Kings Mill Hospital
After the American Army left in 1945, they left a lot of hospital equipment behind. As the other hospitals in the Mansfield area were full to capacity due to the start of the NHS and free care for all, it was decided to re-open the army hospital. It was originally going to be called the “Sutton Hospital” and was opened Monday the 17th September 1951, by the Rt. Hon Hilary Marquand.
Initially, only a small part of the hospital was utilised as the other areas required extensive modernisation in order to be fit for use. The first patient was a Mr A Slack of Sutton in Ashfield.
The first operation was performed on the 14th September 1951 in one of the original twin theatres.
Although these theatres are no longer used for this purpose, throughout the years they have been used for many things, including the “pre op” clinics and the Post Grad Medical Centre and are currently being refurbished as the new anaesthetic department.
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My mother, Jean Thomas, used to teach the nursing cadets in the classrooms right up at the top end of the hospital. She taught them anatomy, physiology and hygiene in morning lessons in the ’50s. If King Edward’s Primary School was closed or I was unwell I would go with Mum and play quietly under her desk or do “science experiments” in the sink with water, test tubes, conical flasks and syphoning equipment. Sister Raechel Pryce-Jones from the ENT ward and Angela Hammond from Occupational Therapy became family friends for many years.
Kings Mill Hospital opening. Jack Wakefield, Post Office Manager now desceased put on a Concert for the Bert Ashworth ward to raise funds about 4 years ago at QEGS and copies of the Opening Day programme were given. Also a snap of the sign for the American Hospital which was on the Entrance wall, do you have copies? There is a book in the local Libraries called the Secrets of Sherwood Forest by Guy and Grace Woodward [Americans] telling the story of the US oilmen working in Eakring etc. There is a snap of the American Hospital in Mansfield, the problem is it is the wrong Hospital, the snap shows the General Hospital now derelict. No one has put in a correction note.
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