Whilst putting the finishing touches to the book that I've mentioned elsewhere, my friend has found a newspaper piece that refers to an injured speedway rider being taken from the Crystal Palace track to the Cottage Hospital.
He's asked me if I know anything about this place, and I must confess, I don't, but I told him I knew some folk that might
Can anybody fill in any details about this institution, like location etc?
Thanks all.
PS, as I'm typing this, the idea that the hospital in Beckenham might be known as the Cottage hospital has popped into my head, could this be the place?
I'm reaching back to the very dim and distant past when a friend's Mother recuperated following an operation in Norwood Cottage Hospital which was, I think, somewhere close to Hermitage Road in Upper Norwood. I recall visiting her but this must have been about 1957 ish? his could easily be where someone racing at Crystal Palace might have been taken.
If there was a Cottage hospital in Sydenham I'm sure Steve will be filling in the gap shortly.
Of course there was the Childrens' Hospital on the corner of Champion Road where my adenoids were removed - not an operation performed nowadays. The Children's Hospital was still there until the mid to late 70's.
Pat Trembath wrote:The Children's Hospital was still there until the mid to late 70's.
A little later. My daughter was treated there in 1987. It was then on its last legs before being subsumed in to Lewisham Hospital, the building demolished and the current flats built.
I went there in the mid 80's after getting bitten by a dog in around 1986/7 - saying that I did put my hand through a neighbours letter box - I learn't a valuable lesson hat day !!!
When you get to a "certain age" I'm told there is a continuous discussion about what is/was wrong with you, what happened, and what was the outcome.
So, I'll start. Continued bouts of tonsilitis, decision to remove adenoids at Sydenham Childrens' Hospital - successful. Unlimited ice cream and jelly, a great comforter especially as it was just about the end of rationing in 1954 and these had been on limited supply.
In retrospect I think I really enjoyed my stay - pl tell me - what were adenoids???
Also, has anyone been in Hither Green Isolation Hospital? Sorry, been there, done that too!
Pat. I saw you on telly the other night. Surely you have the dates wrong. How old were you when you had your adeoids out ?!!!! 27 ?
(I think adenoids were at the back of the throat, behind and up towards the roof of the mouth. They're not there anymore, they became extinct in 1966 being renedered useless)
Sorry Pat, I seem to have said the complete opposite to what i meant. What I meant to say was that from the way you looked on telly you can't possibly be of the 'certain age' you are implying (and I meant YOUNGER). It came out all wrong.
In response to the previous replies, the accident happened in 1932, and the last speedway race at the Crystal Palace track took place in 1940, if that clears any questions up.
I also well remember the Sydenham Children's Hospital, I had my appendix taken out there (wrong diagnosis, as it turned out) only a few weeks after I moved to Sydenham in 1972; got an abcess on the wound and spent longer in the hospital than I should have (while being attended to by a nurse that made Ruth West look like Florence Nightingale!), plus I have scar (in the wrong place) that looks like it was made by a chain saw.
So, not only is it not my favourite place in my memory, it's definitely not the hospital I'm looking for.
I think there were only two cottage hospitals in the area, the one that Pat mentioned in Hermitage Road and the one that Rebelmc mentioned in Croydon Road, Beckenham (it still survives). As they were both there in the 1930s it could have been either, although the Norwood Cottage Hospital was nearer to the speedway track.
By the way, the Children's Hospital finally closed for business in May 1991.
I know this is a fairly ancient thread, but I googled Crystal Palace Cottage Hospital and landed here. Last night as I was passing the Sainsbury's in the Triangle (opposite what is now the Greek Orthodox Church in the former CofE) I noticed an obolisk with an inscription about a Cottage Hospital. Sorry, I did not stop to read it, but perhaps that's the site of the Cottage Hospital in question.
- I learn't a valuable lesson hat day !!!
!!