Southern Hospital x Southern Convalescent Hospital x Gore Farm Hospital

Southern Hospital x Southern Convalescent Hospital x Gore Farm Hospital

In 1890 Gore Farm Hospital was established by the Metropolitan Asylums Board as a smallpox hospital. From 1902 it became a convalescent hospital for fever patients. Patients were transferred to Gore Farm from fever and isolation hospitals around London for convalescence before returning home. On the 10 April 1911 Gore Farm was renamed the Southern Convalescent Hospital.

In the First World War, Lower Southern Hospital was taken over for treatment of German Prisoners of War, as Dartford War Hospital. Those who died were exhumed in 1960s and their remains buried at cemetery in Cannock Chase. For further information contact Francine Payne (website link given below).

In 1918 the Southern Hospital was taken over by the United States government for the use of sick and wounded American servicemen. In 1930 the hospital passed into the administrative control of the London County Council. The hospital closed in 1948 with the reorganisation of public health under the National Health Act.

For further information visit website managed by Francine Payne: http://www.dartfordhospitalhistories.org.uk/ (correct as of August 2010).