Shanklin Hospitals

The Arthur Webster Memorial Hospital

The Arthur Webster Memorial Hospital in Landguard Manor Road was presented to the town by Lord Alverstone (Richard Webster) then Lord Chief Justice, who was also Chairman of the Royal National Hospital; it was in memory of his son Arthur who had died at the age of 28 and whose widow had suggested the idea of a cottage hospital for the town as a memorial; a large contribution to it came also from the trustees of the Harriet Parr bequest, - she was a local authoress who had diedin 1900. The memorial tablet composed by Dr Dabbs, the Chairman of the trustees, and at that time the Doyen of the Shanklin doctors, can still be seen in the entrance hall of the hospital. At the start, the hospital had six beds in two wards together with an operating theatre, dispensary, kitchen, dining and sitting rooms and domestic quarters. It is said that it was very soon fully occupied, which was taken to indicate and confirm the need that existed for it. The hospital was opened in 1905 by Princess Beatrice, Governor of the Island, and this was a great occasion for Shanklin.

Some Comments on Shanklin Cottage Hospital

Shanklin Hospital, used to be a house and then became a private nursing home, it became Shanklin Cottage Hospital in 1946.

There was a ladies ward which had five beds, some of the ladies could not get out of bed and had bed baths. There were three wards and eight side rooms making a total of twenty seven beds in total. a staff of six doctors and thirty six nurses.

The drugs were in a locked cabinet upstairs, there was also an x-ray room and the day room had a television.

Patients enjoyed the views of Sandown Bay from the day room windows and there was a nice garden.