22ND GENERAL HOSPITAL R.A.M.C.

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KINMEL PARK

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HOW DID THIS DISPLAY COME ABOUT?

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To answer that question we need to give you a bit of History about

'The Crown of W. E. Nesfield's Career'

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Kinmel Hall had already had a very chequered History in the years leading up to the start of World War Two. Its latest reincarnation was as 'The Rheuma Spa of Wales' under the watchful eye of Dr and Mrs Lindley the former Headmistress of Lowther College at the neighbouring Bodelwyddan Castle. On their retirement they had purchased the Kinmel Estate for £36,000.00 which included all of the Parkland, all the Gate Houses at each entrance to the Estate and St Georges House in neighbouring St Georges Village.

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In 1940 they were given some shocking news. The War Office had requisitioned the Hall and gave the Lindley's just 12 days to vacate the Hall.

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22nd General Hospital RAMC which was a Liverpool Territorial Army Unit took possession of the Hall and started turning it into a Hospital.

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At this point we will hand you over to Elaine Boxhall (Nee Southern) - who is Kinmel Hall's official Historian - to tell the story of one of "The Seven Lives of Kinmel Hall"

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Early 1941 - early 1942

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During this period, half of the 22nd General Hospital RAMC which was a Liverpool Territorial Unit was stationed at Kinmel.

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September 1942, and 1943

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A V.A.D. nurse has memories of duty at Kinmel in 1942 and in 1943 an Army Nurse spent two months the before going overseas.

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May - July 1944

Diary and sketch book

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Cyril Blakeman, an art student before the outbreak of war and a Private with 1 Field Hospital RAMC kept a diary and sketched scenes at Kinmel during off-duty.

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Wards, Operating Theatre etc.

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The first Floor and North end of the Ground Floor of the Main Building were wards: Medical Personnel slept on the Top Floor: the Operating Theatre was off the Stone Passage, and the Chapel served as Mess for Officers and Sisters. An Isolation Ward was on the upper floor at the South end and the Out-Patients Department was reached from the Stable Courtyard.

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Closure of Military Hospital

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1 Field Hospital and other units cleared the buildings and the Hospital was officially closed on 31st July 1944.

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De- requisitioned 

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Autumn 1945 saw Kinmel Hall de-requisitioned and Mrs Lindley unable to re-open the Rheuma Spa of Wales

(Source: - 'The Seven Lives of Kinmel Hall' by Elaine Boxhall (nee Southern)

by kind permission of the Author)

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