Milford Tb Sanatorium
Milford Chest Hospital lies in the heart of surrey. With a modern geriatric hospital on the site the main tb part of the sanatorium was closed and boarded up in the early eighties.
It has remained tightly sealed and security patrolled all this time. A local trip was on the cards as soon as the developers gained planning permission to develop the site when the emphasis on security dropped.
It is totally fooked but had one or two interesting features.
Some history,shamelessly stolen from The Milford Sanatorium web site
.The Foundation Stone for Milford Hospital, in its original form as a TB Sanatorium, was laid in May 1927 by Col. The Lord Ashcombe CB., TD., the Lord Lieutenant of the County. The Sanatorium was officially opened, by the Rt Hun Neville Chamberlain MP, Minister of Health on 20th June 1928
The story of Milford Hospital really stares in 1911 with Parliament passing the 'National Insurance (Treatment of Tuberculosis) Act`. This gave power to, and urged Local Authorities, to concern themselves with a disease which than accounted for some 65,000 deaths per annum and even those in medical care had only a one in five chance of recovery.
The story of Milford is to the greatest credit of Surrey County Council and one in which the County can take the greatest pride. In response to this Act in 1911 Surrey County Council purchased 110 acres of land, between Tuesley Lane and the Southern Railway line, from the Sattenham Estate at a cost of £8,234 for the purpose of establishing a TB Sanatorium. However, World War I intervened and development had to be postponed, Following the trauma of the War, Local Authorities could direct their attention to domestic affairs and ʻTBʻ again became a priority.
The War had devastated a generation; young widows were aplenty and the birth rate was negligible. A flu epidemic struck in the early 1920’s and the birth rate fell to the point of National Survival. At that time, TB was the most consistent killer disease upon which an assault could be made. Medical research and Local Authorities responsibilities were directed to this end and Surrey responded.
In the 1920's, Surrey County Councils sanatarium sub-committee found it a duty to implement their pre—War decisions, endorsed by the full Council, and the land was available. Sydney Tattle, FRIBA was appointed Architect and the Building Contract awarded to Chapman, Lower and Peptic Ltd. The final cost was £155,000
Time for a photo or two.
How it looked pre 1980
What is left of the old site, It will be demolished soon.
Ray Galton who met and formed a successful scriptwriting partnership with Alan Simpson.
Not hdr but shot with a 10 stop nd filter
Sluice room
A virgin sploor or a sploor virgin?
And some friendly honey bees.
The site may not last much longer as 110 houses due to be built there soon.
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