Quex Park VAD patients & staff in hall of house

VAD hospital patients and staff in the hall of Quex House in March 1915. The hall was used as a recreation space for the patients. A Ward of the hospital was beyond the door on the left, in the Drawing Room. A notice on the door says NO ONE TO ENTER WARD WITHOUT..... (rest obscured). The patients include British soldiers (wearing the patients uniform of hospital blues - blue serge jacket and trousers, white shirt and red tie) and Belgian patients. The latter wore their uniform or civilian clothing. The Belgians include Oscar Van Audenhove, a soldier from Ghent who painted the background to one of the Museum dioramas while at Quex (he is sitting behind the table). The nurse second from the left is Mary E Holmes, who worked as the Matron of the Hospital in 1915. The nurse three from the right is Fanny Watson, a local woman who worked as a VAD nurse at Quex throughout the War. This room remains largely unchanged at Quex House today. The furniture in the photograph is still in the room, as is the mirror on the wall. 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 Quex Park, founder of the Powell-Cotton Museum. Major Powell-Cotton was the VAD Transport Officer for the Isle of Thanet area, responsible for organising the transport of patients from the stations to the local hospitals

Belgians Brichington Commandant Detachment Dioramas Enter Fanny Ghent Hospitals Include Largely Latter Matron Notice Obscured Organising Patients Percy Quex Recuperation Rehabilitation Responsible Says Serge Thanet Throughout Unchanged Voluntary Wore

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