Medical dates:

Medical character:

St Mary's Russian Hospital for British Officers was officially opened on 17th October 1916 by the then Prime Minister Mr. Herbert Asquith (1852-1928), with the Hon. Arthur Stanley and Dr R. Fox-Symon in attendance.  A service of dedication was held in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, and the Union Flag, the Russian Ensign and the Russian Red Cross flag were flown on flag poles outside.

The house in South Audley Street had been lent by the lessee, Sir Berkeley Sheffield (1876-1946), and the Hospital was financed by the former Russian diplomat, Monsieur Mouravieff-Apostol, once Chamberlain of the Russian Court, who had given up his career on marriage to manage his wife's vast estates in the Ukraine.  Madame Mouravieff-Apostol acted as Commandant of the Hospital.

The Hospital was affiliated to Queen Alexandra's Military Hospital.  It had 30 beds, but with the potential to increase the complement to 50.  The lofty drawing rooms of the house had been converted into three wards - named 'Faith', 'Hope' and 'Charity'.  Panelled in white and heavily embossed with gold, their walls were described as "gorgeous" and "luxurious".  The curtains, lampshades and bedside mats were in a shape of blue, as were the  silk eiderdowns and tiled bedside tables.  The enamelled white beds were covered with white quilts.  The Hospital also had an operating theatre and a Physiotherapy Department which provided electrical treatments, massage, manipulation and remedial exercise.

In November 1916 King George V and Queen Mary visited.

By 1917 the Hospital had 40 beds.

The Hospital proved to be one of the most successful and popular.  Completely funded by Russian money, it closed in 1918. 

Present status (March 2010)

The building is now the Nehru Centre.