Dartford's Hospitals History

A corner in the psychiatric ward, West Hill. Mr Southern left, Miss Dawson right.

Accident and Emergency Centre, West Hill. The courtyard.

Canteen on the site of the old fever hospital. Beyond 'Hospital', were A block and old nurses home, later Doctors residences then administration. 1988

Christmas 1949, West Hill. Visit to the children's ward by Mayor Mrs Welch, Dartford's first Lady Mayor.

Converted men's yard. 1991.

Converted to offices, the former women's yard. 1991

December 1955.Opening of the new operating theatre.

Dedication of plaque to the two nurses who lost their life in the bombing of A block by the Bishop of Rochester.

Door knocker on the Master's House.

East window of West Hill Chapel, presented by Mr Thomas Dann, Chairman of the Board of Guardians 1878.

Entrance to the Air raid shelter. During the Blitz 20-30 nurses on day duty slept there at night.

Entrance to West Hill. 1997.

Friends of West Hill hospital fete. Matron Brown, De Cochrane (Medical Superintendant.

Gartly House Gate, home of William Wilson, surgeon to the workhouse and later the home of Grace Say.

Last week of West Hill Path Lab 1997. Christina Green and David.

Last week of West Hill Path Lab 1997. Keith Holmes.

Louise 1 (formally maternity). 1986

Louise 1 (medical records). Louise 2 beyond cars. 1986

Male casual ward, later a Police Station.

Mary Violet Gantry SRN, SCM, MTD. 1907-1985. After the bomb blast in WW2 Sister Gantry crawled in and out of the wreakage giving morphia to the trapped women to relieve their pain.

Master's house attached to the workhouse and kitchens

Master's House in new conversion. 1991.

May 1950, West Hill. Presentation of easy chairs. Dr Cochrane, Matron Foskett, Miss Bignall, Mr & Mrs Bowyer. Front Mrs Welch and Mr Parry.

May 1950, West Hill. The 100th birthday of Mrs E Styles, Grace Say ward. Mrs Welch (Mayor), Miss Foskett (Matron) and Sister V Dorey

Men and boys accomodation, later Hesketh ward. Air raid shelter on left.

Midwifery Staff 1948. Back L-R Nurses Watson, Seward, Barham. Front L-R Nurses Fowler, Long and Gantry

Nurses home till mid 1930's then the Doctors residence and medical staff dinning room. later used as administration offices.

Opening of A&E. Mayor Albert May, Princess Anne, Nina Martin, Nurse Bertha Richards, Sister Logan, Nurse E Frost

Opening of A&E. Mr Giblin Hospital Secretary, Daphne Marchant Chief Nursing Officer, Mr Kekwich Chairman Hospital Management Committee, Princess Anne.

Opening of new A&E buildings, Princess Anne unveils the plaque.

Opening of West Hill A&E buildings by Princess Anne, 8th November 1971. Greeted by Lord Cornwallis

Operating theatre, West Hill, 1957

Part of the men's exercise yard.

Plaque recording the original hospital, on the opposite side of West Hill.

Post-war West Hill. New boiler hosue chimney to the right of the Chapel. Trolley buses have replaced the trams on West Hill.

Probationer Nurses recieving their badges from the Chairman Rev Stanley Morgan. 1934

Procession on West Hill. Christopher and Constance Wards behind patients at the gate.

Remains of our 'ospital. 1999

Renton Clinic. 1999

The 1834 Act Union Workhouse. 1986

Restored front of the workhouse. 1990.

The last patients left Phillips and Hesketh in 1968.

The new, 1934, Nurses Home. 1992.

The opening of Louise 2, 1949. L-R Dr Cochrane, Midwife Gantry, Mr Dalley Obstetrician, Matron Foskett, Mrs Weich, Major Pym, Mr Parry Chairman Hospital Management Committee.

The opening of Louise 2. 1949.

The school building was the dispensary for many years. Hesketh war for males and Grace Say and Eva wards for women, far end.

Union Workhouse, recieving ward centre and women's hall left.

West Hill c.1935. New nurses home complete on the site of the old mortuary.

West Hill Chapel after renovation 1959.

West Hill Chapel. Built for the workhouse in 1878 at a cost of £1,250 and restored in 1992.

West Hill hospital administration block c.1960

West Hill Hospital the new Accident and Emergency department.

West Hill, the site of the workhouse well

West Hill. Workhouse buildings in Lurchin's Hole 1836-1913.

West windows, West Hill Chapel. Both windows were by C E Kempe, 'St Michael' was destroyed in the bombing during WW2. The remaining, 'St Gabriel' is in storage at Darent Valley Hospital.

Workhouse entrance from West Hill. The Master's accomodation was round so he couls see into all the courtyards.

Workhouse school and dining rooms for boys and girls. Built by 1886,the fever hospital was on the site of the canteen, beyond the stop sign. Hesketh Ward, left, was male infirmary ward.

Demolishion of West Hill. 1999