11/9/2003

Local News

Rowley Bristow remembered

Gordon Hadfield, former surgeon at Rowley Bristow, unveils the hospital’s commemorative stone

Former surgeon Gordon Hadfield unveiled the stone, which sits on the corner of Sandy Lane and Floyds Lane in Pyrford — the main entrance to the former orthopaedic hospital.
Former consultant colleagues Robin Hollingsworth, Liam Murphy, Bob Simonis and Fred Hearley were among 200 former nurses, physiotherapists and friends who attended a reception at the village hall.
They raised more than £4,000 to pay for the stone which is a  tribute to medical staff who pioneered research and nursing care to repair and reconstruct bones affected by diseases such as rickets, polio and TB as well as accident and war time injuries.
 Their successful  procedures earned the hospital an accolade as a Centre of Excellence after patients from South Africa and America were referred there for treatment.
Ex patients were also in attendance, including Moira Kennard, a child patient from the 1930s, and 1950s gunshot victim Paddy Jones.
Mayor of Woking Cllr Richard Sanderson and Mayoress Sarah Sanderson  attended along with local villagers.
An exhibition of photographs, mementoes and archival material collated by former nurse Barbara Provis was displayed in the village hall.
The day was a personal triumph for veteran engineer pilot Ronald Paine whose idea it was to provide the hospital’s memorial.
Mr Paine, of West Byfleet, now in his eighties, was born at St Nicholas’ Lodge which is  the only original building left on the site.
Speaking after the unveiling, he said: “There couldn’t have been a better showing of a community working together. We are thrilled with the outcome.
“People from all over the country came, including former patients and staff who had given 50 years of their life to the hospital.”
The commemorative stone is grey granite inscribed with the words ‘nearby once stood the world renowned Rowley Bristow Orthopaedic Hospital, which began as a Waifs & Strays’ Home 1907-1990’.
The hospital dates back to  1907 when The Waifs & Strays Society built St Nicholas’ Home for crippled girls followed by St Martin’s Home for boys in 1914.
An operating theatre was added in 1928 and a hydrotherapy pool and new wards were built in 1936 when the hospital was first opened to adult patients.
When the Second World War  broke out, the hospital’s role changed and children were moved out and injured servicemen moved in.
The hospital was renamed after surgeon Mr Rowley Bristow following his death in 1947.
Though the original buildings were demolished and redeveloped as a housing estate, the world-wide reputation lives on through an £8.2million Rowley Bristow Orthopaedic wing at St Peter’s Hospital, Chertsey

First printed in: Byfleet News and Mail