The following buildings were used as VAD Hospitals in the Great War:
Morton House, Fence Houses;
The Long Room, Chilton Moor;
Herrington Hall;
Ashburne;
Jeffrey Hall;
St Gabriel's Hall;
Hammerton House

St Gabriel’s Church Sunderland.
….. The Church offered the Church Hall as an Emergency Hospital and this was provisionally accepted. A Sale of Work had been in prospect and the Working Party turned itself into a Working Party for making the requirements needed for fitting out an emergency hospital. Ambulance Classes were formed and the Ladies began to qualify for Nursing (see special chapter respecting the Church Hall as a V.A.D. Hospital). Soldiers began to pour into Sunderland and District, and the Church Hall was made suitable for providing them with games and entertainment and refreshment. Soldiers quartered in Chester and Hylton Road Schools attended Church Service at St. Gabriel’s at 9-30 on Sunday Mornings. During the time the Church Hall was a hospital the services in the Church seemed to be continuous.

….. At the end of the year (i.e. the end of 1915) a Roll of Honour comprising the names of all those from St. Gabriel’s who were serving in the Forces was established, and ultimately became the Framed Roll now in the South Transept. (This refers to S140.010)

No sooner had the Great War broken out than the Church Council passed a resolution that the Church Hall be prepared as a Temporary Hospital if the need arose, and to that end a Works Committee of the following was elected to see to the necessary additions and alterations to the Hall – The Vicar, Church Wardens (Coun. H. Watson, Mr. J. Robson), Dr. Pearcey, Messrs. W. H. Fairclough, A. W. Hinkley, and J. C. Wilkinson. Also a canvass of the Parish was made for offers of beds, bedding and the many things required to run a hospital. An invitation was extended to the Churches in the district to join up in this effort and the following did – Ewesley Road, Mount Tabor, Cleveland Road, and West Moor Road, and two representatives from these Churches together with the following from St. Gabriel’s – the Rev. B. Lasbrey (Chairman), Dr. G. E. Pearcey, (Commandant), J.Cullen Wilkinson, (Hon. Secretary and Treasurer), Messrx. J. Robson, Coun. H. Watson, W. R. Ball, S. Alderson, W. H. Fairclough, Dr. H. Renney, W. Richardson, W. M. Vasey, W. A. Forster, H. E. Hinkley, and A. Tate, formed a Working Committee.

It was not until May 24th, 1915, that the first batch of wounded soldiers arrived, but in the meanwhile the Church Hall had been put at the disposal of the soldiers quartered in the district as a place for recreation.

Besides the Commandant (Dr. G. E. Pearcey), the following Doctors served in the Hospital – W. Hunter, B. Martin, W. Hay, W.K. Russell, R. Blair, and A. Morrison. The first Matron was Mrs. Cryle, and Quartermaster Mrs. Morris. After the resignation of Dr. Pearcey, the Rev. B. Lasbrey was Commandant with Dr. W. Hunter as Senior Medical Officer.

Gifts of all kind and money came flowing in from all quarters and the people of the district were most kind in entertaining the soldiers to enjoyable functions of all kinds, and it goes without saying that all this was greatly appreciated by the men. The blue of the wounded soldiers’ uniform became an all too common, in one sense, in the streets.

Mrs. Hildebrand succeeded Mrs. Cryle as Matron. The Nurses, many of whom had qualified by attending the Ambulance Classes established at the Church when was broke out, vied with each other in their keenness to help, and many were the sacrifices made by them in their endeavours to do what they could for men who had faced the ordeal of battle. As much as possible was done to make Christmas and the New Year as happy as it could be under the circumstances of the patients, and in this the soldiers did their part. There were festoons of greenery, Chinese lanterns, flags, model trenches on the platform, snow on the windows, whist drives, concerts, etc.

At the first Annual meeting of the Committee June 22nd, 1916, a letter from the war Office was read congratulating the Management on running the hospital with such success at a cost of just over 10/- per head per week, as compared with an average for the whole of England of 15/-. The splendid work of the late Matron (Mrs. Hildebrand), and the present one (Mrs. Shield), and their Nursing Staffs, was alluded to, not forgetting the Quartermaster and Kitchen Staff, and the Secretary (J. C. Wilkinson).

In 1917 it was found necessary to increase the accommodation, and the whole of the space between the Church Hall and the Iron Building was cemented, and temporary Iron Buildings, consisting of extra lavatories, bathrooms, isolation Ward, etc., erected. £300 was needed to do this and an appeal for financial help was met with speedy success.

Some time before this need, it had been necessary to stop gifts of kind and money.

Every housewife knows a lot about bills for groceries and all the things required for a home, but her lot is simple compared to the lot of one who has to see to the requirements of an establishment like a hospital. In addition there are all the Government Forms to be filled in, both as regards food and medical supplies, and the receiving and despatch of the patients, to say nothing about the records of the Staff, etc. Mr. J.C. Wilkinson, as Secretary and Treasurer, had his hands full and had to deal with thousands of accounts as well as thousands of pounds sterling. He would, however, be the first to recognize the valuable help received from the members of Staff in this respect.

By the kindness of the Medical Staff, the Staff and Patients enjoyed many picnics, and one to Durham stands out. Over 70 went there in brakes.

It was surprising what an amount of talent was to be found in some of the patients, and the Medical Officer, Dr. W. Hunter, had an absolute genius for bringing the best out of everybody. He searched the east end of Sunderland for Musical Instruments of all kinds and in all kinds of repair, and formed what became known as the ‘Blue Boys’ Band,’ taken of course, from the colour of the Hospital Uniform. To see him conducting the Band dressed like the Lord Mayor’s coachman was enough to cure anyone of the blues. One half of the programme was noises which came from the most grotesque instruments, and on the other half those who could play and sing gave of their best. It helped to take the poor fellows’ minds off their troubles.

This ‘Blue Boys’ Band’ in which members of the Nursing Staff took part, was the start of what was afterwards known as the ‘Blue Boys’ Concert Party,’ which did so much for charity, especially the Blind Institute, and was the nursing place of several who have made names for themselves in the Entertainment World,, e.g., Bob and Alf Pearson.

After being in existence for three years and eight months St. Gabriel’s Hospital was closed on December 31st, 1918. No less than 1,044 patients passed through it. A permanent record on slate is let into the wall of the Church hall interior to commemorate all this. At Christmas an enjoyable social gathering was held, Presentations were made to Dr. Hunter, Mrs. Shield, Mrs. Hildebrand, Mrs. Mordey, Miss Askew and Miss Porrett by the Staff and Patients, and a tribute was paid to all who had helped in the good cause either by gifts or personal labour, and especially to the Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, Mr. J. Cullen Wilkinson.

After all accounts had been paid, and dilapidations made good, the Hospital Finance Committee found they had in hand a credit balance of over £200, mainly through sales of articles purchased for the use of the Hospital, and it was decided to pay it over to the County Committee of the Red Cross and St. John Ambulance Association.

A letter of appreciation was received from the War Office as well as an acknowledgement from the Army Council in the Name of the Nation. The letter is framed and hangs on the wall of the Church Hall and reads as follows – “During the Great War of 1914 – 1918 this building was established and maintained as a Hospital for British sick and wounded. The Army Council in the name of the Nation thank those who have rendered to it this valuable and patriotic assistance in the hour of its emergency, and they desire also to express their deep appreciation of the whole-hearted attention which the staff of this Hospital gave to the patients who were under their care.

“The War has once again called upon the devotion and self-sacrifice of British men and women, and the Nation will remember with pride and gratitude their willing and inestimable service.”

From A History of St. Gabriel’s Church, Bishopwearmouth by C. H. Walker. Silver Jubilee Souvenir, 1938.

In Durham Record Office are:

A photograph of staff and patients of the V.A.D. Hospital housed in the Church Hall during the Great War, n.d. [c.1917] (1 photograph, mounted) Ref No. EP/Biw.SG 14/147

A photograph of an outing to Durham by patients and staff of St. Gabriel's V.A.D. Hospital, n.d. [c.1917] (1 photograph) Ref No. EP/Biw.SG 14/148

Photographs of the "Blue Boys" concert party, St. Gabriel's V.A.D. Hospital, 1917 (3 photographs) Ref No. EP/Biw.SG 14/149-151 A website on the V.A.D.