Two photographs have been sent to the Webmaster during the last couple of years which picture the Furzedown Auxiliary Hospital, Limpsfield.

Firstly, I would like to locate the house. I believe it to be in the village because the reflection in the window of one of the pictures looks like the tower of St. Peter’s Church, Limpsfield.

Secondly, one of the readers, Vickie Nealis, has sent in information about a relative who is pictured. She writes

“I have had a picture in a frame of my grandfather, Albert Jacob Hamilton, of Sale Moor, Cheshire who was invalided out of the trenches in WW1. He died in 1967, my grandmother in 1969.
...My Grandad, Albert Jacob Hamilton, is 4th from left, standing in the back row.  He must have been about 36 then.

I was always led to believe that the picture I have was taken at Guys Hospital, London. I had no reason to question this until I took it out of its old frame last weekend and saw it is actually a postcard, the picture taken by W. Suter, Oxted Studio of a group of men and nurses at Furzdown Auxiliary Hospital, Limpsfield.

At first I thought it was identical to the one on the Limpsfield website (top right) which I just googled, but although the building behind the very similar group is the same, the people are not.

... I would be interested to hear from someone regarding the Hospital, and also how /where I can check WW1* records to find out when and why my grandfather came to be at Furzedown and for how long he was there.

Can anyone help with the search I am just beginning, please?”
and
“It would be lovely to put my e-mail on the site to possibly receive more info. My grandfather's name was Albert Jacob Hamilton, born 18th April 1881 in Manchester. He lived in Sale Moor, Cheshire, which is 6 miles south of Manchester. Had a haberdashery shop on Northenden Road which my Gran ran throughout the war while my mother (born 1909) was small. That would have been his address when he joined up.

I was told he was on the "big guns" - "Big Bertha??". I don't know which regiment, but assume it would be a Lancashire or Cheshire one.

I know he went to Guys hospital and must have been told (or I just assumed) that was where the picture was taken. Until last Sunday.

If you get more info I'd be very pleased to receive it. Vickie Nealis.”

Questions

1. Where is Furzedown? Is there a house of that name?
2. Can you identify any of the people?
3. What is the connection between Guy’s Hospital and Furzedown?
4. Why would invalided Servicemen be at Furzedown?
5. Are there any references on local War Memorials or Parish Records to people or Furzedown?
6. Where can Vickie find WW1* records

Vickie Nealis would be pleased to receive and answer any correspondence sent to her at
Vickie Nealis In order to protect her from Spammers her actual e-mail address is not given  here but she will receive your message if you click on her name.
Remember to c.c. the Webmaster