Jubilee Hospital

We took a detour on today's walk past the site of the old cottage hospital.

To celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, residents of Woodford Green proposed to build a cottage hospital, believing this 'would be most in accord with her Majesty's wishes'. They also noted the many trap accidents 'which occurred to excursionists who stream through the village on holiday'. 

The Jubilee Hospital opened in 1899 with 12 beds, later increased to 47, and patients were looked after by their GPs.  It was closed by the Health Authority in 1985, being considered too small a unit. The hospital was demolished and the site redeveloped into retirement homes in 1988. A number of features which were originally part of the hospital building were incorporated into the new building, including this commemorative plaque and weathervane.