Wimbledon Hospital

Wimbledon Cottage Hospital opened in 1870 as an eight bed facility, situated on Thurstan Road, Wimbledon, not far from the Atkinson Morley convalescent home. It was completely rebuilt in 1911 and re-opened a year later as a 37 bed facility, under the name Wimbledon Hospital.

Following the outbreak of World War One, the hospital was one of the first to offers its services to the Government for the treatment of sick and wounded servicemen. It became an auxiliary medical facility for the Horton War Hospital ( originally the Epsom asylum,) which was requisitioned by the army in 1915 and used by the County of London Hospital to treat wounded servicemen from all over the world. Initially 20 beds were available at Wimbledon but capacity was increased by the matron and nursing staff, who offered up their own private accommodation.

The first military casualties arrived at Wimbledon Hospital from France on 15 October 1914. 17 British officers and 3 rankers were sent from Dover by ambulance train. A Red Cross contingent also attended with ambulances and stretcher bearers. Demand was so great that marquees were erected on adjoining land, eventually increasing bed provision to 50.

The hospital remained operational until 1981. The site was sold for residential use 1984 and is now occupied by the Grange Park Place housing development.