On the Terrace at Red Gables Hospital

I’m continuing my tribute to those battling COVID-19 in our hospitals, nursing homes and as first responders by digging through my archives of First World War hospital photographs.

This is the second of a two-part feature on the Red Gables Private Hospital in Bletchingley, Surrey. In addition to the photos and postcards from Private John Denholm’s scrapbook I’ve included two clippings from the Surrey Mirror. One of them provides a good overview of the facility and a photograph of Dr. Abbott, staff and patients from 1915. The scrapbook includes a real photo postcard of the same image that appeared in the newspaper and so I’ve transcribed the names included in the article to ensure they will be found by internet search engines.

Private John Denholm spent six months at Red Gables however that was only part of a long period of convalescence…

Private Denholm at Red Gables Hospital in Surrey in May 1916

I’m continuing my tribute to those battling COVID-19 in our hospitals, nursing homes and as first responders by digging through my archives of First World War hospital photographs.

This week I”m featuring a series of photos taken at the Red Gables Private Hospital in Bletchingley, Surrey. The hospital was established by Mr. F.C. Abbott in November 1914 and operated as a convalescence home until February 1919. It specialized in treating men who received fractures of major bones due to shell or gunshot fire. One such patient was Private John Denholm of the 16th Battalion (Canadian Scottish) who was admitted in April 1916 after being seriously wounded in January of that year. I’ve written a dozen articles on Private Denholm and have featured many photos from his amazing First World War scrapbook.

I have over two dozen photographs taken at…