Welcome to the WHHS. We are a small band of individuals who meet on a monthly basis with the aim of preserving and publishing information and artefacts relating to Whitchurch Hospital in Cardiff. It is a unique place, with a very exciting history. If you would like to be involved, or if you have memories/memorabilia then we would be delighted to hear from you.
Hi Beatrice
Thank you so much for your comments and family history question. I will email you directly for some more details then ask our Historical Society for assistance with your inquiry.
Regards
Gwawr
Hello,
As a child more year ago than I care to remember I was placed into care and it is only over the last few years I have started to trace my family tree. Unfortunately family so far identified have all past on so to try to obtain information has been a constant uphill struggle.
My great grandfather was active during WW1 and I believe this had a profound effect on him during his lifetime which led to him being admitted as a patient to Whitchurch Hospital. He died as a patient at the hospital, 25th February 1956. His death certificate gives his age but not date or place of birth as found on more modern death certificates
I have tried every possible avenue to find his place and date of birth so that I can purchase his birth certificate and I am now at my wit’s end. From his marriage certificate I believe he was born in 1888 and that his father’s name was Edward.
Any help or advice would be most appreciated. The Glamorgan Archives are unlikely to be of any help since I noticed in an earlier posting a reference to a 99 year disclosure period.
Regards
Paul
Hello
I have enjoyed reading your site as I am researching a certain Charles Trigg who was one of the male nurses at the hospital in WWI. He is going to be in a book we are publishing on the men and women who served in WWI from our village. I wonder if I could ask you to contact me please about the possibility of using a couple of your photos in out book.
Many thanks
Max
Hello Paul
Thank you so much for your comments and question regarding your great grandfather who was a patient at Whitchurch Hospital during WW1.
I have emailed you directly regarding your question.
Apologies for taking such a long time to reply.
Regards
Gwawr
Hello Max
Thank you for your comments and question regarding WW1 photos.
I have emailed you directly to ask some further information.
Thanks
Gwawr
Hello Gwawr,
Many thanks for your kind reply. In my initial request for information I made an error in that it was my grandfather not great grandfather who was admitted to the hospital.
His name was John Williams and I calculate from his marriage and death certificate that he was born sometime between 24th February 1888 and 7th April 1888.
His wife’s name was Mabel (nee Joy) but she died in 1945 and it was not long after her death that he was admitted to the hospital where he remained until his death in February 1956. His children who were not old enough to go out to work were placed in the National Children’s Home.
The Glamorgan Archive was able to offer me the following information. He had been a patient for 2600 days and his patient number was M4994 but they were unable to find any further information.
If I could find his date of birth then it would help to obtain his birth certificate and continue with the family history.
Kind regards
Paul
My mother was a patient at Whitchurch Hospital on and off throughout her life. Is there any possibility the hospital still has her medical records and, as her next of kin, would I be able to access them? She died in 2001.
Hello,
About ten years ago I was living and going to school in Cardiff. While I was there I worked in several group homes for people with intellectual disabilities. I was told that a lot of these people (who most were over 50 years old) had once been patients at Whitchurch before they were placed into the community. Would this be correct? Working with these people had a profound and lasting effect on me and was the reason I am now a special education teacher. I’m in the process of writing about my time in Cardiff which is way I want to make sure I have my information correct. I’m curious if the patients with an intellectual disability had their own ward? Was it common for children to be placed at the hospital?
Thanks in advance,
Nichole
Hello Nichole
Thank you so much for your comments and questions, so sorry for the delay in responding. I wonder if the hospital was Ely Hospital? I am not aware that we had a ward in Whitchurch for people with intellectual disabilities but there was a hospital in Ely which has now closed, many of the patients were placed in the community. I do believe that there were children in Ely hospital. Some of the historical society members used to work in Ely Hospital if you would like further information.
Thanks
Gwawr
Hi I was wondering if you can help I wanted my Nans records and an insight as to what her illness was her name was Nancy Jones she died in August 1971 or 1972 she was married to Ken Jones and was in out and out of whitchurch for many years. She lived in Senghenydd coronation terrace caerphilly. I hope you can help
My Grandfather was the buyer for Whitchurch Hospital and was there from the beginning. His name was Robert Singleton Clarkson and he worked there until he retired.
Hello, I hope you won’t mind me posting on here.
Myself and colleague Rebecca are trainee MA journalists at Cardiff University and would love to be involved with this. We have been reading about the history of the hospital and want to capture it by getting shots of the artefacts. We would also love to hear some of your experiences or connections with the hospital.
Feel free to give me a call on 07943 837 281 or email on charlottemariemorgan@live.com. Hope many artefacts are brought forward for all to see and reflect on this building. Thank you for your time.
Hi Sarah,
Thank you so much for your comments about your Nan.
Unfortunately the Historical Society does not have medical records.
I have asked Medical Records and they only keep them for 20years after the last contact and 8 years after a person has died.
The number for requesting medical notes is a UHW one: 02920 746500
Sorry we could not be of more help
Regards
Gwawr
Hi Maureen,
Thank you so much for your comments, do you have any photos of your Grandfather at Whitchurch? Do you have memories of visiting him while he was at work? What year did your Grandfather retire?
Feel free to come and visit the exhibition from the 7th to the 11th of March on ward East 1.
Thanks again
Gwawr
Hello Charlotte
Thank you so much for your comment and no problem at all with posting on the site.
I have been in touch with Rebecca and hopefully we can sort something out very soon
Looking forward to meeting you
Gwawr
My great grandmother Mary Gwen Williams was a ward sister at Whitchurch Hospital. Before she became a nurse she was separated from her husband and had to get a divorce so that she could practise as married women were not allowed to work in those positions at the time. I don’t know much about her working life but would love to know if there are any records on her. My grandmother told me that she was a fantastic pianist and often entertained the staff with her piano playing. I think she must have worked there during the 1940s or 50s.
I have a great interest in family history and was always told that the husband of my great grandmothers sister was placed in Whitchurch hospital after predicting WW1 . He was not spoken about in our family other that by my mum now 93. He was called Frederick Williams who died in 1913 and I think in the hoispital. We have no idea how old he was or his date of birth. Would there be any surviving records? He lived IN Gwennyth St Cardiff. I was born in Cardiff and lived in Whitchurch Road. Any help would be much appreciated.
not sure if this went or not…sorry
Family history enquiry.
Looking for any information on Frederick Williams who was the husband of my great grandmothers sister.I have been told by my mother now 93 that he was placed into your hospital and died in 1913.We have no idea when he was born and do know he lived in Gwennyth Street Cardiff. I was also born in Cardiff and lived in Whitchurch road.Any information would be much appreciated.
Hi Paul
Thank you so much for your inquiry. I will make inquiries for you and see what we can find out. If you can give us any more information please get in touch.
Thank you
Gwawr
Hello there, my mom was admitted to Whitchurch around 1959-1960 is there any way to find out information on her stay there? thanks in advance.
Hi Joy
Thank you for your comment and question about your mom. So sorry to take so long to reply. We don’t have any specific information about patients in 1959-1960 as we don’t have notes. One option would be to contact Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and asking if they may still have records.
Regards
Gwawr
Hi there,
My name is Alice Campion and I’m currently producing and presenting a local history show that’s broadcast on Radio Cardiff. Our theme on the 31st of January is hospitals in Cardiff, and I would really like to feature Whitchurch hospital. I was wondering if anyone from your organisation would be interested in conducting a short interview? Any information would be greatly appreciated
Thank you and Kind regards,
Alice Campion
Hi Alice
Thank you for your comments. I have emailed you.
Regards
Gwawr
I’m trying to track down info on Florence Walters, a great-great aunt who died in the Whitchurch Mental hospital on March 4, 1913. Are there any records of this?
Thank you,
Christin Farley
Hi Christin Farley
Thank you so much for your comments, I have passed your question regarding your great-great aunt on to one of our members. I will let you know what he comes back with.
Kind Regards
Gwawr
Dear sir or Madam,
my grandmother,s name was Minnie Wills, nee Palmer, admitted after the death of twins due to milkfever about 1921 , she rejected my mother born 1920, after this. and spent all ther life until I believe 1953 or 1959, and committed suicide at the hospital, scalding herself in a very hot bath. have you any information, please, she was living in Cardiff and had some sisters, but was originally from Merthyr tydfill. thank you
Hello,
I am a new writer studying creative writing with the Open University. I live near the hospital and walk through the grounds almost daily. I would like to write some fiction based around life in the hospital. I wonder if it would be possible to talk to someone about life in the hospital, not sure which time point interests me most yet, but possibly when the farm still existed, or perhaps join a meeting?
Kind Regards
jo
Dear Jenny,
Thank you so much for contacting us regarding your grandmother. What a terribly sad story Jenny. I have asked some of our members and I am sorry I am unable to help you with anymore information.
Maybe Glamorgan archives would have some information that would help. The other option you could try is local newspapers, local studies has now moved to Cathays library so may be worth contacting them.
So sorry not to be able to help
Regards
Gwawr
Hello Jo
Thank you so much for your comments. It would be great to talk to you about life in the hospital, I will email you to arrange.
Regards
Gwawr
Hello
I’m trying to find out information on my great uncle who I believe was a resident at Whitchurch Hospital for a number of years. He was just 16 when he joined up for WW1 and we believe he came back shell shocked and never recovered.
Can you kindly let me know who I would contact to find out more please.
Many thanks
Hello
Many thanks for your comment and so sorry for the delay in replying. We can try and research your great Uncle for you. I will email you for some further information.
Thanks again
Gwawr
Can you please contact me regarding a WW1-era patient?
Hi my grandmas brother wrote his thesis at this hospital on the determination of bromine in blood Edmund Denys Yates I wonder do you have any further work or information you share the thesis was written in 1933 from the biochemical laboratory
Hello, I recently learned I have a 2nd great aunt who died in the hospital in 1912, and wanted to know if there was someone I could contact who mights have records regarding this.
Hi there,
I’m doing research on my grandmother who worked started as a probatation nurse in 1917 and left in 1928. I do have her original ‘reference’’, is there a way of sending / uploading it so you can view it? My grandmothers name then was Ena Rowlands.
It would be great if you could help me as I’m a third generation nurse from the family and am piecing together the history of us all. Many thanks Rob
Apologies, Ena Rowlands was a nurse there pre 1917. Got some dates nixed up…..Kind regards Rob B
Hi Peter
Thank you so much for getting in touch, apologies for the long delay.
I have emailed you.
Thanks again
Gwawr
Hello Jo
Thank you so much for your comments, huge apologies for taking so long to reply.
I have emailed you regarding your 2nd great aunt.
Thanks again
GWawr
Hi Rob
Thank you so much for your comments regarding your grandmother. I have sent you an email.
Thanks again
Gwawr
Hello
My great grandmother, Mary Gwen Williams was a ward sister in Whitchurch Hospital during the 50s. I’ve been told that she also played the piano at dances that were held there for the staff. Do you know if you have any information on her? We would be really interested to find any photographs of her.
Also, my husbands grandfather, Peter Newman was sent there for treatment after the D Day Landings. My father-in-law would be very interested to know when he was there and if any medical records exist for him.
Regards
Donna Newman
Hello Donna
Thank you so much for your comments. I have emailed you for some more information.
Thanks again
Gwawr
Hello
I wonder if you can help? My grandmother Doris Marion Wheeler was a patient at Whitchurch for most of her adult life until she was moved into a home. She was born in 1906 and died in 1984. I would like to know when she was admitted to Whitchurch and the name of the home where she went to.
Thank you in hope
Regards
Kath
Hello
A friend of mine started her nursing training at Whitchurch in 1979, she would like to know the exact date she started, do you have any records which may help her please.
I have looked at the catalogue of records for Whitchurch Hospital held at Glamorgan Archives, but have been unable to find information relating to staff covering the period in which I am interested.
Thank you
Good morning, First congratulations on the site and your group.Always good to see nursing and hospital history being preserved!
I am a nurse historian, collector and also moderator of a site dedicated to the preservation and study of the Schools of Nursing and their badges and medals. I also collect Welsh Nursing Badges of which I have around a hundred.
I wonder if the have other badges or prize medals or certificates in your archive which we might bring to the attention of our members?I am more than happy to share any images in my collection if of interest?
Regards,
Peter
Hi,
I was wondering if you could help me. I am about to teach a short studio for the University of Cardiff Architecture department and we are interested in researching different hospitals in Cardiff. I was wondering if your group would be interested in being involved.
kind regards
Eleanor
Hi,
I worked in the hospital in the mid-1970s . I am trying to find out what happened to the person I worked for. I would be so grateful if you were able to contact me.
Kind regards,
Jacquie
Hello, My maternal Grandmother was a patient at Whitchurch Hospital probably between 1911 and 1924.
Her name was Eliza McCoy (aka Margaret) and she was from Cardiff. I would appreciate any information you might be able to provide regarding her.
Thank you
Derek Rigby
Hi there
I’m hoping you may be able to help me, I’m researching my family tree and my WW1 military records has shown my great grandfather’s death was at Whitchurch Hospital and I was wondering if any records exist for patients of that time? I’m trying to find out more about my great grandfather, his name was John Moore and death recorded as 18.10.1919 on his military records. He was a Lance Corporal in what looks like the Labour Corps. Hoping someone can help, much appreciated.
Kind regards, Claire
Hello,
I am the granddaughter of a patient who died at the hospital in 1952. I would like to get some medical info in case it relates to my own health in the future. Do you know how I can do this?
Thank you
Hello
I am writing a book about war casualties at Willow Grove cemetery in Stockport. Amongst the 143 men commemorated there is Lance Corporal Sydney Craig. There are few military records surviving for Sydney, but I have ascertained he died at Whitchurch Military Hospital on 9 July 1916. The headstone marking his grave states he died of wounds at Cardiff.
Please may I use the photo of the hospital from your website that is marked ‘Verandah, M.I., Military Hospital, Whitchurch, Glam.’ in my book? Should you be so kind to grant permission I will of course give full reference and accreditation to your organisation.
Many thanks and regards Ray Withnall