The Hahnemann Convalescent Home Bournemouth (photo used courtesy of Sylvain Cazalet Homéopathe International) was founded in 1879 with 32 beds, enlarged in 1883, and in 1913, a chapel was added.
The Home accepted patients with Tuberculosis, and convalescents from hospitals requiring medical supervision. Originally founded as a Dispensary for the sick poor not eligible for Parochial relief, the Home did not accept males under the age of 17, females under the age of 15, patients with infectious fevers, bronchitis or bronchial asthma, and the length of stay was restricted to 12 weeks for those who were admitted.
Hahnemann House (photos x 2 taken in 1967 and 1932 respectively, used courtesy of Francis Treuherz MA RSHom FSHom) is now part of Dorset HealthCare NHS Trust at Hahnemann Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 5JW, and it is role in the Mental Health Services is devoted to supporting individuals in their own homes rather than in hospital by providing a comprehensive and flexible service to enable them to live in the community, and its Assertive Outreach Team is still offering complementary therapies.
1868 – Bournemouth was considered favourable for the recovery of consumptive patients, and was already home to a Sanatorium, but the Homeopathic Medical Directory of Great Britain and Ireland records no homeopathic practitioners in Bournemouth at this time,
1869 – the Bournemouth Homeopathic Dispensary in Commercial Road, Bournemouth, was founded, Management Committee: Rev H B Clissold, Newton John Lane, M William, Physician: Bertram Wright Nankivell, Chemist: Henry Turner,
1870 – the Bournemouth Homeopathic Dispensary was located at Branksome Lodge, Avenue Road, Bournemouth, under the supervision of Nankivell (Anon, The British workman’s family guide to homœopathic treatment, (1870). Page 163).
1879 – the Hahnemann Convalescent Home and Homeopathic Dispensary was founded,
The Hahnemann Convalescent Home and Homeopathic Dispensary was established for such consumptive patients as may be recommended to Bournemouth with a fair hope of restoration or considerable improvement; for such convalescent cases of a non infectious character from the different Homeopathic Hospitals and Dispensaries as may seem to be suitable for admission into such an institution; and for any acute non infectious cases as may occur in the practice of the Dispensary, and which the medical officers may recommend as suitable.
Situated on the West Cliff, on a site granted for 999 years at a nominal ground rent by Mr. W Clapcott, Dean, the Home was founded on the 4th January, 1878, the foundation stone being laid by the Right Hon. Earl Cairns, and the building opened by the same nobleman on the 3rd June, 1879.
1883 – Dr. Dobell erected a Hydrotherapy Establishment in Bournemouth,
1884 – the Hahnemann Convalescent Home and Homeopathic Dispensary was a regular venue for homeopathic meetings,
1890 – the Annual Homeopathic Congress of England was held at the Dispensary on September
18,
1895 – William Theophilus Ord was Visiting Surgeon and Physician to the Dispensary,
1904 – a bazaar was held in aid of the dispensary,
photo with no date on it, used courtesy of Francis Treuherz MA RSHom FSHom
1941 – The Hahnemann Convalescent Home and Dispensary in Bournemouth closed in 1941, and was incorporated into the NHS in 1948, and the Annual Reports for the years 1920 – 1940 are in the National Archives Dorset History Centre,
John Weir wrote The Hahnemann Convalescent Home, Bournemouth, British Homeopathic Journal 20, 1931, 200-201,
Dear Sue,
Lovely to see your insert on the former Hahnemann Convalescent Home in Bournemouth, where I live and practise. I found a little info on it at the Dorchester archive centre a few years ago.
Is it possible for you to give me an email contact for Sylvain Cazalet of Homéopathe International ? I would like to ask for permission to use the pic in a homeopathy talk which I’m giving here soon.
Best wishes,
Julie
Hi Julie
Email sent!
Sue
Sadly unsure of the dates, and with no surviving family members, to ask, but my paternal grandmother was a nurse, possibly a matron, at Hahnemann House (or one of its earlier names) in the ’30s or early ’40s. Lovely to read about it and to see the photos. Thank you.
I am trying to track down a mansion that was used as a convalescent home for sick children during the 1950’s to 1960’s. As a boy I remember staying in this magnificent mansion that backed onto the New Forest, and overlooked the Solent and the Isle of Wight. I still remember the long driveway from the gate to the main entrance of the house. It was Christmas, and I still remember looking out of my bedroom window into the night sky and seeing all the beautiful stars. Does anyone know if this place still exists? Please let me know. I now live in Australia…
Psalm 8: ……the works of His hands, the stars and the moon…..
Tony
Tony, my father was also in a convalescent home in the 1960s and he stayed in House Beautiful. He believes this is where you stayed
Kind regards
Ellie