Perth Red Cross Auxiliary Hospital

[thegrove]

Is anyone able to point me to any resources about life at the Perth Red Cross Auxiliary Hospital. My grandfather died in 1948 so sadly I never had the chance to meet him. (His service record does not survive.) Part of his story that has been handed down to me verbally is that whilst in recovery at a Scottish hospital he spent some time on a boat - presumably to get some sea air as he had been gassed. The suggestion is it was Loch Long. However several of his fellow soldiers injured in the same incident were at Perth Red Cross Auxiliary Hospital. So I am wondering if these recuperation trips were on the River Tay.

So I'm looking for details of other soldiers at this particular hospital or nursing staff memories/diaries etc. Maybe press reports too.

Thanks.

[Matlock1418]

I can see why you have started this thread but for continuity and reference of others and to avoid any potential duplication of effort I mention your other thread

Wishing you good luck.

M

Edited 23 August , 2023 by Matlock1418
typos, typos!

[thegrove]

4 minutes ago, Matlock1418 said:

I can see why you have stasrted this thread but for continuity and reference to other and to avoid any potential duplication of effort  I mention your other thread

Thank you @Matlock1418, I should have realised that was the smart thing to do.

[gnr.ktrha]

Hi,
   The building that was the Red Cross hospital in Perth is now the A.K Bell Library. Only the central part of the building is the original building. It was originally built as the County Hospital, but closed around July 1914, when the "new" Infirmary was built. I work in the library in the Local and Family History department. Unfortunately, no records of patients seems to have survived, there is however a photograph album which was but together by the Duchess of Atholl and shows all of the Red Cross Hospital's across Perthshire. Within this album there are a couple of unnamed, general photos of the hospital.
        I will keep an eye out for any news stories about patients and trips out. It is possible that they did have trips down the River Tay, but I am unaware of any pleasure boats on the river at that time. It is possible that they went to Loch Earn on the train, or spent some time in Highland Perthshire and went of boats on Loch Tay. 

[thegrove]

9 hours ago, gnr.ktrha said:

Hi,
   The building that was the Red Cross hospital in Perth is now the A.K Bell Library. Only the central part of the building is the original building. It was originally built as the County Hospital, but closed around July 1914, when the "new" Infirmary was built. I work in the library in the Local and Family History department. Unfortunately, no records of patients seems to have survived, there is however a photograph album which was but together by the Duchess of Atholl and shows all of the Red Cross Hospital's across Perthshire. Within this album there are a couple of unnamed, general photos of the hospital.
        I will keep an eye out for any news stories about patients and trips out. It is possible that they did have trips down the River Tay, but I am unaware of any pleasure boats on the river at that time. It is possible that they went to Loch Earn on the train, or spent some time in Highland Perthshire and went of boats on Loch Tay. 

Thank you, that's really appreciated. I take it the photos don't show any people?

Since posting I have also found this amazing sketchbook, which includes some pictures from the hospital. The pictures were painted by Edith Maud Drummond Hay who nursed at the hospital from 1914 until March 1917, after which she served in France. There is a small selection of images from the album you can scroll through at the top of the page. I have found one other that I have attached here.

[gnr.ktrha]

Hi,
   Unnamed patients do appear in some of the images. I think there is an undated image of patients and staff standing outside the main entrance to the building. i had forgotten about the Drummond Hay. I am sure one of my colleagues created a spreadsheet about the images, will check when I am at work tomorrow as it might make mention of outings. 

[Matlock1418]

15 hours ago, thegrove said:

Since posting I have also found this amazing sketchbook, which includes some pictures from the hospital. The pictures were painted by Edith Maud Drummond Hay who nursed at the hospital from 1914 until March 1917, after which she served in France. There is a small selection of images from the album you can scroll through at the top of the page. I have found one other that I have attached here.

Had a quick look at the site/album - An awesome artifact. 

M

[thegrove]

1 hour ago, Matlock1418 said:

Had a quick look at the site/album - An awesome artifact. 

M

Yes, I thought it's probably very useful for anyone researching or writing about hospital life during WW1.

G.