Medical dates:

Medical character:

At the beginning of WW1, Southwood, a large residence with a lodge, located to the southeast of Bickley village, was offered by Mr and Mrs Ernest J Wythes to the British Red Cross Society for use as an auxiliary hospital.  Mr Wythes of Copped Hall, Epping, Essex, was a leading local landlord with the living of the parish church in his gift.

The Southwood V.A.D. Hospital was rapidly prepared by the Kent/78 Voluntary Aid Detachment (V.A.D.).  It opened on 14th October 1914 with the admission of 40 wounded Belgian soldiers.

The Hospital eventually became one of the auxiliary hospitals affiliated to the Queen's Hospital in Sidcup, which specialised in facial and jaw injuries (the others were Parkwood in Swanley, Oakley in Bromley Common and Abbey Lodge and The Gorse in Chislehurst).  An additional 19 beds were added at a later date.

The Hospital closed on 31st January 1919.  Over its operational lifetime of 51 months, a total of 1,418 patients had received treatment.


Present status (January 2012)

The house survived until at least the 1960s but, like many large properties in the area, it was demolished and high-density housing built on its site.  The only reminder of the house and its grounds is the name of the housing development - Southwood Close.

A sheltered housing project for the elderly - Robert Whyte House - occupies part of the grounds.