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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Staffordshire => Topic started by: Barnford on Tuesday 22 September 09 09:53 BST (UK)
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I have just discovered from a gravestone photograph that my great uncle, a gunner in the Royal Field Artillery, died at the Stoke War Hospital in 1918. Family memories would suggest that it was from pneumonia brought on by the influenza epidemic.
I am struggling to find out anything about this hospital, despite extensive searches on our favourite search engine, WW1 forums or VAD, Red Cross or Order of St John's sites. The snippets I have found suggest that it was based in Newcastle under Lyme (or Lyne) and that it may have been a former union workhouse. I have not been able to confirm either of those (and the workhouse records are fairly extensive). I believe also that it was used for ANZAC casualties and that it may have specialised in troops affected with influenza.
My hope is that someone with local knowledge may be able to give me some pointers as to where to try next.
Thanks
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http://www.thepotteries.org/tour/020.htm
Could this be it
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It is something I did look at but it makes no reference to use as a War Hospital. My problem is that I have no way of evaluating whether it is or is not the right building without some further supporting evidence. Unfortunately, I can not find his WW1 service records, only his medal card which does not give me much information either.
Thanks
Clive
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Sorry Clive,
Ive had a good trawl and can't see anything else.
Have you had look on Ancestry?
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http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nzlwo/nursess.html
One site that mentions it... ??? A sister Storr worked there.
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Thank you for that. This just really illuminates the core of my problem. From what I understand, several buildings throughout the country were appropriated to serve as War Hospitals, so it is unclear to me whether Stoke War Hospital was part of an existing hospital or a building in or near Stoke used as a War Hospital and just called Stoke War Hospital. He was buried where he was born, which was in Nottingham, so no help there. It does not look as if his service or pension records are among the surviving ones, so no help there. I do not know how the military recorded deaths of serving personnel in WW1 - there is no civil certificate for him.
I can approach the local archive with some questions but I was hoping to be able to fashion some rather more direct ones rather than open ended ones - at least locating the place could have been of some use. Hence my hope that maybe a local historian could be of some help.
Thanks
Clive
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http://www.thepotteries.org/email.htm
This fellow is a local historian,he'd probably know about it or ,least find out for you...
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Hi
If he died in the UK then he ought to have a ' normal' civil death registration. He should also be commemorated by the CWGC, Have you checked their website?
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Yes I have, thanks - that is how I managed to locate his grave stone.
Based on your comment on UK deaths and their certification, I have searched the registers again and found a possible entry. His forename has been misspelled, which is why I have not found it before. I have applied for a certificate and I will post on here the address of the hospital (if given) for other researchers.
Clive
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I have now received my relative's death certificate but it only contains the stamped entry 'Temporary Military Hospital Stoke upon Trent'.
I did find this on another forum:
The following is from Johnny Get Your Gun a personal narrative by John Tucker a Londoner serving with the Kensingtons.
We were put into a hospital train in the charge of a very fierce matron. We passed through London at night, much to my disappointment, and on to Newcastle-under-Lyme, near Stoke. I was taken by motor ambulance to Stoke War Hospital, actually at Newcastle.
The hospital set in neat grounds surrounded by a high wall, was originally the Stoke Workhouse.
My ward was a light, high ceilinged room, holding probably about 16 to 18 beds. On the right hand side of each bed there was a white cupboard. The iron bedsteads were covered with a clean white counterpain. The walls were dove grey distempered with white woodwork. The ward was immaculatley clean.
Also, I have been put in touch with someone who has more information on the hospital, so I hope this will take me to the next level of research.
Thanks
Clive
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Oh lovely Clive.
the Stoke workhouse is on the Potteries site.
Don't forget to post the info'.
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died at the Stoke War Hospital in 1918.
The City General Hospital now North Staffs hospital Centre at Newcastle on the A34 road used to be the poor law hospital for Stoke on Trent. This I know was available for patients both in the WW1 and WW2.
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I have a photograph taken in 1916 of Stoke War Hospital and it is easy to identify the buildings/architecture from it.
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I have a photograph taken in 1916 of Stoke War Hospital and it is easy to identify the buildings/architecture from it.
Thanks - are you able to post it here.
Clive
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Its not a digital copy but if i had your address can copy and send it
joe
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Just thought you would like to know that I came across a photocopy of a photograph labelled Block A stoke military hospital. The building is still there in Newcastle under Lyme at the university Hospital North Staffordshire NHS Trust, it is a listed building, the photograph does showit with a clock tower however that is no longer there it must have been taken down before it was listed. The building now houses the hospital Trust head Quarters, the original buildings were part of the work house and include a small church.
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Thanks very much for that information. It should help me identify it.
Clive
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The following may be of use.
There were two hospitals on the complex that is now known as University Hospital of North Staffordshire. Stoke Military Hospital was on the General Hospital Site Adjacent to the A34 Road. It received wounded soldiers and had 711 beds for other ranks no officers beds. The surviving buildings are listed and so have escaped being demolished when the new hospital was constructed. A Block was built in 1886 as a school for 250 children living in the Workhouse. photographs and details on this link: http://www.thepotteries.org/tour/020.htm
The other site, off Queens Rd is the Royal Hospital Site and in WW1 all, or part of it, was a Red Cross convalescent hospital but I have not researched this hospital
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Have you looked at this link? http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p022vfhp. My great uncle met my great aunt at this hospital in 1917.
Pat
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Thank you.
Clive