Lost_Hospitals_of

In 1932 the Leavesden Hospital took over the Leavesden Residential School which had closed the previous year. Situated opposite the Hospital on the other side of Asylum Road and designed by the same architects, the building had originally been the St Pancras Industrial School, used to train orphans and vagrant children for employment. In fact the Hospital had enjoyed a close relationship with the School, often sharing entertainments.

The School building became an annexe for the Hospital, caring for senile patients who required little in the way of medical treatment.

During WW2 the annexe was requisitioned by the Emergency Medical Service and came under the control of University College Hospital (UCH). The first batch of casualties arrived from Dunkirk in 1940. In 1942 huts were erected in the grounds of the 37-acre site to provide further bed accommodation. War casualties initially treated at UCH in central London were transferred to sector hospitals such as the annexe. In 1943 the annexe became the No. 23 Canadian General Hospital, a military hospital for wounded Canadian soldiers and was later requisitioned by the Khaki University as an educational institution for Canadian troops.

After the war the building became the Leavesden Green Teachers' Training College. Asylum Road was renamed College Road.

In 1950 the annexe was returned to Leavesden Hospital for use as a long-stay geriatric hospital. It was renamed Abbots Langley Hospital.

In 1974 it had 191 beds and, in 1975, 205 beds.

By the time it closed in 1992 the Hospital had 144 beds for geriatric patients. All services were transferred back to Leavesden Hospital and the site was sold for redevelopment.

Present status (August 2009)

Only the lodge survives. The rest has been demolished. Most of the site is now part of Leavesden Country Park; a housing estate and a small shopping mall have been built at the southern end.

LOST HOSPITALS OF LONDON
	Abbots Langley Hospital College Road, Abbots Langley, Watford, Herts WD5 0NT

	Medical dates: Medical character:	1932 - 1992 Psychogeriatric
	In 1932 the Leavesden Hospital took over the Leavesden Residential School which had closed the previous year. Situated opposite the Hospital on the other side of Asylum Road and designed by the same architects, the building had originally been the St Pancras Industrial School, used to train orphans and vagrant children for employment. In fact the Hospital had enjoyed a close relationship with the School, often sharing entertainments. The School building became an annexe for the Hospital, caring for senile patients who required little in the way of medical treatment. During WW2 the annexe was requisitioned by the Emergency Medical Service and came under the control of University College Hospital (UCH). The first batch of casualties arrived from Dunkirk in 1940. In 1942 huts were erected in the grounds of the 37-acre site to provide further bed accommodation. War casualties initially treated at UCH in central London were transferred to sector hospitals such as the annexe. In 1943 the annexe became the No. 23 Canadian General Hospital, a military hospital for wounded Canadian soldiers and was later requisitioned by the Khaki University as an educational institution for Canadian troops. After the war the building became the Leavesden Green Teachers' Training College. Asylum Road was renamed College Road. In 1950 the annexe was returned to Leavesden Hospital for use as a long-stay geriatric hospital. It was renamed Abbots Langley Hospital. In 1974 it had 191 beds and, in 1975, 205 beds. By the time it closed in 1992 the Hospital had 144 beds for geriatric patients. All services were transferred back to Leavesden Hospital and the site was sold for redevelopment. Present status (August 2009) Only the lodge survives. The rest has been demolished. Most of the site is now part of Leavesden Country Park; a housing estate and a small shopping mall have been built at the southern end.
	The lodge on College Road remains. The shopping mall is on the east side of Arundell Road. New housing on Arundell Road. New housing on the south side of the site. By the southern entrance to the Country Park is an explainer, giving a short history of the Leavesden Hospital. The Leavesden Country Park, once the grounds of both Leavesden and Abbots Langley Hospitals.
	References www.aim25.ac.uk www.haroldbeck.org.uk www.heritageexplorer.org.uk www.hertfordshire-geneology.co.uk www.nationalarchives.gov.uk www.workhouses.org.uk
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