inclusion here, I have been unable to find any earlier documents/articles about the
erection of this building and its original owner(s).
However, when Lankester + Crook decided to open the Alexandra Cafe in the ground floor of the Oddfellows Hall on Station Road in 1903, on the Building Control Plan, the area next to Alberta House has no building on it leading us to believe that the Old Schoolroom may not
yet have been built?
During my last trawl at the Hampshire Records Office, I found these documents
relating to the Old School Room.
"ARTHUR TERRACE"
New Road, Netley Abbey
1885 - 1942
This was a Terrace of 10 houses, built in about 1886 for the workers at Netley Castle,
located on the opposite side of the road from the Jubilee Hall,
It is now incorporated into New Road, Netley Abbey.
One of the current residents told us that he still shows his address as
"Arthur Terrace" to keep the street name alive.
Another 2 mysteries solved?
Recently Julie (Green) found the article below in the Hampshire Advertiser of 03/01/1885.
It looks like Arthur Terrace and Garfield Terrace may have been named after
20th US President James Abram Garfield and his Vice-President Chester Alan Arthur who
became the 21st US President following the assassination of President Garfield in September 1881.
The House Nos shown on the map are the New Road ones.
Please Contact Me if you wish to know who lived in your house. I've got multiple residents for
some of the addresses!
Above left - Original Street sign on No 1 Arthur Terrace
Above right - Arthur Terrace Nos 1 - 10 "bottom up" 2018
Dick Henshall who has given us such wonderful information about H G Ross and his family also mentioned that he and his wife, Carol lived at 16 New Road, aka 6 Arthur Terrace,
I think sometime in the 1960s.
He writes -
"In the backyard of 16 was the communal well for the block and as we had subsidence problems,
my grandfather at Ross's got me a cast iron cover for it which we then covered in dirt.
I am guessing that it is still there and wonder if the current owners even know about it."
So, Dick's sister, Jackie who still lives locally and I went to ask the current
owners in mid November 2018 ...
The current owner, Simon, had some sad news for us.
When he kept losing the topsoil in that particular part of his back garden,
he had investigated and found a hole in the wall of the well through which the soil had slipped.
He described the inner walls of the well as "exquisitely tiled".
Unfortunately no photos were taken at the time and due to those pesky subsidence
problems, the local authority got involved and you guessed it - the well was filled in!
He very kindly gave us a tour of his house which was full of original features
and took us to see the most wonderful panoramic view he has from the top floor,
the Arthur Terrace houses being higher than the ones in front on Victoria Road..
{Thank you Simon and Dick.}
I've just come across a batch of US Newspapers, including The Nebraska State Journal, The CharlotteObserver, The Gazette to name only a few, all dated April 1921, which state that -
Great advertising for Netley Hospital but not true.
There were many Military Hospitals all over the UK!
True, thousands of wounded and/or sick servicemen did arrive at Southampton, but they didn't
all automatically come into Netley War Hospital ...
There was what we would call today a "triage" service operated at Southampton Docks where
the wounded would be checked, registered and "labelled" according to the type of injury or wound and to which, often specialised, hospital they should be sent.
Below is a list showing a typical dispersal of casualties.
The patients would be transferred on to Ambulance Trains for the required destination.
See further down for The National Archives' information on a 1914 Ambulance Train kit out
The newspapers' format for reporting casualties was the same for all military hospitals.
US Personnel attending Netley Hospital in 1944
We have identified around 132 names of mainly US Navy Personnel (a couple of Army)
who were treated at the Royal Victoria Military Hospital during 1944.
Whilst it was under the command of the US Naval Reserve, it was designated as both
US Naval Base Hospital No 12 and US Army 79th General Hospital.
We have their full name, usually where/when they enlisted, their "rank", service no, the month they arrived at and/or left Netley Hospital and sometimes which vessel code they were on and
why they were at our hospital.
Some examples:
George Bray, Service No 7004-025; US Navy Reserve;
He enlisted at Columbus, GA on 30 March 1943. Onboard (vessel) USS LST 261.
On 11/06/1944 he was taken off duty and named on the sick list with shrapnel wounds mid-abdominal, bilateral and scattered wounds on both legs. On 12/06/1944 he was transferred to Netley Hospital.
Carl E Dorak, Service No 7002-535; Rank Sea 1c; USCGR
Enlisted at W’Barre, Pa on 20/09/1943. Evacuated from 79th General Hospital, Netley to the zone of Interior to await transportation to the US for further medical treatment on USS LST 27 on 17/12/1944. “Temporary duty under medical treatment now made permanent and subject man is considered to be transferred from this unit as of this date” L/Med Officer, 79th General Hospital.
Joseph F Lesinski; Service No 546-288; Rank Sea.1c; USNR
He enlisted at Baltimore, Md on 09/06/1942. He was admitted to the US Army 79th General Hospital, Netley for in-patient treatment on 22/11/1944, having been struck by an automobile whilst crossing street during blackout. His entrance into the hospital was not previously reported to this unit. Diagnosis - fractures, simple, complete, left transverse processes of lumbar 1 and 2. To be returned to the US via USS LST 27 for further hospitalisation, Not due to own misconduct. Report dated 09/12/1944.
If you have US relatives/connections whom you think may have been treated at Netley Hospital in 1944, we would like to hear from you. Please use Contact Me. Thank you.
Chapter 4 of the History of the Hospital on this website gives a lot more information about
the "occupation" of the US Personnel at Netley and also about the relocation of the
Royal Victoria Hospital to Leighton House, Westbury, Wiltshire during that time.
There is also an accessible Excel file attached which gives details of US Patients treated at
Netley whilst it was under the command of the US Navy.
Patients at Netley Hospital - Railway Workers
Private W A Barnes
Service No 275209
Royal Engineers Railway Troops
North Eastern Railway - Brampton Junction
Died at Netley Hospital on 15/08/1919, 27, suffering with Cellulitis of the mouth
and toxaemia.
Buried at Netley Military Cemetery CE 2016
Lance-Corporal Frank Hansome Blackburn
Service No 200280
1/5 Bn West Yorkshire Regiment
Wood Machinist North Eastern Railway
Died at Netley Hospital 05/12/1918, 36
He is on the York Cemetery Memorial.
Private Robert William Clark
Service No 85115
11th Bn Pioneers Depot Durham LI
Crane Lad at Hull Docks, North Eastern Railway
Died at Netley Hospital 14/07/1918, 19.
Buried at Holy Trinity, Hessle Road Cemetery, Hull
Private Sydney Herbert Clark
Service No PW/4061
18th Bn Middlesex Regiment
Labourer with Chief Civil Engineer's Department, Great Eastern Railway
Died at Netley Hospital on 27/09/1916 of wounds
On Memorial at Holy Trinity Churchyard, Barkingside
Private Wilfred Lancaster
Service No 42725
West Yorkshire Regiment
Cleaner for the North Eastern Railway Darlington. Age 19. He died at University War Hospital, Southampton on 28/09/1917 from the effects of gas poisoning 2 months previously. He is buried in Netley Military Cemetery CE 1926
Private William Bellerby Morrod
Service No 301892
1/8th Bn Durham Light Infantry
Clerk at Divisional Locomotive Superintendent's Office, North Eastern Railway, York. Age 20.
Died at Netley Hospital on 12/03/1917.
Private Frank Sealey
Service No 7341
1st Bn South Wales Borderers
An Army Reservist, he worked for Great Western Railway, Dock Street, Newport
in the Engineering Department.
He died at Netley Hospital, 30, on
08/11/1914 from a gunshot wound to his head during the Battle of Aisne.
He is buried in Netley Military Cemetery, CE 1628.
Private F H Veale
Service No G/8828
4th Bn Middlesex Regiment
Porter at Great Western Railways Goods Depot, Smithfield, London. Age 27.
Died at Netley Hospital on 14/01/1915.
He is buried in Netley Military Cemetery, CE 1657
Hospital Staff living/lodging at Netley Village
** Refreshed **
Mildred Moss Flower, 44, Nurse, QAIMNSR, is living at 18 Victoria Road, Netley in 1939.
Edward Haines, Army Medical Staff, is living at 61 Victoria Road, Netley in 1901
Annie Keys is a Hospital Nurse living at Highfield House, 2 Manchester Road, Netley in 1901.
Major William Leishman, RAMC, living at "Rose Cottage", 87 New Road, Netley in 1911
Patrick O'Neill, 25, is a Surgeon/Physician living at "Fernlea", 63 Station Road Netley in 1901.
Sister S Skedall, QAIMNS, is living at "Hatfield", 43 Station oad, Netley in 1939.
Charles H Stewart, Physician + Surgeon is living at "Homeland", Station Road, Netley in 1901.
"Laura Villas" were the first houses at the foot of Station Road on the left going up,
(later known as "Cutler's Corner")
in 1891 Charles Stallkartt, Surgeon-on-probation is there;
in 1901 it's Walter Turner, Medical Surgeon
The 1901 Census has Lt-Colonel William W Webb, Principal Medical Officer living at "The Gables",
then on Butts Road, now the Residential Nursing Home on Station Road, Netley.
Miss Monica M Wight, Nursing Sister QAIMNS was living at "Melrose" 61 Station Road,
Netley Abbey in 1939.
PRISONERS-OF-WAR DURING 1914 - 1918
I've been given the details of the following servicemen who had been captured
by the German Forces during the First World War and kept as Prisoners-of-War.
They were repatriated back to the UK and admitted to Netley War Hospital on 20 May 1918.
All were suffering with Mental issues, largely attributable to the ill-treatment they had received
whilst in the Camps.
If you recognise any of the men and wish to know more, please Contact Me -
Private William Anderson, Scots Guards
Private H Bartholomew, West Yorkshire Regiment
Private J W Clement, Northumberland Fusiliers
Private T Cummings, Manchester Regiment
Stoker J Jones, Royal Naval Division
Private M Murray, Irish Guards
Private James Power, Royal Irish Rifles
Private H Rawson, West Riding Regiment
Corporal J Taylor, Lancashire Fusiliers
[Thank you Sarah B]
Below some of the servicemen who had just returned wounded
from fighting in the Dargai Region to Netley Hospital when HM Queen Victoria visited in April 1898.
Back row - Private Stoker, Royal Artillery; Private Smyth, Dorsetshire Regiment; Private Curran, Inniskilling Fusiliers;
Lance-Corporal Macgregor, Welsh Regiment; Private Lyons, Black Watch
Middle row - Private May, The Buffs; Private Pope, Royal West Surrey Regiment; Private Warne, Gordon Highlanders; Private Llewellyn, Welsh regiment; Lance-Corporal Jones, Welsh Regiment
Front row, sitting - Lance-Corporal Judson, Northamptonshire Regiment; Private Watson, Yorkshire Regiment;
Private Davis, The Buffs; Private Brown, Gordon Highlanders.
Standing on right - Sergeant Sheen, Gordon Highlanders
We have some additional information only on a couple of them so far but if the name/Regiment is familiar
to you, drop me an email via Contact Me
