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Five patients on the Winter Garden steps Quex Park VAD Hospi
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Five patients on the Winter Garden steps Quex Park VAD Hospi
Five patients are standing on the steps of the Winter Garden at Quex Park. The Winter Garden was a large conservatory which stood between the drawing room of Quex House and the buildings of the Powell-Cotton Museum, linking the two. During the First World War it served as the VAD Hospital Mess. The men are all wearing the hospital patients uniform of hospital blues, which was blue serge jacket and trousers, white shirt and red tie - although in this instance some are wearing another shirt. Some men have had to roll up the trousers to make them fit. At least three of the men are wearing carpet slippers. These were made for VAD Hospitals by local War Supply Depots, for the men to use indoors. By their headgear all the men may be members of Scottish regiments. Patients were allowed to retain their regimental caps while in hospital, although their regular uniforms were handed in for cleaning and repair. The Quex Park VAD Hospital opened on 15 October 1914 and closed on 31 January 1919. The hospital was run by Kent/178, the Birchington Detachment. The Commandant was Hannah Powell-Cotton (1881-1964), wife of Major Percy HG Powell-Cotton (1866-1940) of Quex Park, founder of the Powell-Cotton Museum. Major Powell-Cotton was the VAD Transport Officer for the Isle of Thanet area, responsible for organising the transport of patients from the stations to the local hospitals. Date: circa 1916
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Media ID 14305212
© The Powell-Cotton Museum Collection / Mary Evans Picture Library
Blues Conservatory Cotton First Five Instance Linking Mess Patients Powell Roll Serge Served Shirt Some Stood Trousers
EDITORS COMMENTS
Five Brave Soldiers of the Quex Park VAD Hospital: A Moment of Respite in the Winter Garden This evocative photograph captures a moment of respite for five patients of the Quex Park VAD Hospital, as they gather on the steps of the Winter Garden in circa 1916. The Winter Garden, a beautiful conservatory situated between Quex House and the Powell-Cotton Museum, served as the VAD Hospital Mess during the First World War. The men in the photograph, all wearing hospital blues - blue serge jackets and trousers, white shirts, and red ties - are members of Scottish regiments, as evidenced by their regimental caps. Some have had to roll up their trousers to make them fit, while others wear carpet slippers, made specifically for VAD Hospitals by local War Supply Depots. The Quex Park VAD Hospital opened on 15 October 1914 and closed on 31 January 1919. It was run by Kent/178, the Birchington Detachment, under the command of Hannah Powell-Cotton, wife of Major Percy HG Powell-Cotton of Quex Park. Major Powell-Cotton, who was also the VAD Transport Officer for the Isle of Thanet area, oversaw the transportation of patients from the stations to the local hospitals. Despite the harsh realities of wartime life, these men find solace in the warmth and beauty of the Winter Garden, a testament to the resilience and determination of those who served during the First World War.
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