Hospital Mess, Quex Park 1917

Hospital Mess, Quex Park 1917. The Winter Garden, between Quex House and the Museum buildings served as the Mess for the VAD Hospital at Quex Park. The doorway at the back of the photograph led into a corridor alongside the Museum; this was used as a surgery. Beyond the corridor part of the doorway into B Ward can be seen. In addition to the several patients in the photograph, standing at the end of the table is Camille Van Dyck, a Belgian soldier patient who had lost his speech through shock and stayed on as a Hospital Orderly for the duration of the War. The photograph was one of a number commissioned by Major Powell-Cotton from AH Siminson, photographer of St Lawrence, Ramsgate. It bears his embossing stamp in the bottom right corner. The Quex Park VAD Hospital opened on 15 October 1914 and closed on 31 January 1919. The hospital was run by Kent/178, the Birchington Detachment. The Commandant was Hannah Powell-Cotton (1881-1964), wife of Major Percy HG Powell-Cotton (1866-1940) of of Quex Park, founder of the Powell-Cotton Museum

1866 Addition Alongside Birchington Camille Commandant Commissioned Corridor Detachment Duration Dyck Embossing Mess Orderly Patients Percy Quex Ramsgate Recuperation Rehabilitation Stayed Surgery Voluntary

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