Intro
A little while before our first of two visits I had been surfing the internet for hospital closures, looking for a site some way away. Then, out of nowhere, Essex County pops up....
At first I was skeptical and decided to have a little dig in the forums and almost nothing turned up.
So it was a shot in the dark from then on.
The Hospital
Within these two explores we only managed access to the operating theatres and one of the modern wards, therefore some of the historical stuff mentioned may not be noticed in the reports.
First opening in 1820 two years after the idea to open the hospital, with the aim to treat the poor it was one of the first to open.
In 1839 the two wings were added to the main building and in 1879-1880 the 3rd floor and square projections had been added, extending the building.
For Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee a nurses home was built on the western side with the original side becoming a children's ward in 1897. Along with Modernisation of the operating theatres, the conversion of the Porter's room to a casualty ward and the addition of a laundry.
1907 saw the addition of a new children's ward and was officially re-named Essex County Hospital.
Throughout the fist world war the hospital became one of the Home Auxiliary Hospitals and started to receive patients from the nearby military hospital. During the war, in 1915, 2 smaller wooden structures were built to help cope with the demand. It was decided due to the impressive facilities they started to receive wounded direct from the ambulance trains.
In 1964 the radiotherapy department was built to the west of the building.
In 2018 it was announce that the hospital would close with services moving to the newer facilities. After 200 years of History had been written.
Sources: The Internet
The Explores
At the time we knew nothing and quickly found ourselves on our fist visit wandering about. Eventually we stumbled upon an entry in what we now know is the radiotherapy department. After sending the midget in as a scout he quickly confirmed that the trouble of getting would be worth while.
It came a surprise to find that literally everything works and a lot was already running. Hearing the Aircon unit gave everything a feel as if we really shouldn't be there then to find that all the lights worked as well as the machines and water supplies made this quite unique.
Then, as we walked around the corner we bumped into security, who smelled like he had a joint or two earlier. Anyway he talked to us about how they live inside the building and mentioned we were the first people he had ever caught. Let us out and that was that...
Roll on a month or so and we had been given a hint about the operating theaters, so we gave it a go.
Once in we notice that there was more than one room and that both were designed for eye surgery. Anyways with that we had a look around.
One room used to be a theater but the light is long gone.
DSC_2214
DSC_2182-HDR
Anyways, with that we left making sure there was no evidence of our visit....
