Great Eastern Railway Hotel/Hospital, Harwich.

[Rayessex]

Hello all.

This picture was in the local paper on Friday.

Ray

And just happened to walk past same spot today.

Ray.

[Guest exuser1]

Great photograph , I recall back in 1968 a interview with a lady who was married to a young officer back in 1916 ,they spent their wedding night in the hotel before he left for France , it was the only night they had together ,he was killed a few weeks later .

She mentioned she could never again walk past the hotel even though she spent many years working in the city and she never remarried.

In the 1990s I worked on the hotel refurbishment as a project manger , it had fallen on hard times and was in a sad state ,but the refurb returned it to its former glory , it was quite eerie walking around the empty hotel before work commenced ,the empty bars and hallways ,I always thought of that lady and her comments.

[Rayessex]

Thanks.

Were you turning it into Flats or a Hotel in the 60's

Ray

[Rayessex]

Sorry,

Was not thinking for a moment then, you must have been turning it into the Town Hall. As that's what it was before it became Flats.

ray

[heatherannej]

Hi ... What newspaper was it? Would love to get the edition or a scan of that .... it is one of the hospitals that I am researching. Any help much appreciated. Heather

[heatherannej]

Additionally, I am curious to know what other information any accompanying article holds ..... would help me a lot perhaps, although I have (with the assistance of a significant other) a fair amount on the hospital and the one in Dovercourt. Heather

[Rayessex]

Hi Heather,

Ive emailed you.

Ray

[Rayessex]

Sorry Heather that post came across a bit blunt. I have a copy of the Paper but Papers, being Papers its just to big to scan.

Ray

[heatherannej]

Not "blunt" Ray ....'short and sweet' and much appreciated. Thank you. Heather

[douglynn]

looks to be little has changed apart from the lights now electric

[Rayessex]

Yes its amazing Douglynn, like going back in time, whenever I pass it>

Ray

[douglynn]

Ray at first I did a double take as I thought it was the great eastern in liverpool street as one of the other posters said about passing in the city, but on searching google its not the same nice pitures cheers doug

[johnboy]

From harwichanddovercourt,co.uk

The Hotel was built by Thomas Allom in ‘the free Italian or mixed style’. The first stone was laid in April 1864 and was opened on the 12^th july 1865. Ten roundels on the front portray national historical figures. The facia for the hotel name is under the clock. the ground floor boasted a dining room, coffee room, smoking room, a private billiard room and two large rooms with partitions that were used for private functions. Four bedrooms and six standard bedrooms were also situated on the floor. The second floor comprised of fourteen bedrooms all of which were fitted with stoves and mantle pieces. Situated on the third floor were another fifteen bedrooms and a water closet. On the roof was a 70 x 10 promenade protected by iron railings.

The Hotel had experienced peaks and troughs and, after a period of losses, was put up for sale in 1907 as a freehold property and fully licenced. Having cost £ 32,000 it was withdrawn with a top bid of £ 8,500. The hotel was closed on the 27^th April 1908 met with much opposition from local traders, the council and general public felt its closure was affecting their services and lobbied a hotel committee to reconsider. having been closed down, there were plans to reopen in 1912, in response to the growing importance of Harwich as an East Coast Naval base. The whole front of the building was turned into a lounge and a billiard room was added. there were five or so bedrooms and a large room was devoted to the Royal Harwich Yacht Club. As a final refinement, electric lighting was planned to replace gas. The continental steamship committee was eventually successful: the hotel was refurbished and re-opened on 30^th march 1912.

The G.E.R opened a tea room in 1900 between king’s head street and Eastgate Street, previously Robert hill’s coal yard. A tunnel under Eastgate Street connected the tearoom with the hotel. The idea was to get permission to build this facility then close the loss making hotel after a period of time. Unfortunatley the sale of the hotel did not materialize, and the tea room closed on 25^th July 1907, the following year the hotel closed, and after public views the tearoom re-opened in 2^nd April 1912. It lost much of its trade after Parkeston Quay opened, and, after previous temporary closures, was eventually closed for good in 1923.

Military Hospital

Military Hospital

The reopening, as a hotel, was short lived as,during the First World War, the Great Eastern Hotel was one of the many buildings requisitioned by the Government. Seriously-wounded sailors were immediately taken to Shotley for assessment, treatment and surgery, and then sent to Harwich for a period of convalescence. In May 1915, following a naval battle off Harwich, 46 German crew members were landed at Shotley in the early hours of Sunday Morning. on Monday morning, 39 were brought to the Military Hospital, and all but seven were certified fit to travel. those fit to travel were temporarily detained in the Redoubt and then marched to Harwich Railway Station to catch the train for London. the others stayed in GER hotel until fit to travel.

After the First World War the military vacated the Hotel, and £ 4,000 was spent on Redecorating and installing new electrical cooking equipment, in preparation for its reopening on 21st April 1920. the Admiralty again used it in WW2 as administrative offices. Its life was however short lived and lost money heavily, the hotel finally closed its doors for the last time at the end of September 1923. In 1951 it became the Town Hall and municipal offices.

It is now in private ownership having been converted into flats.