DUNHAM MASSEY - WW1 HOSPITAL

[linden]

There is a short article about Dunham Massey Hall , near Altrincham , in a family history magazine . It includes some names of patients from 1917 - 1919 and says that some patients' letters survive . It was known as Stamford Hosptal .

I'm recording such "snippets" of information because I think they might be of interest to someone on the Forum . But I'm aware that the person who wrote the magazine article may well belong to this Forum .

[John_Hartley]

A bit of info about the hospital itself

Clickety click

Dunham Massey was owned by Lord Stamford (until he willed it to the National Trust) - presumably the reason for the wartime name of the hospital

J

[Dragon]

Earlier this year the local papers reported that medical artefacts had been revealed at Dunham, undisturbed since the Great War. Googling for 'war store' ought to find some of the articles.

It's a National Trust property now. I don't know whether the medical relics are on view to the public but I had the feeling they were going to be.

Should you go there, you could try to imagine the flat fields near the Crematorium with WW2 aircraft hangars in them.

[John_Hartley]

Gwyn

We must have been typing at the same time. My link is to the "war store" article.

John

[Dragon]

Yes, we were! The forum crashed immediately after I spotted yours, so I couldn't edit my post. You're right; I was remembering from the free papers that circulate to relatives' homes in the Altrincham area.

Gwyn

[Dr jon]

This is the large country estate I guess? 200yds down from the Axe & Cleaver pub, opposite Dunham Massey WW1 War memorial.

Been round the estate several times but seen or heard no mention of any WW1 relics etc. Just ducklingds and deer at the mo.

Jon

[Dragon]

Yes, that's the place. The WW1 artefacts mentioned will be in the hall itself.

I haven't been in the hall for some years as the NT are not my favourite organisation and the spirit of the place has changed since they took it over. Not mentioning names, the farm which is widely signposted in the area (clue: 'red') is great for informal home-made lunches or teas after you've strolled in the park and not fed the deer.

I bet those deer are the great-great-great-great grandchildren of the deer the wounded soldiers might have seen in the park.

Gwyn

[linden]

Is it worth me writing to the author to see if he would like to post names on this site ?

[centurion]

I'll drop my sister a line (she works there for the NT) and see if she knows anything.

[Will O'Brien]

Lovely place. One of my wife's favourites (she is from just down the road in Timperly. Nice to think that it served a useful purpose during the Great War.

[John Gilinsky]

Can any of you please enlighten this dull colonial as to how and why such medical artifacts might have remained for generations undisturbed? I presume this relates to the rural location, lack of direct ownership and/or absentee ownership?

Merci beaucoup de Canada,

Jean

[Beau Geste]

My wife and I visited the estate yesterday and apart from a brief paragraph on one or two of the "information boards" dotted around the rooms of the house, there was still no detailed reference at all to its use as a military hospital during The Great War. The guides on duty in the mansion could tell us nothing of value either so in that respect the visit was a disappointment.

The article that John has posted is interesting. According to one member of staff, operations were carried out in the small corridor area at the base of the grand staircase and outside the "butler's sitting room". Apparently the reason for this was the availability of the water referred to in the article.

Harry

[daisynook]

I have today had a small window open in my search for my grandfather Henry (Harry) Scholes. My Mother told the story of how he was wounded in WW! came back to London and then onto a hospital called Lady Jane Grey. I have spent many hours trying to trace anything of his WW1 records but to no avail. I presume he was one of the ones whose records were destroyed in WW2.

This morning there was an article on BBC about Dunham Massey and the Stamford Military Hospital. More importantly it was about Lady Jane Grey and how she worked in the hospital. I believe there are some records of the 281 patients treated there. I am hopeful I may finally be able to find out what Regiment he was in and where and when he was injured.

I have also seen on the BBC website a picture of training soldiers in Heaton Park which was near where he lived so he was possibly training there at the time.

In searching I found this topic. I'm sure many of you will have seen the BBC WW1 programmes being broadcast at this time.

[Guest Temba]

Hi Daisynook

I have just come back from Dunham Massey - the hospital recreation opened today. It is absolutely excellent by the way and I'd urge anyone interested to go! Extremely moving and really informative.

There is indeed a connection with the Grey family, so I'm sure you are on the right tracks in your search.

There is a book in one of the rooms where you can look up any of the patients who stayed at the hospital and it tells you as much information as they know. I only just saw your post otherwise I'd have looked up your Grandfather for you. You could email Dunham Massey - I'm sure they will help. Also they would probably be most interested if you had any more information than they have.

Good luck!

[Ron da Valli]

There was a news item about the hospital on North West Tonight, Granada tv earlier in the week. Should be available on their iplayer thingy.

[daisynook]

Ron and Temba - Thank you very much for your replies. I have already emailed Dunham Massey to see if they'll look anything up for me. I now live 200 miles away but if its worth the trip I will make the effort to visit.