Frenchay Hospital, Bristol - Built by The American Army

Hospital c1960
Enlarge photo |  More about this photo

Frenchay Hospital in Bristol was built by the American Army during the Second World War. Frenchay Hospital is a large hospital situated in Frenchay, South Gloucestershire, on the (NE) outskirts of Bristol, England. The hospital, situated in the grounds of a Georgian mansion, Frenchay Park, started life as a TB hospital (Frenchay Park Sanatorium) in 1921, when Bristol Corporation acquired the land. In 1931, five purpose-built buildings were constructed to extend the hospital beyond the original house. Concerns about the possibility of heavy bombing casualties led to the hospital being greatly expanded between 1938 and early 1942. Although Bristol was severely bombed, the new facilities remained unused. When US forces arrived in 1942, the city handed the new hospital facilities over to the Americans, as a sort of reverse Lend-Lease. Further expansion to the facilities occurred in late 1942. Initially, the Americans used the hospital mainly as training facility for their medical staff. After D-Day, however, the hospital was used in earnest, the processing of casualties becoming a very slick operation. Casualties were flown into Filton or arrived by train from the channel ports. Although the Frenchay TB hospital operated as a separate unit throughout the war, the patients were transferred elsewhere in 1947. After the Second World War, the Americans handed the hospital back to the Corporation. The National Health Service acquired the hospital in 1948. Over the last 60 years or so, the hospital facilities have been slowly modernized, but many wartime buildings are still very much in evidence. Frenchay Hospital is due to be downsized so the main hospital will be at Southmead Hospital. The hospital has extensive grounds which would be sold off were this to happen. There is however a Save Frenchay Hospital campaign that is fronted by Steve Webb, the Member of Parliament for the Northavon constituency that includes Frenchay. The campaign's main arguments are that Frenchay Hospital affords greater possibility for expansion than the Southmead site and that emergency access is easier due to its proximity to the motorway with less traffic. Frenchay is served by local charity Freewheelers EVS, whose volunteers provide a free-of-charge motorcycle courier service between Frenchay, Southmead and other hospitals in the area.