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Report - - Frenchay Hospital, Bristol - July 2014 | Asylums and Hospitals | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Frenchay Hospital, Bristol - July 2014

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WhoDaresWins

Let's do this
Regular User
Visited with Gabe, raisinwing, JasperB & Seffy.
(However I have included a few phone snaps from a couple of solo strolls around the place)

There was a campaign to save the hospital that was started back in 2003, with 79% of residents rejecting the closure the hospital. Services have now been transferred to the upgraded Southmead hospital in Bristol.

Since it closed in May I have had a few walks through the site, some corriders, the chapel and a few other buildings. The site now has hoarding around and 3 gates, which are closed only at night it seems. Demolition I have been told starts in about a months time. There are however small parts of the hospital that are still in operation such as pathology and the brain unit which will be retained until the end of the year at least.

The site is being turned into houses although some parts will remain such as the Brain Injury Rehabilitation unit, the Burden Centre and the Clic Cottage. Frenchay Park House which is being used as Trust Headquarters as well as the adjacent stable block will remain but is due to be sold off separately. There is also a promise of a 60-70 bed sized community hospital being created on a 6 acre patch that has been identified.


History:
The area that Frenchay Hospital stands on (70 acres of land) was sold to the Corporation of Bristol in 1921 and for the next ten years it then became a children's TB hospital - Frenchay Park Sanatorium. In the late 1920s it was deemed that it was too small for all its patients, so, in 1931, five purpose built buildings were built, two ward pavilions, a treatment block, an admissions and observation block and a school. The estate so remained until 1940, but did also include a farm, which grew food for the children.
In the late 1930s the Government feared that there would not be enough hospital beds to house the estimated casualties should the expected war break out. As such an emergency hospital was planned for the estate, with construction starting in mid 1940. Eventually 15 wards and supporting facilities were built, only to remain empty because the number of casualties was fewer than had been feared. In the meantime the children remained in their buildings. The US soldiers started to arrive in Britain in the 1942. As a form of reverse "Lease Lend" the emergency buildings were handed over to the US military and the first US troops arrived at the hospital in May 1942. As the amount of US soldiers grew, the hospital was extended by 15 wards and supporting departments. The hospital was known as the 298th General Hospital, United States Army. The Americans stayed until August 1945, when the whole of the site, including all the US equipment, was handed to the British.

Before the war it pioneered electroencephalograms to monitor brain activity. More controversially, it conducted the first lobotomy in Britain in 1941 and later used electroconvulsive therapy.

Frenchay’s A&E department served a large part of the south wests air ambulances. I remember on occasions 3 landing in one day. In more recent years Frenchay’s reputation grew and became well respected in the fields of burns and neuro-surgery.


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Thanks for looking.​
 

WhoDaresWins

Let's do this
Regular User
Re: Frenchay Hospital, Bristol - July 2014 (Pic Heavy)

A few more:

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Closest to the morgue we could get...
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A few phone pics from previous visits:
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Gabe

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Re: Frenchay Hospital, Bristol - July 2014 (Pic Heavy)

Looks great, some cracking shots here. Was a nice lil jaunt this.
 

raisinwing

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Nice one, you've got some good shots there!

Was a nice explore this :)

Will pop up that people shot tonight!
 

wellingtonian

Subterráneo
Regular User
Lovely snaps there mate. Still looks like it's live. You sure you didn't just have an appointment.......? ;)
 

The_Raw

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Bang on the money with the write up and shots, looks like a fantastic wander :thumb
 

Chelt original

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
didnt know it had closed!
i spent nearly a month in there after a very bad accident involving a metal spike and my head! i owe my life to that place and the people who worked there. . . . :)
 

Effy

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Stumbled across this old report but its a great one. Brilliant pictures, thank you.
 
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