Princess Elizabeth Hospital to mark 70th with exhibition
THE Princess Elizabeth Hospital is getting ready to celebrate its 70th anniversary next month.
To mark the occasion, a permanent exhibition will be opening telling the story of the building and its people, and of Guernsey hospitals in general.
A tea party with a purpose was held at the hospital for some of those who had worked there over the years.
‘We have many digital photos of the hospital and we asked people to bring along any original prints they might have,’ said exhibition co-ordinator and PEH culture, arts and health manager Lottie Barnes. ‘But we also wanted to get an audio record from people which will be included in the exhibition.’
One of those speaking was Ann Warr, 92, who recalls the day in June 1949 when the future Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, came to open the hospital.
‘I remember all of the nurses lining up and Prince Philip saying we were the chorus girls,’ she said.
Ms Warr worked at the PEH for 10 years. Originally a staff nurse, she later became a junior night nurse and then sister on the children’s ward.
‘At one point I worked nights solidly for five weeks,’ she said.
Others recording their memories were Wyn Walker who was nurse Le Prevost when she worked at the Country Hospital, which became the Castel Hospital.
Pierre Herve began work as an auxiliary nurse at the PEH in 1972 and he enrolled at nurse training school the following year, aged 18.
He retired as a uro-oncology specialist two years ago.
Guernsey’s first hospital was the Town Hospital which opened in 1742. The PEH was originally called Le Vauquiedor when it opened as a mental hospital in 1940 – about two months before the start of the Occupation. It was occupied by the Germans from 1941.
‘After the Occupation the States decided that Guernsey needed a general hospital and that Le Vauquiedor would be the site for it,’ said Miss Barnes. ‘It took two years to convert the building and the first patient was admitted in 1948.’
The exhibition will open on Sunday 23 June. Between 11.30am and noon a celebratory service will be delivered in the Emma Ferbrache Room by the hospital chaplaincy team and there will be readings, poetry and a performance by the Hope Choir. There will be family activities, face painting, live music and food in the restaurant from noon to 2pm.
