Ashburne House, Ryhope Road, Sunderland
25th Durham Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital
Type: Hospital
Ashburne House was owned by William and Arthur Backhouse in 1914 and had been in the family since 1830.
The family donated the house for military use as a Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) hospital for the duration of the war and it became the 25th Durham V.A. Hospital, Sunderland.
According to the annual report 1915-16 – “Thanks to the untiring energy of many voluntary workers, the Hospital was duly equipped and ready in July 1915. The first patients arrived on the 20th, between which date and October 30th 111 cases were dealt with.”
Between November 1915 to February 1916 it was closed in order to increase its capacity from 41 beds to 58 and also to create an operating theatre.
The report again states – “The hospital was re-opened on February 19th 1916, and from that date to the end of the year 311 cases were admitted, including garrison and overseas troops, and 58 operations were performed.”
The operating costs for the year ending December 1916 was £637 and 8 pence.
As with the other hospitals, Ashburne was administered by the Joint War Committee of the British Red Cross and the Order of St. John.
At the end of the war the hospital was closed and remaining patients were transferred to the Pensions War Hospital in Chester Road.
The Commandant of the hospital at the end of the war – Miss Nora Grace Dillon – was awarded Royal Red Cross medal 2nd class.
Sources:
Extract from 1915-1916 Report of the 98th Durham Women’s Voluntary Aid Detachment and 25th Durham V.A. Hospital.
http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/business/historic-home-of-sunderland-s-backhouse-family-up-for-sale-1-7459612
Civil Parish: Sunderland
Contributed by Simon W, United Kingdom
