The Royal Victoria Hospital was a hospital situated on two sites in

Bournemouth Bournemouth ( ) is a coastal resort town in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary authority area, in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. At the 2021 census, the built-up area had a population of 196,455, making it the largest ...

, England. The primary site was in

Boscombe Boscombe () is a suburb in Bournemouth England. Historically in Hampshire, but today in Dorset, it is located to the east of Bournemouth town centre and west of Southbourne. Originally a sparsely inhabited area of heathland, from around 1865 ...

but for a period of time it was merged with a Westbourne site. The Westbourne site was the first named Royal Victoria Hospital of the two but the name was applied to both sites after merger in 1911. It has had several name changes during its history.

History

Early in May 1876 a

dispensary A dispensary is an office in a school, hospital, industrial plant, or other organization that dispenses medications, medical supplies, and in some cases even medical and dental treatment. In a traditional dispensary set-up, a pharmacist dispense ...

scheme was launched in Bournemouth. This assisted those on low incomes to obtain treatment and medicines by means of a weekly subscription. In 1872 a formal decision was made to establish a 'branch hospital' for that purpose. In January 1877 it was announced that the premises were to be the permanent home of the dispensary, and were opened as the ''Boscombe, Pokesdown, and Springbourne Infirmary'', with accommodation for twelve patients. This infirmary was the nucleus of Boscombe Hospital. In February 1877, the ''Boscombe Cottage Hospital and Provident Dispensary'' opened in Shelley Road Boscombe. It initially had beds for 12 patients. It was expanded dramatically over time. It was later variously identified as the ''Boscombe Hospital'', ''Royal Boscombe Hospital'' or the ''Royal Boscombe Hospital and West Hants Hospital''. The first named ''Royal Victoria Hospital'' of the two was at 17 Poole Road, Westbourne. The hospital was raised through public subscription and founded in 1887. The building was designed by Messrs Creeke & Gifford, in the Queen Anne style, and erected by Messrs George & Harding, growing from 38 to 50 beds. It was officially opened by

the Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...

, on 16 January 1890. In 1911, the two hospitals merged as the ''Royal Victoria and West Hants Hospital''. The two sites were also simply identified as the ''Royal Victoria Hospital''. Comedian and actor Tony Hancock's father died of cancer at the Royal Victoria Hospital (Boscombe site) in 1935. After the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the Royal Victoria Hospital (Westbourne site) became an Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Hospital. It was then renamed ''Westbourne Eye Hospital''. The site was sold and the buildings converted into apartments around 2002. After services transferred to the

Royal Bournemouth Hospital The Royal Bournemouth Hospital is an Acute medicine, acute Hospital#General, general hospital in Bournemouth, Dorset, England. It is managed by the University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust. The hospital was managed by The Royal Bournemout ...

in 1989, most of the buildings forming the Royal Victoria Hospital (Boscombe site) were demolished in 1993. Some parts of the hospital are still in use as NHS Clinical Commissioning Group administrative offices and an ENT clinic. Sixteen of the original W. B. Simpson tile panels from the Boscombe site can be found mounted on the stairs of the Royal Bournemouth Hospital. The panels, which date from 1910, show nursery rhymes and fairy tales.

References

External links

Royal Victoria and West Hants Hospital, Bournemouth (amalgamated with Royal Boscombe in 1911)

Flickr set
Photographs of the hospital, past and present {{authority control Hospital buildings completed in 1877 Hospital buildings completed in 1890 Buildings and structures in Bournemouth Hospitals in Dorset Defunct hospitals in England 1877 establishments in England

History

See also

References

External links