1930s Royal Naval Hospital Entrance

Thu, 11/29/2018 - 23:46

Outside the Royal Naval Hospital on Gap Road (Queen's Road East) where naval funeral processions normally began. On the left, one can see one of the two gate posts to the Hospital as seen here

In the original photograph, it is noted that the funeral is for Able Seaman Smith. Not much to go on. Exact date not known.

Source: This image came from Flickr, see https://flickr.com/photo.gne?id=46024673132

Date picture taken
23 Dec 1936
Author(s)

Comments

If they were heading to the protestant cemetery, there are several possible names among the gravestones:

17---/01/07- IHS / Robert Harry Smith / able seaman R.F.R. / H.M.S. Durban / Oct. 3rd 1940 / aged 41# 9998
17---/04/10- IHS / Frederick G Smith / able seaman / H.M.S. "Dorsetshire" / died Dec 1936 / aged 35 years# 9643
21---/01/07- Sacred to the memory / of / Arthur Samuel Smith / later member of / ? HMS Debrue [?] / who died on the 3rd December 194? / aged 40 years / erected / by his friends in the R.N. Yard as a token / of esteem and regard# 8070
21A--/03/26- IHS / T.E. Smith / able seaman / H.M.S. Sepoy / died April 8th 1930 / aged 20

The owner of the photo appears to have served on the Dorsetshire. I surmise the funeral photos are for Able Seaman F. G. Smith.

For reference, the Royal Naval Hospital had a mortuary, thus it would appear the procession is waiting oustide the entrance to the mortuary.