Armstrong building used as WWI Hospital

News Editor Wills Robinson explores the historic past of the Armstrong Building

Workers completing upgrades on a campus building have unearthed evidence that it was used as a First World War hospital. A memo unearthed during renovation work on the Armstrong Building shed some light on its important role during the 1914-1918 conflict. Items such as a sword and a bayonet  were also recovered in the basement which dated back to the same period. The memo detailed the treatment of a Private Bird from the Durham Light Infantry in March 1916, with a pencilled list of soldiers who were also being treated on the reverse side.

Tyne and Wear museums were able to restore the documents in time for Remembrance Sunday, despite the extent of the damage to the document. Rachel Gill, an archivist from Tyne and Wear Museums said: “This is one of the few surviving patient records we have from when the Armstrong Building was being used as a hospital; the usual records were not kept, making this find even more special.“There was a paper shortage during the war and they have written the names of the men in pencil on the back of the ink memo because they are using every bit of paper they can get.”

Newcastle University has always been at the forefront of medicine in the country, and this finding shows that this reputation spans back nearly a century. Dr Martin Farr, senior lecturer in modern and contemporary British history, said: “During the war the government had enormous powers, including the commandeering of civilian and private property. Newcastle University was known for its medical excellence so it makes sense that they would set up a hospital in one of the buildings.

“The memo is a fascinating document which has survived for almost 100 years. It is just the sort of thing you hope for and I am very pleased it did not end up in a builder’s skip.”

The building, which dates back to the nineteenth century is now used by the history, classics and music departments to name but a few.

A PhD archaeology student has already begun research into the document and a University security officer, Colin Turnbull, brought photos from his grandfather into work that depict the unit in the building.