part 23 - Driessen archive - Southall Military Hospital [England]
source: Driessen archive - digital
archivist: Andreas Driessen op ten Bulten
cannot show the archive images, however photo's of them are available, for a small fee [$/euro 2.50 each, payment via paypal]
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Southall [Australian] military Hospital [England]
image shows at the right the white building as the military hospital.
brief history:
This margarine factory was build in 1894 by Otto Monsted [1839-1916] also Munsted originally from Aarhus [Denmark].
After Maypole Dairy Company sold their OMA margarine factory in Manchester, they bought in 1915 Otto Monsted's
margarine factory at Southall which was the biggest in the world, including the white building which was serving as a
workschool - st. Marylebone school - on South road.
In August 1916 that school was requisitioned for the no. 2 Australian Auxiliary Hospital - or in short Military Hospital, Southall.
It had 237 beds, receiving first patients in September 1916. Later that month also the Beaconsfield School for girls build in
1908 - just 400 yards away - was also requisitioned, increasing the bed capacity of the hospital to 470.
It started as a clearing station by accepting patients from Harefield park - the no. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital, but in Novem-
ber 1916 it began specialising in caring for amputees and making artificial limbs for them and others. Red Cross opened a
store to issue comforts to patients and women's league - mainly Australian women - were managing the kitchen and canteen.
In January 2017 it was increased to 489 beds. By end of 1917 more then 600 amputations has been done, 46 were double
and 344 prosthetic legs and 91 arms had been supplied.
Various donations increased the rehabilitation conditions of the Australian soldiers, decorations of the wards, provided covered
walkway between the 2 buildings and provide them with skills to be employable when back home.
The hospital closed in April 1919.
After WW1 the st. Marylebone house became the Roman catholic school for girls and was demolished in 1933.
Driessen archive:
1) Southall - Otto Monsted Limited, Works - postcard type picture view on manor house from the South road - at the back it has information
about Southall. The st. Marylebone school [later military hospital] was not build yet - dated around 1900. [23-00404a/b]
2) Southall - st. Marylebone school - view on overgrown entrance with 4 boys - photo postcard nr. 284 JSB - c1915. [23-00406a/b]
3) The Australian Military Hospital Southall - view on more overgrown entrance - photo postcard nr. 1042 - c1916. [23-00402a/b]
4) The Military Hospital Southall - view side of building no outer doors - photo postcard nr. 217 JSB - c1916. [23-00407a/b]
5) Otto Monsteds margarine works. Southall - view side of building no outer doors - leafless trees - photo postcard nr. YC 101. [23-00405a/b]
6) Otto Monsted's works - view side of building no outer doors - leafless trees - EAS [= E. A. Schwerdtieger] 01031. [23-00408a/b]
7) Military Hospital, Southall - view side of building no outer doors - leafless trees. [23-00403a/b]
8) Otto Monsted Ltd, Works. Southall - view side of building with outer doors and trees with leaves - photo card nr. WHA 592 - postmarked 10
Sept. 1917 [at the back the writer describe having seen amputated Australians]. [23-00401a/b]