Fairfield, Beech Road, Reigate Hill, Surrey

Medical dates:

Medical character:

In March 1916 Mrs A.C. Brown of Brokes Lodge, Reigate, opened an auxiliary hospital for sick and wounded servicemen in The Beeches, a house in Wray Lane, Reigate Hill.  The Beeches Auxiliary Military Hospital had 20 beds and was affiliated to the Third London General Hospital.

In October 1916 a large wooden hut was built in the grounds of the property, which doubled the bed accommodation to 40.

The Hospital had a nursing staff of a Matron, a trained nurse, 8 members of the local Voluntary Aid Detachment (who lived in) and a masseuse.  Patients received general and X-ray treatments, massage and electrotherapy.  For entertainment, they had the use of a large room with a billiard table.

Following a request from the War Office for more bed accommodation, the Commandant arranged for the Hospital to move to larger premises.  The Hospital re-opened in July 1917 in Fairfield, in nearby Beech Road, with 50 beds.

In September 1917 the Hospital became affiliated with the Lewisham Military Hospital.

It closed on 31st May 1919.


Present status (May 2011)

 After the war Fairfield became the Marie Celeste Annexe of the London Hospital.  During WW2 it joined the Emergency Medical Service  under the control of King's College Hospital.  The annexe closed sometime in the 1960s.

The house has been demolished and its site redeveloped.