Bowen Road British Military Hospital [1907- ]

Submitted by tngan on Wed, 11/12/2008 - 01:38
Current condition
In use
Date completed

There is an entry in Wiki describing this building, which gives these dates: It was built between 1903 and 1906, and officially opened on July 1, 1907.

Donald C Bowie's 'Captive Surgeon' gives a detailed account of his time at the hospital between 1942 and 1945. During that time he was the Senior Medical Officer, and the hospital cared for Allied POWs.

The British military left the hospital in 1967, and it was used as the first location of the new Island School. There is a description of these times, and some photos on the IS website.

Photos that show this Place

Comments

80skid asked about the little house just to the west of the hospital blocks. It's marked on a 1920's map as 'Nursing Sisters Qrs'.

It's still there today, though not so clear to see as a lot of trees have grown up around it. The older photos show it with clear views out over the harbour. Must have been a nice place to live.

Marlowe has pointed out that the 1925 photo above shows a bridge from the 3rd floor of the Admin block, to the 1st floor of the Barrack Block.

The admin block is the central section of the main building. The Barrack Block stood up the slope behind it.

The historic building appraisal for the main hospital building ('Main Block', Grade 1 listed) is on the AMO website here and there is another for the separate, smaller building ('Annex[e] Block', also Grade 1 listed) here. The gatehouse and gate pillars are Grade 2 listed and their historic appraisal is here.