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Ventnor Botanic Gardens
Ventnor Botanic Gardens today
The hospital was founded in 1868, and opened in 1869 by Arthur Hill Hassell, a physician and naturalist of distinction. He had been admitted into the hospital in 1866 due to illness, as the building had been in use medically for nearly a century under the name of the Royal Isle of Wight Infirmary at Ryde. Arthur Hill Hassell conceived the idea of making it into a hospital for diseases of the chest, as there were no public hospitals in existence at that time, except for the Military and Park Hurst Prison Hospitals. The architect for the project was Thomas Hellyer of Ryde, who constructed eight seperate blocks in a line from East to West, with St. Lukes Chapel dividing the groups. Between 1885 and 1897, three larger blocks were built to the West of the building: a dining hall, the hospital kitchens (top floor) and staff quarters. An operating theatre, an X-ray room, a dark room, and a number of single rooms were also added. The gardens provided 26 acres of land for pigs and poultry, as well as for growing vegetables and soft fruit. In 1926, accommodation for nurses was opened. The Lampard Green house became a dwelling for 35 nurses. Then, after the War but before 1948, a small house called Tanglewood, was bought to provide quiet rooms for night staff and a Matron's flat. A house was then taken for the Medical Superintendent, and an additional house for his assistant was built within the grounds. There are many people who are connected to the Royal National Hospital in one way or another. They are not particularly of any famous stature, but have relevance to its history.
Dr. J. M. Williamson (once a patient for 3 years) went into practice at Ventnor, followed by his son, as did Dr. Robertson, who was a physician, Member of the Hospital Board, and Chairman of Longford Committee, and Dr. Whitehead, the Historian of the Undercliff. They also served in the First World War. Other names connected with the hospital include Dr. J. G. Sinclair, a consultant for 20 years until his death in 1899. Two leading names of Superintendent were Col. Lyon Campbell (then Mayor Khyber Paine) and Mr. J. M. Vine, who retired in 1922. Dr. Hutchinson, Dr. Hempson (1927) and Dr. A. K. Miller (1942) were also valid namesin connected with the hospital. During the Second World War, the patients were sent home, and the hospital was converted into a holiday camp. In 1947, surgery resumed, with Mr. N. F. Adeney becoming a key surgeon. In the early 1950s, Mr. H. M. Bradmore took over at Ventnor during a tuberculosis epidemic., and introduced the Thoracic Surgical Services and drugs as a potential cure, with great success. With many of the patients and staff being transferred to other hospitals or home, the Royal National Hospital was closed in 1964, and later demolished. The hospital and its grounds are now replaced by the Ventnor Botanic Gardens, courtesy of R. H. McInnes.
VENTNOR BOTANIC GARDENS GHOSTS
Ventnor Botanic Gardens was once the Royal National Hospital. It was demolished in 1969, making way for the gardens. But in the mind of a ghost, the hospital still exists, so hauntings of past patients have been reported. Harbouring ghosts of past patients, ghostly weeping and groaning have been heard on numerous occasions. There have also been accounts of the smell of ether and hot Christmas punch. Phantom nurses walk the gardens, dressed in old-fashioned uniforms. One particular recent account from an elderly lady describes a very tall lady, dressed in a long white skirt, a pale grey blouse and full-length apron. She was wearing a hat with a hood over it, giving the impression of square shoulders and head. She was standing in the car park completely motionless and expressionless. Mysterious and ghostly tennis matches have been heard and witnessed, and the hospital itself has also reappeared on a few occasions. The mystery surrounding the old hospital deepened when a site worker reported having a conversation with a little girl and an older man. As these figures disappeared suddenly, the worker could only come to the conclusion that he had actually been talking to ghosts of the past.
The hospital was founded in 1868, and opened in 1869 by Arthur Hill Hassell, a physician and naturalist of distinction. He had been admitted into the hospital in 1866 due to illness, as the building had been in use medically for nearly a century under the name of the Royal Isle of Wight Infirmary at Ryde. Arthur Hill Hassell conceived the idea of making it into a hospital for diseases of the chest, as there were no public hospitals in existence at that time, except for the Military and Park Hurst Prison Hospitals. The architect for the project was Thomas Hellyer of Ryde, who constructed eight seperate blocks in a line from East to West, with St. Lukes Chapel dividing the groups. Between 1885 and 1897, three larger blocks were built to the West of the building: a dining hall, the hospital kitchens (top floor) and staff quarters. An operating theatre, an X-ray room, a dark room, and a number of single rooms were also added. The gardens provided 26 acres of land for pigs and poultry, as well as for growing vegetables and soft fruit. In 1926, accommodation for nurses was opened. The Lampard Green house became a dwelling for 35 nurses. Then, after the War but before 1948, a small house called Tanglewood, was bought to provide quiet rooms for night staff and a Matron's flat. A house was then taken for the Medical Superintendent, and an additional house for his assistant was built within the grounds. There are many people who are connected to the Royal National Hospital in one way or another. They are not particularly of any famous stature, but have relevance to its history.
Dr. J. M. Williamson (once a patient for 3 years) went into practice at Ventnor, followed by his son, as did Dr. Robertson, who was a physician, Member of the Hospital Board, and Chairman of Longford Committee, and Dr. Whitehead, the Historian of the Undercliff. They also served in the First World War. Other names connected with the hospital include Dr. J. G. Sinclair, a consultant for 20 years until his death in 1899. Two leading names of Superintendent were Col. Lyon Campbell (then Mayor Khyber Paine) and Mr. J. M. Vine, who retired in 1922. Dr. Hutchinson, Dr. Hempson (1927) and Dr. A. K. Miller (1942) were also valid namesin connected with the hospital. During the Second World War, the patients were sent home, and the hospital was converted into a holiday camp. In 1947, surgery resumed, with Mr. N. F. Adeney becoming a key surgeon. In the early 1950s, Mr. H. M. Bradmore took over at Ventnor during a tuberculosis epidemic., and introduced the Thoracic Surgical Services and drugs as a potential cure, with great success. With many of the patients and staff being transferred to other hospitals or home, the Royal National Hospital was closed in 1964, and later demolished. The hospital and its grounds are now replaced by the Ventnor Botanic Gardens, courtesy of R. H. McInnes.
VENTNOR BOTANIC GARDENS GHOSTS
Ventnor Botanic Gardens was once the Royal National Hospital. It was demolished in 1969, making way for the gardens. But in the mind of a ghost, the hospital still exists, so hauntings of past patients have been reported. Harbouring ghosts of past patients, ghostly weeping and groaning have been heard on numerous occasions. There have also been accounts of the smell of ether and hot Christmas punch. Phantom nurses walk the gardens, dressed in old-fashioned uniforms. One particular recent account from an elderly lady describes a very tall lady, dressed in a long white skirt, a pale grey blouse and full-length apron. She was wearing a hat with a hood over it, giving the impression of square shoulders and head. She was standing in the car park completely motionless and expressionless. Mysterious and ghostly tennis matches have been heard and witnessed, and the hospital itself has also reappeared on a few occasions. The mystery surrounding the old hospital deepened when a site worker reported having a conversation with a little girl and an older man. As these figures disappeared suddenly, the worker could only come to the conclusion that he had actually been talking to ghosts of the past.
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