Today Oakwood Hall stands within the grounds of Rotherham District General Hospital. It was originally built in 1856 as a home for James Yates, who was a local stove grate manufacturer. However, by the 1890s the house had passed from the Yates family in to the hands of a solicitor named Colin Mackenzie Smith, who resided at the property with his wife Wilhelmina Ruth Smith and their six live-in servants, which included a cook and footman. The couple also employed a coachman and gardener, both of whom lived in the nearby Oakwood Hall cottages. In 1911 another of the cottages was rented by local photographer, Fred Shaw, who's camera would later go on to capture images of the hall while it was in use as a military hospital. Once war was declared, the sixty-six year old Colin Mackenzie Smith vacated the house and offered it up for use by the war office. Not long after the house was converted into a Class "A" Auxiliary hospital. The facility was equipt with a 100 beds for wounded soldiers to convalesce in.
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Oakwood Hall 'New Ward' by photographer Fred Shaw
Postcard from my personal collection |
This postcard is just one in a series produced by the previously mentioned Rotherham based photographer, Fred Shaw. Fred's studio was located just a few streets away in the town centre. The top photograph shows injured soldiers convalescing in the hospital's 'new ward', which was located in a glass conservatory attached to the rear of the building. The bottom photograph shows the staff stood on a balcony. If you view the full sized image you will see the faces of soldiers peering out from behind the nurses.
The hospital was mainly staffed by local members of the VAD. Miss Elizabeth Sinclair White was engaged as commandment and Matron. She was assisted in running the hospital by Miss Martha Baker, who undertook the role of quarter master. For the majority of the war the hospital cared for patients without incident, that was until the Summer of 1918, when tragedy struck and a fire broke out at around dinnertime on Saturday 22nd June. It caused £6000 worth of damage, which is the equivalent of just under £300,000 in today's money.
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| Staff outside Oakwood Hall Auxilliary Hospital |
The blaze was ignited by a spark from the kitchen chimney. At the time, the hospital was caring for 97 patients, 20 of who were incapacitated. Rotherham Corporation Fire Brigade was summoned to tackle the fire. Thankfully all the patients were rescued and there were no fatalities, however fireman Harry Thorpe was seriously injured when a ceiling fell on him as he attempted to dowse the fire with a hose. Another man received cuts from breaking glass. Before the fire took hold, staff and able bodied patients were able to save the furniture. The interior of the hall was completely gutted and no longer habital. The remaining patients were transferred to nearby Moorgate Hospital and the severest cases were sent to Sheffield.
Colin Mackenzie Smith never returned to the house after the war. Instead the hall under went renovations to convert it in to a TB Sanatorium. Oakwood Hall was given grade II status in 1986 and is currently the property of the NHS.
Sources______________________
Barnsley Chronicle - June 29th 1918
1901 & 1911 Census
Historicengland.org.uk - listing for Oakwood Hall
Redcross.org.uk - WW1 Auxiliary Hospitals
Rotherham-images.co.uk/
Whiston-heritage-society.co.uk/
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