IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Royal Herbert Pavilions, Gilbert Close, LONDON, SE18 4PP

The unglazed, formerly covered, way leading to a former ward block once known as Pavilion E, with the smaller former bathhouse in the front of it - both housing private apartments - are now called Robertson House. The more distant block (also converted to flats in 1995) is Sidney House. The hospital was commissioned by Sidney Herbert, Minister for War, for Crimean War veterans and designed by Captain Douglas Galton of the Royal Engineers, who was Florence Nightingale's nephew and cousin by marriage.

The courtyard inside the former main gate area of the previous Administrative Block of this former military hospital. The largest archway houses the old "main gates", although these are used for emergency purposes only now. This particular block - named Galton House, after the architect - once housed a porter's lodge, the guardroom, waiting rooms, examination rooms and a surgery, along with the offices of the governor, registrar, paymaster and other officers' quarters. The site as a whole - known as the "Royal Herbert Pavilions" - was converted into 228 private apartments in 1995.

Shooter's Hill Road (the A207) viewed through the previous main entrance of the former Administrative Block of the former Royal Herbert (Military) Hospital. This particular block - named Galton House, after the architect - once housed a porter's lodge, the guardroom, waiting rooms, examination rooms and a surgery, along with the offices of the governor, registrar, paymaster and other officers' quarters. These gates are used for emergencies only now. The whole site - "Royal Herbert Pavilions" - was converted into private apartments in 1995.

The building on Shooters Hill Road was built as a military hospital and opened in 1865. See http://www.qaranc.co.uk/royalherbert.php for some history. The main building and ancillary buildings were converted into apartments in the 1990s. It is listed grade 2 (listed building number 397566 or Heritage asset number 1213054 as from 2011).

What was first called the Herbert Hospital was opened in 1865. It was built by the authority of Sidney Herbert the 1st Baron Herbert of Lea. Sidney Herbert was responsible for sending Florence Nightingale to the Crimea and led the War Office reforms after this campaign. He was particularly interested in health care and reducing military mortality rates from diseases and ill treated war wounds.  It was the first specially designed military hospital in the country and also the first (of many) to utilize the pavilion design, as advocated by Florence Nightingale, comprising six parallel ward blocks connected by a central corridor.  Almost half the 19 acre site was given over to parkland, ensuring a peaceful convalescence for recovering patients. Queen Victoria visited in March 1900 and was so impressed with the care and treatments of soldiers that she honoured it with royal status and patronage. It then became the Royal Herbert Hospital. It closed in 1977 when the Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital opened nearby. A Grade II listing, together with incorporation into the Woolwich Common Conservation Area, saved the buildings from demolition. In 1990 the site was bought by a developer and the Royal Herbert Pavilions was completed in 1995. It consists of 228 apartments and contains its own leisure centre. See https://www.qaranc.co.uk/royalherbert.php  and https://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/royalherbert.html for more information and photographs. The photograph is taken from King George's Field.

Alongside one side of Shooters Hill Road (the A207), near to its junction with Well Hall Road (the A205), lies the former Administrative Block with the main entrance of the Royal Herbert (Military) Hospital in all its Italianate architectural grandness. The hospital was commissioned by Sir Sidney Herbert, Minister of War, who supported the despatch of Florence Nightingale and her nurses to the Crimean War and who supported her health-related and care-related reforms for British military personnel at home and abroad. This establishment was created as a restorative facility for veterans of the Crimean War and opened in 1865. It eventually became the British Army's principal orthopaedic centre but finally closed in 1977 having became superfluous to military requirements. By 1995, it had been saved from demolition and had been converted into 228 private apartments known collectively as The Royal Herbert Pavilions.

The single-decker bus has 'GAG SE59' on the roof, to aid aerial spotting. 'GAG' for Go-Ahead Group and 'SE59' their fleet number. Probably double-decker buses have similar markings, but opportunities to look down on these are rare.