Netley Hospital, Hampshire, England

[MacMahuna]

My grandfather, James McMahon of Belfast, moved to Southampton some time after 1911 and married my grandmother in 1917.
The marriage certificate states  his address as Red Cross Hospital, Netley.
Would that mean he was serving in the military? In peace time he was a barber. Would this have been a trade useful to an army hospital?
One of the witnesses was Driver Harry Robinson. Is that a military position?
I'd appreciate any information
Thank you

[youngtug]

I would think so, on both counts.



and a snippet from the book mentioned;
            https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/aug/21/royal-victoria-hospital-netley-ww1-first-world-war-photographs-documentary-philip-hoare

[MacMahuna]

Thanks so much for your quick reply.
 Unfortunately, I don't have access to British television here in France but I do have a copy of the book ( bought originally because I am from Southampton and remember cycle rides out to Netley) so will read again with new interest.
Can you suggest how I go about finding further information about his time with the army. Maybe the medial corps, please?

[ShaunJ]

If he was in the army at the time of his marriage I think that would be recorded as his occupation in the marriage record. If it just says "Barber" then I think that would suggest that he was a civilian.

[MacMahuna]

So, a civilian working at the hospital?
Thank you

[IMBER]

The Red Cross Hospital was built to the rear of the existing Military Hospital and manned by Red Cross staff rather than the Army. There was a James McMahon who served with the Red Cross as a Chauffeur but he appears to have had a home address in Glasgow when he joined. The Red Cross employed plenty of ambulance drivers which could explain Driver Robinson perhaps? “Driver” and “Chauffeur” were both recognised Red Cross ranks.

Imber

[ShaunJ]

There was a James McMahon who served with the Red Cross as a Chauffeur but he appears to have had a home address in Glasgow when he joined.

103 Rolland St Maryhill

https://vad.redcross.org.uk/Card?fname=james&sname=mcmahon&id=142334

There's also a medal roll entry and MIC for this chap showing that he served in France with the Red Cross between February 1918 and February 1919.

[MacMahuna]

Thank you for the information
Coincidentally, he had been sent as a young lad to train as a lather boy in Glasgow. Whether he went back and then shifted to Netley we'll never know.