chrisharley9 Posted 20 October , 2006 Share Posted 20 October , 2006 Is this hospital in any way connected with the Royal Berks Hospital Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt_Hazell_Great_Grandson Posted 21 October , 2006 Share Posted 21 October , 2006 Is this hospital in any way connected with the Royal Berks Hospital Chris The Reading Union Workhouse opened in 1867. Some year later it became a 185 bed hospital. In 1915 it became Reading War Hospital Number 1. In 1930 it became Battle hospital. Last year is was demolished to make way for a new Tescos and some starter homes. RBH is a seperate hospital a couple of miles away. Roland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisharley9 Posted 21 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 21 October , 2006 Roland thanks for that very swift answer All the best Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 23 July , 2014 Share Posted 23 July , 2014 I had to visit the Royal Berks Hospital in London Road, Reading this morning and entered the building through the old north entrance (rather than the new main east entrance.) Walking through the main corridor, I noticed (just before Cavendish Ward) three large panels giving the RBH's history, one being devoted to the Great War. This explained that the Battle War Hospital Complex consisted of six main hospitals in Reading and several satellites, such as Englefield House (off the Pangbourne-Theale road) and Basildon House on the Pangbourne-Streatley road (which was used by American troops in WWII and is now a National Trust property). Roland has explained above that Battle Hospital was Number 1. (A photograph on the panel shows soldiers at the Oxford Road entrance, which still exists) Number 2 was Battle School, 3 was Wilson School, 4 was Redland School, 5 was Katesgrove School and 6 was the Royal Berks. Wilson School (close to Reading West station) remains to this day - I don't know about the other school buildings. The panel shows photos of a Royal Visit on July 31, 1915 and a large group shot of staff at Number 1 Hospital. Close to the Battle Site, is Brocks Barracks, now a Territorial (oops, Army Reserve) depot, and a couple of hundred yards up Norcot Hill is a small cemetery including several WWI war graves. The Royal Berks is best known for it being where Douglas Bader was taken after he crashed (losing his legs) at Woodley airfield. Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 23 July , 2014 Share Posted 23 July , 2014 Moonraker Wilson, Battle and Katesgrove are all going strong (as primary schools only now) and are all feeder schools to my school, Prospect. When students from Battle discover my obsession with the Great War (which is normally about a nanosecond after they arrive in my room) they are always quick to tell me of the 'legend' that a tunnel still exists linking the school to the old hospital site. I have no idea whether there is any truth in this story but it certainly shows that interest in the war remains high. Funnily enough my father attended Wilson in the 1930s and I went there in the 1960s but I did not know until your post that it was also used as a hospital. The small cemetery in Norcot Hill (a stone's throw from where I am writing) is quite an anomaly. It is linked to St George's Church which stands a good mile or so away. The cemetery is maintained but always has a rather forlorn air I feel. I think I once counted 18 Great War burials there. There are also a handful in the main Tilehurst cemetery near St Michael's Church . However the main burial plot for the hospital was in the town's principal cemetery at Cemetery Junction. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan D'Hooghe Posted 27 September , 2016 Share Posted 27 September , 2016 Anyone know anything about a Doctor K A Hope Gill who worked at Reading Workhouse War Hospital? Thanks Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 27 September , 2016 Share Posted 27 September , 2016 Only person of those initials I can find so far is a Kathleen A Hope Gill who married in Berkshire in 1933. She may be related to the Revd. Cecil Hope Gill who was around in Reading during the GW period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 27 September , 2016 Share Posted 27 September , 2016 Perhaps a descendant? By coincidence, we have been discussing the workhouse and hospital here Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 27 September , 2016 Share Posted 27 September , 2016 (edited) Her marriage notice in the Times:- Williams: Hope Gill - On Sep 26, 1933, at Bucklebury Church Berks, by the Right Rev C Hope Gill, assisted by the Rev E M Thorp, Vicar, Gilbert Howard Williams, Sudan Civil Service, to Kathleen Anna Hope Gill, elder daughter of Bishop and Mrs Hope Gill, Hyeres, S. France. On Saturday, Aug 04, 1934 husband Gilbert was granted the right to wear the Order of the Nile 5th Class. I am not sure, but Cecil Gervase Hope Gill, diplomat, 1894-1984, may have been a sibling. Edited 27 September , 2016 by seaJane extra information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan D'Hooghe Posted 3 November , 2016 Share Posted 3 November , 2016 Sorry for late thanks for the posts above. Much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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