Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Netley Military Hospital


seb phillips

Recommended Posts

I've just got back from visiting Netley Military Hospital. Really not much of it left, but the cemetery on the hillside is well worth a visit. Its a slightly odd mix of graves from Victorian to Ww2.

 

I was wondering though - does anyone know why the building was demolished in 1966? There seems to have been a last-minute scramble to save the place, which led to the chapel being retained, but - why was the rest of it bulldozed? Seems like such a waste.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Large fire in 1963; demolished in '66.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry to have been so brief - I was interrupted! I got the information from Wikipedia but there are various other websites.

 

sJ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for sharing the link Graeme. The more people know about Netley, the better.

 

Julie Green

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seb

It was an overly large hospital (1000 beds when built) and by the mid sixties in the wrong place so vacated.

I am the historical consultant sitting on the project board to commemorate the hospital within the country park. Refurbishment of the chapel has started and it is hoped to reopen mid 2018. It is a very exciting project and will really tell the story of what was a magnificent hospital.

 

Pete

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Netley was constructed before Florence Nightingale's ideas about hospital ward design had been taken on board and it was always unsatisfactory. It was intended that hospital ships would dock directly onto the wharf in the grounds but they drew too much water to ever use it. By the 1960s the design was regarded as very dated, and like many Victorian asylums, it was no longer suitable for modern use. D Block, the psychiatric wing, remained in use until the 1970s.

Dr Jonathan Miller filmed some of his version of Alice in Wonderland in the building before most of it was demolished.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Eighteen months ago, and then a year ago, there were several threads on Nettley Hospital which may be of interest. One is HERE, and it has a link to another.

 

William

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...