HISTORIC ELTHAM
SEnine
COTTAGE HOSPITAL
With memories and pictures being collected
about the old ‘cottage hospital’ John
Kennett gives a brief outline of its history.
The 
first Eltham Cottage Hospital of Queen Victoria.
opened on 7 October 1880
at 9 High Street, Eltham, just west of St In October 1898 a fund-raising event
John’s church on a site now occupied was arranged under the guidance of the
by Beadles, and was founded mainly New Eltham Social Club. A procession
Eltham & Mottingham Cottage Hospital
through the efforts of wealthy patrons. of horse-drawn floats gathered at
at Park Place (now Passey Place)
The first year’s subscriptions amounted New Eltham and paraded to St John’s
cleaning operation which included the
to over £450 and for the next twenty church for a service conducted by the
annihilation of a colony of cockroaches.
years over 1,000 patients were treated. Rev Elphinstone Rivers. The procession
The house became home to the Hitches
then made its way to Mottingham
family for nearly twenty years and the
and back to Eltham. Supporters
business was known as The Eltham
of the event included the Eltham
Motor Works.
Band, Mottingham Oddfellows,
the Loyal George Chester
From 1900 additions were made. In
Lodge of Oddfellows, Woolwich
1906 a children’s ward, the gift of Mrs
Temperance Society of Jolly Boys
Grain, was opened and in 1909, owing
attired in red garibaldi jackets
to increasing traffic, a casualty ward
with jack boots, and the Eltham
was added through a gift of £150 from
Lodge Loyal United Order of
the King Edward’s Hospital Committee.
Anglo Saxons. Displays depicted
A memorial to King Edward VII was
the work of hospitals including
provided by Mrs Latter, of Southend
The first Eltham Cottage Hospital from 1880-1898
patients suffering with damaged
Hall, in the form of x-ray apparatus in
limbs. Despite the rain which fell
1911. Dr James Jeken, one of the original
The Rev Walter J Sowerby, vicar of St during the whole event, £24 was raised.
founders, died in 1913 and a rear covered
John’s church, was the first President
verandah was added in his memory.
and in 1891 the unpaid Superintendent The hospital’s administrative block
Margaretta Brassey was supported by a stood separate from the block housing
In 1926 Mrs Locket, daughter of
cook and a nurse. In 1896 the organising the two wards which were capable
Colonel North of Avery Hill, provided
committee incurred some expense in of accommodating ten patients. In
funds to build a Private Wards Block to
improving the sanitary arrangements addition there were two private wards
accommodate six private wards with six
but its position beneath the bells of the and an operating theatre. The cost of the
nurses’ bedrooms above as a memorial
parish church made it unsuitable for up- work was about £4,000 and the hospital
to members of her family which was
to-date requirements of those times. was officially opened on Saturday 3
later partly used for maternity cases.
December 1898 by Sir Henry Burdett,
In 1897 a public meeting was called KCB, before a large
for the inhabitants of Eltham, New gathering.
Eltham and Mottingham to consider William Hitches
the building of a new hospital to established
which funds were pledged and a his bicycle
building committee appointed. A site manufacturing
was located in Park Place (now Passey business in 1897
Place) and the chosen architect was AB and bought the
Hutchings. The lowest tender was for vacated hospital
£2,836 and the work awarded to White building which he
& Son of Chislehurst. The new hospital converted into his
was to be built to commemorate the private residence
1897 Diamond Jubilee of the accession after an extensive
Children’s Ward, Casualty Ward and Administration Block, 1928
20
We are proud of Eltham
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