Whitchurch Hospital Football Club

March 13th, 2024 by Admin No comments »

It is very important to remember that the hospital was much more than just a hospital and to this end we share a guest post from Terry Chard, former player and local historian.

One of the forgotten aspects of the old hospital is its value on the local sporting scene. It had one of the most successful sides in terms of local football, Whitchurch Hospital FC. Here are some team photos from the late 70’s and early 80’s. The current AFC Whitchurch is an amalgamation of a number of local football clubs that played throughout the 60’s 70’s and 80’s.

Thanks to Steve Pike for permission to use his photos.

Dydd G?yl Dewi / St David’s Day

March 1st, 2024 by Admin No comments »

I thought I would share some photos on St David’s Day, both daffodil photos are from a number of years ago. The second photo is from the End of an Era exhibition to mark the closure of Whitchurch Hospital back in 2016.

July 4th, 2023 by Admin No comments »

75years of the NHS

75years ago the Cardiff City Mental Hospital joined the NHS and was re-named Whitchurch Hospital.

Glamorgan Archives

April 25th, 2023 by Admin No comments »

Whitchurch Hospital Historical Society visit

Earlier today we were at our local archives, The Glamorgan archives down in Leckwith, Cardiff.

We had a fantastic and informative tour of behind the scenes at the archives by Rhian Diggins.

To finish Rhian had picked some wonderful Whitchurch Hospital items that are held at the archives and some general NHS items

Diolch yn fawr iawn / Thank you so much

Happy New Year / Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

January 3rd, 2023 by Admin No comments »

Thank you all for your support this last year, looking forward to a great year sharing the history of Whitchurch Hospital.

Long ago and far away…

December 21st, 2021 by Admin No comments »

By Mike Jones

Christmastime once more. A time of year that encourages reflection and reminiscences about those bygone days and nights spent at Whitchurch hospital. For my own part, as a student nurse, I vividly recall one 1970’s winter night. Based on a ward, I looked through falling snowflakes at the white world outside. Trees, shrubs, grounds, bandstand, all smothered in a thick duvet of white, here and there dusted by a soft, warm glow from the light of a ward window. There was an almost spiritual, poignant silence; a Whitchurch Hospital silence. A silence that invited reflection. A silence that invited nothing more than an opportunity to marvel at the beauty of it all, away from the routines and crises of the day, where there was often no time at all to marvel at anything, apart, perhaps, one’s ability to complete the many tasks required in such a short space of  time.

And then, of course, there were the magical shows and concerts. Seasonal entertainment was a tradition in most hospitals, and Whitchurch was no exception. Records of entertainment exist from its earliest years via programs announcing songsters, choirs, vignettes, orchestras, musicals, comedians, instrumental soloists, and so on. This tradition continued to cascade down the decades, all invariably presented and performed in the magnificent, ornate main hall. For many patients and staff, the annual highlight was the Christmas pantomimes. These involved many hours of preparation and rehearsal, and I was privileged to write and perform in a number of these. Here are a few pictorial memories from yesteryear. 

Retired Whitchurch hospital nurse and nurse teacher, Mike Jones, has provided a number of seasonal memories of hospital life.

Please get in touch if you have any memories and/or photos to share

Happy New Year

December 31st, 2020 by Admin No comments »

Apologies for the silence for some time, aiming to post more during 2021.

Twitter highlights from 2020, Happy New Year to all.

Mental Health Awareness Week October 2019

October 9th, 2019 by Admin No comments »

This week (7th – 11th October) we have an exhibition at Cardiff University to mark Mental Health Awareness Week.

Do call in if you are passing the Viriamu Jones Gallery in the main University building

New Exhibition at Glamorgan Archives

March 11th, 2019 by Admin No comments »

Here are the details for our current exhibition at the Glamorgan Archives

General Update

November 17th, 2018 by Admin 1 comment »

So sorry for lack of posts this year, no reflection to a lack of activity or exhibitions.

Since our wonderful city showcase at the Cardiff Story Museum we have had a number of exhibitions:

June 2018

University Hospital of Wales

July 2018

Haydn Ellis building, Cardiff University

St Fagans

November 2018

Amanda Cashmore from the BBC interviewed Dr Ian Beech regarding the role of Whitchurch during WW1 and especially its treatment of shell shock, see link below

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-45892116

Remembrance Event at the National Museum

Whitchurch Village Library as part of Remembrance Sunday

Rhydypennau Library – small WW1 display until the end of the week

 

The Welsh Metropolitan War Hospital during WW1