Topic: St Bartholomew's Hospital, Rochester

[I.B.Igor]

I am hoping the memories of this site can help myself, and my family.
We are trying to find anyone who worked on Spong ward in 1963.
We had a sister called Ann Joy Flint, aged seven, who sadly died of childhood leukemia on December 7th, 1963 in St. Barts. and was buried on Friday the 13th December, 1963 in Woldham Kent, All Saints Church. Did you, or anyone you know go to Ann's Funeral?
Her parents were Peter and Jean Flint, she had three siblings at the time of her death, Elizabeth, Roy and Christopher. Her Mother was unusual as she was disabled.

The reason I ask is, as her surviving family, we are attempting to place a Headstone for our sister in Woldham Church, Graveyard, and it seems the Church have no records of where her grave plot is. We have been trying for several years to do this for our sister, Ann.
Do you know anything or have memories of Ann, or even photographs of the Churchyard? January or May 1963/4 with a view across from the Church to the Medway, you may have a picture of my sister`s resting place.   
I know it`s a slim chance but any information would be wonderful.

[ann]

Report for year ending 1874

[Leofwine]

The Hospital viewed from Victoria Gardens. I think this one dates to around 1900-10.

[Lin Northover]

Hello GP!  My name is Linda, I worked at St. Barts. as a cadet, student, and staff nurse. I worked in theatre with Mr Townsley, Mr Tompkin and Mr Jennings and of course the lovely Miss Vargner. I also remember dear auntie working in the tea bar -  what a great lady. I also knew Monty the ambulance driver very well as he was my late husband`s driving partner on the ambulances and we remained friends with him for many years. Sadly both have now passed away.

[GP]

Just had another memory of my time at st Barts in 1964. This was the twice weekly morning dental clinic, in the OPD theatre. It was a free service for dental extractions, and usualy attracted a good number of patients.

My job was to pull an old brown dental chair, from the corridor by Pharmacy to the theatre. Then to be on hand to assist the dentist and nurse. Often patients became rather aggressive and confused on coming round for the aneasthtic. I had to take them round to the recovery room, also hold a kidney dish in which they spat blood. The dentist worked at quite a pace, so it was usually  a busy morning.!!

[lingage]

Thankyou GP. Yes, remember big Freddie and VI`alerie Banning. Do you remember the yorkshire man who cut pts toenails and im sure other feet things he was nice.I walked along corridors with a small transistor radio in my pocket (no apple ipods then) listening to my guy and various other songs, but was careful not to get caught. Casualty was at Barts. then, all the pop up seats with the wounded on them, agh good times, or was it just that I` im older now.

[GP]

Can't say i remember Miss Glendening. I do remember Miss Valerie Banning the medical records offiicer. she was a large lady with a good sense of humour, but used to huff and puff about things, especially tracer cards not being used when taking out medical notes.

Then there was Joyce Cochrane, the inpatient clerk. Freddy Sykes the ECG techinician. Jack Jackson the plaster technician

I also remember the paging sysytem. It was an array of red , yellow and white electric bulbs. these arrays were position all over the hospital. Before bleeps were invented , the telephonist would ' Flash up for a Dr'. Various combinations of flashing , or continuous lights were particular to a specific houseman.

[lingage]

Hello, what a good memory you have , i remember the hatch in general office where we collected our wages now you mentioned it. Did you know a miss Glendening a scotish lady.I gave my wages back one week, i was only 16, they had payed me too much, and the hospital secretary gave me i think it was 10 shilling note out of his own pocket for being honest; i never forgot that as i did not earn much money .The back door before you went out with notes trolley to go to records dept is still the same a dip which i had to be careful of or the trolley with weight on the first bit of path would nearly go over, I stood last week at the door lookin at it for ages, im most likly losing it.but nice thoughts, was like a family back then. keep on please with memorys thankyou .

[GP]

I remember a girl called Sue, as messenger. I think her mum worked in Xray as a Nursing assisitant. When I first started at the hospital, all the x-rays were processed manually in a dark room. This was entered by a passage way with bends, to prevent light blurring the plates. The wet plates were held it metal frames, which were returned for fixing ,after being seen in the casualty.

Mr Gerald Townsley was the big chief of the hospital, held in high regard by many in Medway Towns, his lady friend was Mikki Vargner,( a theatre Sisiter) a delightful lady from Luxemborg, who drove a frog eyed Austin Sprite. Mr T had a Rover 2OOO and a Ford Classic , the Rover  was garaged under the kitchen at the back of the hospital. It was looked after by Monty, who was also an ambulance driver.

It was amazing how few admin Staff there were. The hospital secretary was Mr Mason, assisted by Miss Mayes, and I think there was a junior.  Wages were paid by cash, through a serving hatch in the board room.

[lingage]

Hello GP you perhaps remember me I was a messenger then and i remember Bob head porter Do you remember Bernice Telephonist. I remember Ted Cooper Saw him short while ago hardly changed, Still at Barts with Physios My 2nd Home best regards.

[GP]

I have great memories of St Barts Hospital. Worked there in 1964 for a year, mainly in the Casualty Dept as it was known then. I was a 21 year old lad, and worked as a Orderly, which meant that I was a general gofa. Taking patients to xray, collecting X rays from the dark room, getting notes from records Dept.

At about 10 30 am, sister Leahy would ask me in front of the patients , 'to go and get Mrs Brown'. This was a coded message to go and collect 2 pots of coffee from the restaurant upstairs. The sister and doctors would then retire to a small office for coffee.

Other members of staff would get teas and coffee in Auntie Seward tea bar in the Outpatient waiting area,and hide behind the door.Auntie ( a Volunteer) was held in high esteam, she worked very day Mon -Fri, and seemed to know everyone, and had a delightful personality.

Aother job I had to assist with was transporting bodies that had been brought in by Ambulance, or who had died in the dept, to the mortuary. It was particularly difficult to steer the trolley round down the steep hospital Lane and round into the mortuary. Dr Telfer was the pathologist, and I remember him allowing me to see a post mortum. The mortuary attendant was 'Big Bill', and head Porter Bob Alston, who wore a bow tie, another portes was Ted Cooper, who had worked in theatre

[Lin Northover]

I worked on Spong Ward as a Student  nurse and then a staff nurse in 1971  under the wonderful Sister Nixey  who has now sadly passed on .Sister  Nixey was me role model mentor and friend until she died. I also remember and worked with Mr Tompkins ,Mr Jennings Mr girolami And of cours the Lovely  Dr Fisher Working on Spong and then onn the childrens ward when spong was closed and the childrens ward was transferred to Medway hospital were the most enjoyable days of my Nursing Career from which I am now retired

Linda Wright (Northover)

[lingage]

Hello val I remember you well, I was the ward clerk on Helen Lloyd ward, Hope you are well, I am still at barts with physio team. Not as it was, but still happy to be there, there are 3 wards all rehab after strokes, orthopedic,and medicine sometimes after surgery. I do remember Kath your ward clerk, have you seen her.Nice talking to you, Linda

[peterD]

Hi Jill.  Don't know if you remember me?  I think we went to P.T. S together at Greenwich in 1962.  I trained at All Saints but spent time on Gundulph ward for Orthopaedic experience.   In 1976 I became ward sister on Gundulph ward (medical ward) by this time. My name was Val Shearer when I was training, later becoming Val Dagnall.

[lingage]

I remember josephine she was a staff nurse and a good artist too, dont know where she is now ,a loveiy woman.Just what the children needed back then.