New Exhibition From Workhouse To Hospital Opens At The Spike

Published on: 17 Mar, 2014
Updated on: 18 Mar, 2014

From Workhouse to Hospital is a fascinating new exhibition at The Spike Heritage Centre in Guildford.

The Mayor of Guildford, Diana Lockyer-Nibs and the chairman of the Charlotteville Jubilee Trust, John Redpath, at the opening of the exhibition.

It traces the story of the Guildford Workhouse Infirmary as it developed into St Luke’s NHS Hospital. A reception was held on Tuesday evening (March 17) for invited guests at which the exhibition was declared open by the Mayor of Guildford, Diana Lockyer-Nibbs.

A team of volunteer researchers at The Spike have completed a two-year project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. They have traced the history of St Luke’s Hospital from the 1838 infirmary of the Guildford Union Workhouse to its life as a busy general acute hospital (St Luke’s) in the 1960s.

They must all be congratulated for their hard work and in particular Jane Thomson, who led the team.

Their research project has covered many aspects including interviewing former hospital staff, costume making and collecting items and photographs for its ever-growing archive. The Spike itself is the preserved vagrants and casual ward of the workhouse. It provided overnight shelter for tramps (we now call them homeless people) from 1906 to 1962.

Many former St Luke’s Hospital staff attended the reception swapping stories of their time working there.

The new exhibition is packed with detail and old photos and artefacts. Information boards have been imaginatively attached to hospital screens, while display cases show a vast array of period items loaned from people’s private collections and The Spike’s own archive.

One of the display cabinets packed with interesting items – this one relating to the First World War when it was used as a military hospital.

The history on show is wide ranging and includes many personal stories, such as matron Louisa Tulloh who was there when it was used as a military hospital during the First World War.

During the Second World War it was used to treat injured soldiers from Dunkirk ,and there is footage displayed on a screen from a home movie during the war years.

Display panels hung on hospital screens create a great atmosphere for the exhibition.

In 1945, the association with the old workhouse infirmary ceased and Warren Road Hospital became St Luke’s Hospital. After being incorporated into the National Health Service, St Luke’s expanded. A nurses’ training school was added in 1956 and radiographers, radiotherapists, operating department practitioners and midwives were all trained on site.

Chatting and looking at a wealth of material on display.

The Betatron was installed in 1967 to treat cancer patients and by 1980, with plans well under way to centralise Guildford hospital services, St Luke’s ceased to be a general hospital.  It continued to provide a wide range of outpatient services until it was finally closed in 1996. The site was then sold for 257 homes, but the casual ward was saved as is now run as a successful heritage and community centre by the Charlotteville Jubilee Trust.

Retired consultant Richard Notley gave a speech during which he demonstrated some of the equipment once used for operations.

The Spike and the new exhibition is open to visitors on Tuesdays and Saturdays, 10am to 4pm.

Group bookings and educational visits can be made in advance for any day of the week. Evening tours are also available. Call 01483 569944. Email: heritage@charlotteville.co.uk

A tour of The Spike and the Workhouse to Hospital exhibition costs £4.50 for adults, and children (five to 16) and concessions £3.50.

Website: www.hospitalproject.co.uk

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