Royal Hamadryad Hospital

Royal Hamadryad Hospital, rear view (2007)

The Royal Hamadryad Hospital was a seamen's hospital and later a psychiatric hospital in the docklands area of Cardiff, Wales. It had replaced a hospital ship, HMS Hamadryad, in 1905. It was one of only two hospitals in the world exclusively providing free treatment to seafarers. In the 2010s the site was redeveloped for residential use.

Hospital ship

In 1866 a 43-year old frigate, HMS Hamadryad, was towed from Dartmouth to Cardiff and fitted out as a hospital ship at a cost of £2791.[1] The town's Medical Officer of Health, Dr Henry Paine, had identified the need for a seamen's hospital because of the many diseases that were brought to the docks by sailors from overseas.[1] A piece of waste ground in Cardiff Docks was donated by the Marquis of Bute and the hospital ship opened for business in November 1866. In its first year it admitted 400 patients and the free treatment was funded by a levy of 2 shillings per 100 tons of shipping at Cardiff Docks.[1] The hospital ship was to remain at this site until 1905, when a permanent hospital was opened. Hamadryad was refloated and towed away to be scrapped.[1]

1905 hospital

To mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897, a decision was made to build a permanent bricks-and-mortar seamen's hospital close to the site of the hospital ship.[1] By that time 10,000 seamen (in-patients and out-patients) were being treated each year.[2] The Marquis of Bute, on his death in 1900, bequeathed £20,000 towards the cost of the new building and this was augmented by additional subscriptions of £12,000 and the proceeds of a bazaar, which raised £4,400.[3] A brand new hospital building was constructed immediately to the west of the ship site, designed by architect E. W. M. Corbett.[4] The foundation stone was laid on 7 August 1900.[5] Named the Royal Hamadryad Hospital, the new building was opened by the 4th Marquess of Bute on 29 June 1905.[6]

The hospital had 54 beds, electric lighting and x-ray facilities.[5] It remained a seamen's hospital (one of only two offering free treatment exclusively to seafarers) until 1948.[2] With the advent of the National Health Service it became a general hospital and then a psychiatric facility.

The hospital was finally closed in 2002 and the remaining 30 mental health patients were transferred to the new St David's Hospital in Canton.[7] The main building was subsequently demolished.

21st century redevelopment

Some of the buildings on the site remain in use as a mental health day care centre.[2] Planning approval has been agreed for housing to be built on the site of the old hospital. In 2015 a planning application by Cardiff Community Housing Association and Morganstone Ltd for an apartment block with affordable homes was recommended for approval by Cardiff Council planning committee.[2] Grangetown's first Welsh school has just commenced building, scheduled to open in 2017

Further reading

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Phil Carradice (2013), The Ships of Pembroke Dockyard (e-book), Amberley Publishing, pp. 52–53, ISBN 978-1-4456-1310-9
  2. 1 2 3 4 Ruth Mosalski (21 July 2015). "Former Cardiff hospital could finally be turned into affordable housing if developers get green light". Wales Online. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  3. ↑ "Lord Bute's Will - Bequest To The Seaman's Hospital - Explanation Of The Conditions". Western Mail. 19 October 1900. p. 5. Retrieved 2015-12-10 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  4. ↑ "Royal Hamadryad Hopsital, Hamadryad Road, Butetown, Cardiff". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  5. 1 2 "GB 0214 DHHA - Royal Hamadryad Hopsital - Administrative/biographical history". Glamorgan Archives. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
  6. ↑ "Items Of Local News". Western Daily Press. 30 June 1905. p. 5. Retrieved 2015-12-10 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)). "The Marquis of Bute yesterday opened the Royal Hamadyad(sic) Seaman's Hospital at Cardiff."
  7. ↑ "New hospital opens doors". BBC News. 2 March 2002. Retrieved 2015-12-10.

Coordinates: 51°27′45″N 3°10′29″W / 51.4624°N 3.1746°W / 51.4624; -3.1746

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