The Seamans' Hospital At Tilbury

A Memory of Tilbury.

I was a trainee nurse at the Tilbury and Orsett hospitals from 1962-1968. A lot of the parties I heard of were either for the Medical staff or invites from the ships senior mess. I remember keeping a window open in the nurses home for those girls who were invited. The doors of the hospital were right next to the gates of the Dock and we often saw the immigration ships loading passengers for Australia and New Zealand. At the time I worked there, it was a surgical unit and our surgeons were from the London Hospital. The ships bell from the destroyer HMS Essex hung in the corridor - I often wonder what happened to the bell when they pulled down the hospital. The wards all had tiled walls with plaques showing which ship had donated the money for that bed, this would also be interesting to know if there is any record of these ships. I would like to hear from any other old staff and also any follow up on my queries. My maiden name was Ann Jean Parrott and I was known as Nurse Polly