The War Hospital Dundee: Where was it?

[rolt968]

If I knew where the War Hospital in Dundee was, I have forgotten. I think I should know since I have referred to it in at least one post.

Can anyone please enlighten me?

RM

[seaJane]

Anything in here? https://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/hospitals/hospital.php?pid=13070

 

[Skipman]

Newspaper reports says 94 Commercial Street https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000164/19160128/099/0006

Edit unless that's the Acting Chaplain's address? see attached

Mike

Edited 25 February by Skipman

[rolt968]

Thank you both!

11 minutes ago, seaJane said:

Anything in here? https://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/hospitals/hospital.php?pid=13070

 

I had looked at that. The site doesn't seem to know either.

7 minutes ago, Skipman said:

Newspaper reports says 94 Commercial Street https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000164/19160128/099/0006

Mike

That's an interesting address! It backed on to Keillor's sweet factory!

RM

[seaJane]

Just been investigating the National Library of Scotland's old maps collection, especially the Ordnance Survey. I can't be certain, but I have an idea:

Here is the Commercial Street section of Dundee surveyed in 1912 and published in 1920 with a lot of the identifying pointers at buildings of interest missing. Link is https://maps.nls.uk/view/75530791 but you will probably have to zoom in.

Observe the black blocks, one under the Street of Commercial Street, and one above and to the left of Commercial.

Here is the same section, as close as I can get because the map coverage changed, in 1923.  Link https://maps.nls.uk/view/75831280

The black block under Street is now labelled Ch. (just under the S) for Church.  The other is now labelled, in the street, Mun[icipa]l Buildings and, on the right in the hatched area, Bk. Could that be an abbreviation of Barrack, and therefore a potential site, along with the municipal buildings, for the War Hospital? The situation near the docks for bringing transported troops ashore would be suitable.

These maps don't cover the whole city, but I would remark that the West Poorhouse, Blackness Street on the left edge of the 1912 map, and the Poorhouse/Parochial Hospital (much larger affairs) due north of the Victoria Dock on the 1923 map, off the top edge of the 1912 map, are other possibilities. It might be worth having a play with the maps.nls.uk site to find the adjacent sheets.

sJ

 

 

 

 

[TullochArd]

LLT gives several: Caird Rest Hospital, Kings Cross Infectious Diseases Hospital, Lochee School Hospital and Dundee Royal Infirmary ......... and the illusive Dundee War Hospital.  

The "Dundee and the Great War" site repeats:  Caird Rest, 172 Nethergate (60 beds) and Lochee, Bright Street (76 beds) and adds:

• Training College, Park Place (100 beds), 
• The Lodge, Queen Street, Broughty Ferry (80 beds), The Valuation Roll notes that the House & Garden at 133/175 Queen Street, Broughty Ferry, owned by the trustees of the late Robert Bogle Don, merchant, per Sheill & Sheill, 5 Bank Street was leased to Broughty Ferry Red Cross Society and that no rent was being paid. The adjacent stables were empty. This was the property occupied, until its recent conversion, by the Limb Fitting Centre.
• Church Hall, Monifieth (30 beds) Matron Mrs A G McLaren RRC, wife of the Rev D D McLaren, MA, BD, the minister of Monifieth Parish Church, living in Church Street
• Carlogie House, Carnoustie (30 beds) Carlogie Red Cross Hospital, Carlogie Road, Matron Miss Kidney, Telephone No C 3
• Union Hall, Carnoustie (30 beds)

....... but that site dosn't specifically mention Dundee War Hospital unless it is one of the above by another name? 

My understanding is the War Hospital and Auxiliary Hospital are the same? 

Edited 25 February by TullochArd

[dhubthaigh]

Seeing references to Dundee War Hospital at Mains Loan.......

[rolt968]

Thank you all.

This is from Goad's Fire Insurance Map (also from the NLS Site):

Unfortunately the copy is not very clear. 94 is on the left in the third block down from the corner. (For those who know Dundee the corner of the building at the very top of the map is what is now called the McManus.)

The buildings on the left of Commercial Street are shown as shops or tradesmen's premises with offices and "tens" above (tenants or tenaments?). It doesn't look too hopeful. I wonder if there was a Commercial Street in another part of Dundee?

 

The triangular "Bk" building was a bank - latterly the Clydesdale Bank, Jane. Lovely Scottish baronial style building. Now, if I remember rightly a chain coffee shop and a couple of small shops.

Your point about looking for suitable other premises is well made.

I actually know which registration district it was in as I have a death certificate - St Andrew, Dundee. Though even that has problems as they altered the Dundee registration districts  quite frequently, notably between 1918  and 1919.

 

Mains Loan sound an interesting possibility.

RM

[seaJane]

All I have been able to discover otherwise is that it was staffed by the RAMC, so maybe someone at the Museum of Military Medicine (formerly Army Medical Services Museum) can help.

[rolt968]

7 minutes ago, seaJane said:

All I have been able to discover otherwise is that it was staffed by the RAMC, so maybe someone at the Museum of Military Medicine (formerly Army Medical Services Museum) can help.

Thanks, Jane. I hadn't realised that it was an RAMC staffed hospital.

RM

[seaJane]

4 minutes ago, rolt968 said:

Thanks, Jane. I hadn't realised that it was an RAMC staffed hospital.

RM

I found an obituary and a promotion notice in https://europepmc.org/search?query="dundee war hospital" which pointed in that direction. I've also remembered this, though it's not conclusive:

Arrangements in Edinburgh and Dundee. The Hospital, vol. 56, no. 1473 (12 Sep 1914), p. 657. https://europepmc.org/article/MED/29840141#free-full-text.

Edited 25 February by seaJane

[Skipman]

Not sure if any use but you might get something? https://ckan.publishing.service.gov.uk/dataset/hospital-records

 

Mike

[rolt968]

I think we could be nearly there. This is from the Dundee Courier 20 October 1915 (FindmyPast)

I think that this was what became Maryfield Hospital but was originally the Dundee East Poorhouse (Hospital) which was mentioned in the Arrangemants in Edinburgh and Dundee Article https://europepmc.org/article/MED/29840141#free-full-text (Many thanks, Jane!)

https://historic-hospitals.com/gazetteer/dundee/

I think we may have another success for the combined efforts of members of the GWF. Thank you to everyone!

RM

Edit: It was on Main's Loan, off Forfar Road!

Edited 25 February by rolt968

[rolt968]

From the OS 25 inches to a mile Map 1921 from the National Library of Scotland.

RM

[seaJane]

Great stuff! Well done, team GWF!

[rolt968]

To tidy up.

“The Parish Council has placed a portion of the Eastern Poorhouse Hospital, capable of accommodating 130, at the disposal of the branch” (Dundee Branch of the British Red Cross Society). Arrangements in Dundee and Edinburgh. The Hospital. London.  12 September1914. 56(1473): p.657.

This refers to the original allocation to the Dundee Red Cross.

I take it this refers to the more northerlty of th two buildings ("Parochial Hospital") and not the southerly ("Dundee Combination Poorhouse").

RM

Edit: Looking at Google maps, there are now sports fields on the site.

Edited 26 February by rolt968

[gnr.ktrha]

Thought this might be of some use or interest-
http://www.fdca.org.uk/1914_to_1918_Dundee_Red_Cross_Hospitals.html

[rolt968]

On 27/02/2024 at 21:21, gnr.ktrha said:

Thought this might be of some use or interest-
http://www.fdca.org.uk/1914_to_1918_Dundee_Red_Cross_Hospitals.html

Thank you,

That's a very useful site. It's actually where I started looking for my manand indeed the Dundee War Hospital.

RM