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10th December 2018, 10:10 AM
#11
Re: Seamen's Hospital Society 'Dreadnought'
A friend of mine, Sailed with him in 1957, told me he had to wait over 12 months for a Heart By Pass operation at Manchester Royal Hospital,
I got onto the Dreadnought for him, they told me to send him in next Monday, But to go to Guys Hospital nearby, as the Dreadnought didnt do Cardiac, He went on Monday, they assessed him on Tuesday, had his Heart Operation on Wednesday and was home a week later. Good Service for an ex Seaman.
I have had three operations there , 2 in Greenwich and one in St Thomas`s all within a week of applying.
Saves months of waiting and could save your life.
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12th December 2018, 11:23 PM
#12
Re: Seamen's Hospital Society 'Dreadnought'
I did my SRN training at the Dreadnought in the early 1970s, what a wonderful place to train. Our ethos was to treat all our patients as if they were our nearest and dearest regardless of their nationality or rank. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and thanks to the variety of injuries and tropical illnesses we had to treat we all became very well trained nurses. I went on to be a practice nurse for 30 years. I was saddened when the Dreadnought closed and subsequently became a unit at St. Thomas's Hospital.
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13th December 2018, 12:41 AM
#13
Re: Seamen's Hospital Society 'Dreadnought'
You must have been there when Sister PHIL Lake was there then. ? She received the Numast award in Harrogate in May 1991. She may have been retiring then I am not too sure about that. However there was quite a big dinner put on with the Mayor and that ex Mining Union Leader who was given a peerage and also government officials mainly from the MOT. I believe she stayed for that. The whole do was carried out in one of the top hotels. The ones receiving any awards were booked in for two nights anyway. Regards JS
Last edited by j.sabourn; 13th December 2018 at 12:44 AM.
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13th December 2018, 07:20 PM
#14
Re: Seamen's Hospital Society 'Dreadnought'
I remember going there for a minor operation in the mid 1970s and the staff there from what I can remember could not do enough for you.
It is a pity that the main place closed down , but at least there is still a place for seamen to go to still.
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13th December 2018, 07:51 PM
#15
Re: Seamen's Hospital Society 'Dreadnought'
I was in the Dreadnought for an operation, supposed to stay for one week but I enjoyed myself so much I asked for extra time, Stay as long as you want, they told me but if we need your bed you will have to go. I did two weeks, the crowd was full of comedians, I even had sailed with two of them, we never stopped laughing,
I put my gear in a bag and after a collection , went to the bathroom and down the Fire Escape ladder to the car park , across to the Cricketers Pub and had a couple of pints and bought a few bottles of Rum , I was stood at the Bar and then next to me appeared my Surgeon, I just nodded to him as I drank my pint, He just shook his head ,and said nothing.
then back up the Fire escape ladder got changed in the bathroom and gave the booze to the lads.
The week before Christmas we had a few drinks and shared some rum with two Nurses from Barbados, we were dancing in the evening with them , One was lay on my bed as I danced with one Nurse and the door burst open, The Matron, a BIG Womans, shouts , I dived into my bed, the Nurse there fell out and rolled under the next bed,
She got sacked, by the Matron, so we had a Petition and after everyone in the two wards signed , she was given her job back.
I always had a good time in there, I guess they knew Seamen were different than shore people.
Brian
Last edited by Captain Kong; 13th December 2018 at 07:53 PM.
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17th December 2018, 09:08 PM
#16
Re: Seamen's Hospital Society 'Dreadnought'
Came across this thread on one of the memory jogging emails. I never had need for the hospital but across the road was the nurses home and that does bring back memories. As a deck cadet doing phase 2 at the London School of Nav on Tower Hill we had to stay at the Mariners Hotel on Commercial Rd. For some reason this counted as sea time but no ship was ever as bad as this place. We would catch a bus outside the hotel which took us across the Isle of Dogs to the Greenwich foot tunnel which emerges in Greenwich at the Cutty Sark. We just thought the pubs were a step above the establishments by the Mariners. Some of the clientele were student nurses and then it was on. Found my first wife there. Big mistake but that’s another story. The night watchman at the nurses home had it in for me. Fortunately he couldn’t run as fast as me.
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22nd December 2018, 05:45 PM
#17
Re: Seamen's Hospital Society 'Dreadnought'
Failed my medical to join the Scythia in November 64, the doctor said I could go to Greenwich, Dreadnought or go home and wait for an appointment which could be months and wouldn't be able to go back to sea until was done. Opted for Dreadnought, was seen in a few days and admitted quickly. Mr. Candy from Harley Street I believe. Went to my local hospital to have the stitches removed, all there very impressed, 13 stitches by blanket stitch. Brought several staff members to view before removing them. Was a Hernia.
Last edited by Robert Denham; 22nd December 2018 at 06:02 PM.
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15th November 2023, 12:11 PM
#18
Re: Seamen's Hospital Society 'Dreadnought'
Hi I have just joined the site. I am looking to connect with people that worked or were treated at the Dreadnought Seaman’s hospital. I was the Nursing Sister on ground east ward roughly early 60s. Absolutely loved my job, the staff and other patients. The good old days! Very fond memories and would love to hear any more memories of that time from patients or other staff. I would haves been known as Sister Manifold in those days.
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15th November 2023, 12:47 PM
#19
Re: Seamen's Hospital Society 'Dreadnought'
#18 Mary you weren’t the nursing sister who was awarded the Numast Award in Harrogate in May 1991 are you . There were 4 seafarers also to receive and were present at the other ceremony as a group. 3 from the Lowland Cavalier and myself from the Silver Pit. I rather think it was the first issue of this Award , I don’t know for sure but think it was again issued 3 years later to the Shipping Minister of Canada. We all received a brass plaqued ships clock embossed with the name and circumstances of Awarding. Not too sure if you received the same , if it was you that is. Regards anyway and hope you meet up with those who you nursed back to health. There must be a few who visited the Dreadnought . John Sabourn .
PS didn’t realise this post went back a few years and had already mentioned that sister years ago , also her name which today I have forgot ,so forgive my loss of memory , these things only happen when you get too old with too many memories , which the brain isn’t big enough to hold. JS
The only other nursing sisters I remember was in Liverpool when doing the shipmasters medical course which dealt with drugs , V.D. , and childbirth , the sister tutor doing the childbirth said I can teach you the basics of what to do, but if you are anything like my father who is also a shipmaster , is off the record, is to tie her legs together and make for the nearest port. Cheers JS
PPS will have to go back in this post to see if I am again repeating myself. JS
Last edited by j.sabourn; 15th November 2023 at 01:23 PM.
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15th November 2023, 03:23 PM
#20
Re: Seamen's Hospital Society 'Dreadnought'
Hi Mary, i was there in July / August 1972 .I was flown from Long Beach to London ,and straight to the Dreadnought Seamans Hospital where i underwent a major operation. To state the obvious i survived .The Surgeon used special staple's to close the wound, it was funny, it looked like a zip around my neck .The ward was spotless and the medical staff were brilliant ,as was the ancillary staff a laugh a minute with that lot. The operation was a success with no problems to this day .I must say i fondly remember my time there, and the treatment by all was second to none .
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Averelle, read post 20.
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