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Gledhow Hall:
World War One Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) Hospital

The following photographs were provided by Keith Newman and have been reproduced with his permission.

Following the outbreak of World War One in August 1914 the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St. John pooled their resources and formed the Joint War Committee. Members of both organisations were organised into Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs) which worked in hospitals, convalescent homes, rest stations, packing centres, medical supply depos and work parties.

Gledhow Hall was used as a VAD Hospital, and the following photos show the Hall during this time. Some of the original photos had notes written on the back, and these are shown under the pictures...

Gledhow Hall World War One VAD Hospital

(no notes available)

Patients on the lawn outside the Hall

"This is the house I am staying
Ted
Am keeping in the pink hoping you are the same."

Staff and patients outside the Hall

(no notes available)

Meal time in the huts

(no notes available)

Gunner C Pope (RFA)

"Gunner C Pope RFA (Royal Field Artillery)
Wounded Lye Wood Somme"

Games tournament trophies

(no notes available)

Sgt Michael Cassidy the Gledhow Mascot

"Sgt Michael Cassidy the Gledhow Mascot"

Outside Dugout & Snipers View

Hut names (left to right) are
"Dugout" and "Sniper's View"

On the lawn

(no notes available)

VAD, Wounded Tommy & Major Waggs

"VAD - Miss Hale
Wounded Tommy - Miss Pilkington
Major Waggs - Miss Hudson"

Fairy Godmother, Britannia & Fairy

"Fairy Godmother - Mrs Fisher
Britannia - Miss Hale
Fairy - Miss Mason"

Staff & patients outside the huts

Hut names (left to right) are
"BEF", "Somme Hut", "Whiz Bang Hall" and "Blighty"

Outside the huts

(no notes available)

Residents of Snipers View Hut

(no notes available)

VAD Nurses

"Nurse Hall
Nurse Mananburgh
Nurse Crisp"

Notes

Keith Newman, who kindly provided the photographs shown above, was born and raised in Chapel Allerton and has been researching his family history...

"I believe that my Grandparents first met at Gledhow Hall during my Grandfather's stay there. My Grandmother being a volunteer worker at the VAD, living in Harehills and my Grandfather a Regular Soldier in the Royal Horse Artillery.

A gap in my research is when exactly my Grandfather was at Gledhow Hall and what the extent of his injuries were. I have his military history but there is no mention of his time there or any indications of wounds etc. I have direct confirmation of his residence there from a postcard which states 'This is the house where I am staying'. He was originally from Newbury in Berkshire so should have no other reason to be there except as a result of wounds received. There was some mention in the family of a leg injury and possible mild gas side effects but these are largely unconfirmed.

My Grandmother's name was Miss Margeret Gould and she would have been 17 years old in 1914. According to the 1901 census she lived at Bayswater Road in her younger years. She married my grandfather Edward Newman 23 August 1919 and lived at Bankside Street Roundhay Road, followed by St. Martins Road and finally Wensley Drive. My Grandfather died 1966 and my Grandmother died 1978."

If anyone knows of accessible records of Gledhow Hall and its occupants during the First World War, in particular 1917, Keith would very much like to hear from you. Please contact us if you have any information to pass on, or if you have any historic photos and/or stories from your own family's past which you would like to share.

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