Killearn Hospital
Killearn Hospital was one of five commisioned in 1938 in preparation for the war. Building started in 1939 and also complete in 1941 in time for the air raids on Clydebank and other Clydeside towns, which could be seen and heard in Killearn.
Local people had been asked to assist in getting the hospital ready to meet the emergency. As well as air raid casualties it was used for treatment of sick and wounded servicemen, injured seamen from convoys arriving in the Clyde, essential war workers, pensioners and Prisoners-of-War. It played an important part in the Clyde Valley Scheme for urgent treatment and care of war workers and was also used for emergency cases from the surrounding population.
The hospital had close links with Glasgow Western Infirmary but had several special units of its own. The orthopaedic and neurosurgical units were famous throughout Scotland, the latter being transferred to the Southern General Hospital.
The hospital was desgined to provide 640 emergeny beds, but after the War its total bed complement was 404.
The distance from Glasgow casued problems with the transportation of emergency cases and of visitors and nursing staff.
The hospital was eventually abandoned in the early 1970′s.
Also see Killearn Hospital images on Flickr.
Killearn Hospital on Google Street View
My mother, Mary (Clark) Ray, worked in this hospital during WWII as an Occupational Therapist. She was brought over from Canada, and asked to help set up an OT department. However, when she arrived, the superintendent of the hospital didn’t think OT was very valuable and made the establishment of OT services very difficult initially. However, Mom was successful enough he began to appreciate the value and by the time she left to come back to Canada, he admitted she would be sorely missed.
The Ontario Society of Occupational Therapy is gathering things for their archives so if anyone can share some information that would add to the stories of OT’s making a difference for rehabilitating people, I would be delighted.
My mum worked there with sick kids before it went to Ruchill, about 1967. she didnt really enjoy it there but went to Ruchill which she loved
I trained as an orhopaedic nurse in killearn hospital from 1968-1970 & those were very happy times.It is heartbreaking to see the place in ruins now.I have so many great memories from there.It was such a friendly enviroment.Too bad it had to close.
never say goodbye
Hi Stan the scan!I never did say goodbye.Killearn will always be in my heart & all the great people I met there!
I was a patient at Killearn Hospital around 1967/8, I was in for a brain tumour, I remember the smell of the place and the nurses especially one nurse who I called auntie buntie, I was in hospital for a long time and I was always allowed to visit the female patients and they would let me have a drink of coffee. The gardens where beautiful and I can remember rabbits running about. If it wasnt for the staff at Killearn I wouldnt be here today
My mother was a patient in ward 1 at Killearn, nursed by Staff Nurse Ward and her team. I later trained there as a nurse and especially remember Sister Cronin who kept me on the straight and narrow. Such a shame to see what has happened, it was absolutely beautiful grounds and so peaceful.
Just been reading the comments about Killearn Hospital.I was brought up along from there at the sawmill and remember seeing all the buses at weekends taking all the visitors to the hospital.Also when we got on the bus for school there were never any seats for us until the bus emptied at the hospital with all the staff going to work.When the hospital closed the buses stopped going round that way.It is indeed very sad to see the place in such a state.Miss Ward lived in the village with her sister until a few years ago and they are now both deceased.
I grew up at the Blane Smiddy and can remember Killearn Hospital in its heyday, I remember as a wee boy delivering the News papers to the Wards, getting autographs from all the football players that were having cartilage operations, helping my Mum & Dad fill up the vending machines, I can also remember the nurses returning from the The Black Bull and Knocking on the shop door at 11pm looking for cigarettes discussing with each other on how to get back in without the Matron catching them.
Just remember don’t just blame the asbestos for the way the hospital is now, when it closed there was allot of interest in redeveloping it but the do gooders kept on rejecting the numerous plans that were put forward.
Anne,are you Rachel,s daughter? I was very friendly with her until she passed away. I did not
realise you had done EN training at Killearn,obviouslt many years after I trained in orthpaedics
there. Would like to hear from you again. I still live in the same place. I tried to phone you,
but there is no response to the number I have.
I remember Killearn Hospital very well, My mother was a patient in there, I think around 1966, for Asthma. I was at school in Killearn and stayed out near Croftamie, and remember you too Duncan Goodwin! (you were in my class at school)
Killearn Hospital was set in beautiful gardens, it is such a shame to see the place go from rack to ruin, the site should be cleared and perhaps another hospital built in the grounds, it is such a peaceful setting
my gran Margaret Brown (cairns. worked in kllearn for years as an auxillary nurse. she had always dreamed of becomng a nurse but her mother would not let her as she was requred to bring home money for the family. she talked fondly of her time at killearn
I remember the hospital very well as I lived at Crosshead Roadin the village. I used to work at weekends in the farm across the road from the hospital, collecting the cattle and driving them to the farm, also watching the helicopters arriving with the injured from the Cairngorms and surrounding areas.
Can someone please give me the postcode for Killearn Hospital or the nearest possible postcode as would like to visit
Killearn, Glasgow, G63 9PT
thats the postcode for oakwood nursery and cafe, the hospital is just over the road from there and your best bet would be to park in there car park and walk over to the side of the road that the hospital is on.
I was a spinal injury patient at Killearn Hospital 1964 under the care of consultant Mr Shorstein for whom I have a great deal praise, he spoke to you the patient not as was common in those days to discuss your proposed treatment with everyone around your bed space, totally ignoring the person in the bed. His expertise gave me the ability to walk again, but warned me I may suffer associated problems later in life which has happened.
A few years ago returning north by train from London Euston I was joined at the seats opposite by a Father and Son from Glasgow who had spent the day at the House of Commons / Lords. I mentioned during my service in the Royal Navy at Faslane I spent some time at Killearn with a spinal injury. I mentioned the Consultant by name, the father replied his mother was treated by the same person at Killearn around the same time, his mother always said he had saved her life. That day on the train was the first time both they and I had heard the name Shorstein by someone outside their family. I do not remember the ward number, memory loss is a problem, but I have just recalled a nurse by the name of Port thank you for your care should you by chance read this comment.
My mom came from Germany in 1949 and worked as a nurses aide at Killearn Hospital. I remember her telling me stories of going to dances on her days off with her girlfriends. They had to walk quite a long way from the hospital before catching a bus.
She met my dad at one of those dances…just 2 weeks after arriving in Scotland. She had fond memories of the place, as it was the beginning to a very happy marriage!
I spent a very happy 5years at killearn Hospital and would be delighted to hear from anyone who was there between 1967-1972
Hi Elaine,I remember you.If I’m correct you were an enrolled nurse.I have just been in contact with Noreen Devenney,actually I stayed with her when I was home in Ireland.I’m now living in Canada.Would love to hear from you.
Hi Elaine,I remember you from Killearn.You were an enrolled Nurse there.I met up with Noreen Devenney in the summer & she hasn’t changed!I’m living in Canada & I would love to hear from you.
Hi Gabrielle, It was lovely to hear from you.Where abouts in Canada do you live? Ian and I lived in Calgary for years and now our daughter and grandson live in Burlington Ontario in fact we spent Xmas with them. We came back to U.K. in2005 and settled in Somerset,but spend our holidays flying back and forth to Canada. How is Norren does she live in Canada? I often think it would be lovely to keep in touch with people so if you have time it would be lovely to keep in touch and give me all your news
Hi Elaine,thanks for responding. Noreen is back living in Ireland.She had lived in England for a while.I live in Winnipeg & have been here for 36 years….where has the time gone?So sad to what has happened to Killearn Hosp.I think those were the two happiest years of my whole nursing career.My email address is gabymcgrath@hotmail.com.Have you been in contact with anyone else from the old days?look forward to hearing from you.
Hi Gabrielle,I was delighted to hear from you.My e-mail address is-elaine.ritchie@btinternet.com Thanks for yours and I have pit it into my contacts and will keep in touch that way as it is not too easy getting into this site either that or Iam not too clever with the computer!! I do not have any contact with anyone from the hospital but I did register with friends re united and there are a few onthe site i.e. Hazel mc Vean,Rosemary Devine,and I think Eddie Manderson-he married Sheila mcFarlane so it is a good contact site-do you remember any of them? It will be great to reminise with you and see how much we both remember. Noreen was at my wedding 41 years ago.I wonder if she remembers? Does she have an e-mail as it would be nice to chat to her also. I have worked in hospitals in Canada and here and none of them matched Killearn ,I now work in an Endoscopy unit 2days a week its o.k. it pays the flight to Ontario twice a year!I went back to college and did my r.n.course as they faced out the Enrolled nurses here(cheek) but I am now semi-retired you are right time flies. Iwill go now but will talk to you soon.
Hi Elaine,I tried your email address but it didn’t work.Please send again.
Gabrielle
Hi Gabrielle, the e-mail is= elaine.ritchie@btinternet.com I will send you an email and see if it goes to you ok if not we will need to keep in touch this way though it is not so good to chat on this one
Hello Gabriell & Elaine
Great to be catching up with more old friends. Thanks for the call today Gabrielle, I’m looking forward to catching up with you now Elaine. Gabrielle will give you my email address. Of course I remember your wedding, I remember your husband is called Ian Ritchie (hope I am right) would love to see some of the pictures, have you still got any. I thought you had went to Australia, I was surprised when Gabrielle said you went to Canada.
In my head Killearn was the best time of my life. Did not always think so at the time. ha ha But it sure is a great time to look back on. We had some laughs along the way. Wouldn’t it be great if we were able to make contact with more people from our time in Killearn and have a reunion. I’d love that.
I have e-mailed you hope it went through I have filled you in with allmy news hope you wont be bored!
my e-mail address is-elaine.ritchie@btinternet.com I sent you a long e-mail but it has been returned.Can you send me one and I will try it again incase I have copied what Gabrielle sent me down wrong
My great gran margaret brown (cairns) worked there it looks terrible but didnt used to would love to visit it now but prob aspesdos in the wall
I trained in orthopaedics at Killearn qualifying with honours in 1957 thanks to our
wonderful tutor Jenny R. I went on to gain further qulifications,to marry and have
children and continue in a long career in nursing. Killearn was the best of all, I think
because of the close sense of community which prevailed there helped by the relative
isolation. The hospital site is a mess now,with trees growing out of the wards,and a
couple of herds of evileyed belligerent goats roaming around,the billies looking for
a fight and making it impossible to get one’s bearings.It occurred to me that at almost
80 I could not climb out of the Home windows now, even if I could find it in the
current moonscape. I should be very interested if anyone out there has any knowledge
of supernatural incidents in ward one. I experienced this on night duty on this ward
and would be keen to learn of other experiences. This manifestation is still going on
and is well known to tocal people.