Military hospitals in Lincolnshire

This is a list of hospitals used for treatment of military casualties during the Great War that were situated in the County of Lincolnshire as it was at the time.

City of Lincoln and immediate area

  • Lincoln
    • County Hospital
      • An existing civilian hospital which began to admit military casualties in November 1914.
    • 4th Northern General Hospital
      • A unit of the Territorial Force that took over the buildings of Lincoln Grammar School on Wragby Road (later re-named Lincoln School and then Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School). It was operational by 19 August 1914 and developed to a total of 1040 beds.
      • “Yorkshire Post” reported on 14 September 1914, “The first batch of wounded soldiers for treatment the 4th Northern General Hospital at Lincoln, arrived in that city last evening from Southampton. There were 105 all told, and 20 of them were serious cases. Among those who witnessed their arrival were the Mayor and Mayoress of Lincoln, Dean Fry, and Captain A. G. Weigall MP (the latter also being recruiting officer for East Lincolnshire), Some the men are from the Yorkshire Regiment, but there are no Lincolns amongst them. majority of them received their wounds Crepy.” Lincolnshire newspapers reported cheering crowds who had gathered to witness the arrival of white-painted Red Cross trains.
      • Lincoln City Public Library holds a copy of the hospital’s monthly journal “The Magazine”, covering October 1916 to September 1917. Imperial War Museum has a copy of theh October 1916 edition.
    • Sobraon Barracks Depot Hospital, Burton Road
      • Part of the facilities of the depot of the Lincolnshire Regiment.
    • Boultham Hall
      • Former residence of the late Colonel Sir Richard Ellison and since 1913 the property of a syndicate, the hall was vacant when war was declared but the estate was in the process of major redevelopment for housing. The hall was lent to the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade and was developed as a hospital in October-November 1914. The first patients were admitted on 12 November, becoming the first of 1360 to pass through its doors. The hospital ceased activities in late December 1918.

Other areas of the county

The various auxiliary hospitals were usually decribed as a Red Cross Hospital or VAD Hospital, often interchangeably. This detail has been omitted from the name of each hospital below, for clarity.

British Newspaper Archive. From “The Tatler” of  Wednesday 5 April 1916. Patients and staff at Scopwick House near Blankney.
  • Alford
    • Opened October 1914 and continued to work until April 1919, admitted 1390 patients during that time. Commandant Mrs. Baron.
    • Drill Hall.
  • Blankney
    • Scopwick House Hospital
      • Property of the Earl and Countess of Londesborough. Handed over for hospital use in August 1914 and equipped with 20 convalescent beds.
  • Boston
    • Allan House, Carlton Road
      • Property of Messrs. Jebb and Tunnard. Opened for first patients on 29 October 1914, when 11 Belgian and 6 British wounded were admitted from 4th Northern General. First commandant C. Mawer.
    • Holden House, South Square
      • Property of Farrow Brothers and Mrs. Farrow. Taken over 1 September 1914, initially equipped for 10 patients.
  • Bourne
    • VAD Hospital established in Old Drill Hall (but by 1914 actually the Church Vestry Hall) and adjacent National School. Began admitting patients November 1914.
  • Brocklesby
    • Property of the 4th Earl and the Countess of Yarborough (whose son Lord Worsley was killed in action at Zandvoorde on 30 October 1914). Donated for use as a hospital by September 1914. Equipped with 25 beds.
  • Cleethorpes
    • St. Aidan’s. established in Chutrch Insitute, Blundell Avenue. Equipped with 34 beds and began work 29 October 1914. Commandant Mrs. Amy Ellis. In all, it admitted 966 patients, amongst which were victims of a Zeppelin air raid on the town on 1 April 1916.
  • East Kirkby
    • Equipped with 48 beds by January 1915. Boston Guardian, 29 May 1915, reported “The temporary hospital, in connection with the 22nd Lincs. (Women’s) Detachtment of the British Red Cross Society, has again been opened this village.” It finally closed in July 1915.
  • Ewerby
    • Little information. Convalescent hospital in use by early 1915, possibly earlier. Possible connection to Lady Winchelsea. Grateful for any futher information.
  • Grantham
    • Belton Park
      • On property of Adalbert, 3rd Earl Brownlow, Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire. From September 1914 a major military camp developed, the facililities of which included a 670-bed hospital.
    • Easton Hall
      • Mrs Marshall Roberts was donor and commandant of the hospital. It began work with 50 convalescent beds in October 1914. The local newspaper reported the death and impressive military funeral of Rifleman 8121 Patrick McGuigan of the Royal Irish Rifles, who died of tetanus at the hall on 28 November 1914. McGuigan, a Belfast man who had been wounded during the Battle of the Aisne, was buried in the churchyard of SS. Mary and Andrew, Stoke Rochford, Easton.
    • Grantham Barracks Hospital
      • Situated in the Sandon Road Old Barracks used by 4th Lincolnshire Regiment and Lincolnshire Yeomanry. Superintendent and nurse: Mrs E. H. Pretty
    • Harrowby Camp
      • Developed as an expansion to Belton Camp in early 1915, initially for artillery training. Amongst its facailities, a hospital was established which eventually covered 15 acres of land. A Ministry of Pensions Hospital, established in 1921, continued in use on the site until 1930.
    • Rauceby Hall
      • The private property of Rev. Vere F. Willson MA, for 20 years the rector of Fulbeck, Grantham. A wealthy man who left more than a quarter of a million pounds when he died in March 1917. He had inherited the hall and its large estate after the 1912 death of his brother Major-General Sir Mildmay Willson.
      • “Grantham Journal” of 8 September 1917 reported, “Receiving its first contingent of invalid soldiers Oct. 16th, 1914, the VAD Hospital Rauceby Hall has continued its good work until the present week, when, greatly to the regret of all concerned, it had closed. This has been brought about by the lamented death of the late owner, and the changing circumstances following the same. During the three years, 525 patients have been cared for.”
      • Sometimes referred to as South Rauceby Hall.
  • Horbling
    • Old Hall
      • Last in the occupation of a Major Poole, the Old Hall was initially used to accommodate Belgian refugees from November 1914. In December 1915 a proposal to turn it over for use as a 30 bed convalescent hospital was discussed at a public meeting. Known as “The Billingborough, Horbling and District Red Cross Hospital for Convalescents”, it opened in late February 1916. Closed in 1919 after admitting a total of 647 men.
  • Horncastle
    • 34 beds by January 1915.
  • Louth
    • [Work in progress on two sites: Suffolk House and the Eastgate Wesleyan Church. Any information welcome]
  • Mablethorpe
    • Convalescent Home, Seaholme Road
      • An existing civilian home. Exact date when it began to be used for military patients is unknown, but newspapers report more than 400 Belgian and British troops there in late November 1914.
  • Revesby
    • Parish Hall
      • Newspapers report admittance of first 6 patients on 6 November 1914. The hospital was organised by a committee under Lady Beryl Stanhope.
  • Skegness
    • Winthorpe Hospital, also known as Skegness Auxiliary Hospital.
      • 45 beds by January 1915.
  • Sleaford
    • Old Place
      • Property of the Marquis of Bristol. Admitted its first 12 patients in November 1914.
  • Spalding
    • Johnson Hospital, Priory Road
      • An existing civilian hospital whose governors offered it for War Office use within days of the declaration of war. Equipped to admit up to 40 wounded men during late August 1914. In 1916, patients had the opportunity of being treated with art therapy. The Spalding Arts and Crafts Society was formed to provide support and rehabilitation to those being cared for at the hospital. The Town Council sponsored their first exhibition, held in July 1918 at Spalding Corn Exchange.
  • Spilsby
    • Drill Hall, used by 5th Lincolnshire Regiment.
      • Exact date when it began to be used for patients is unknown but appears to be early 1915. In July 1915 the Shakespeare Lodge of Freemasons gave their room, which was next door to the Drill Hall, for use as a reading and recreation facility.
  • Wainfleet
    • 20 beds by January 1915. Had received nmore than 400 patients by November 1917. Cmmandant Mrs Edith Tindall.
  • Woodhall Spa
    • Alexandra Hospital
      • An existing civilian hospital well known for mineral water treatments, it began to admit Belgian and British soldier patients on 29 October 1914.
    • Auxiliary Hospital
      • Opened in the Home for Gentlemen. Closed briefly in 1916. Commandant Mrs. Lionel Calthrop.
    • Petwood
      • Property of Sir Archibald and Lady Grace Weigall. Offered for use as a hospital and equipped with 40 beds during August 1914. Later reports suggest that 30 were in use.
British Newspaper Archive. From the “Lincolnshire Echo” of Saturday 29 May 1915.

Links

Military hospitals in Great Britain and Ireland

Life at the 4th Northern General