Sunderland, Kayll Road, St Gabriel's church hall

HER Number:
16489

District:
Sunderland

Site Name:
Sunderland, Kayll Road, St Gabriel's church hall

Place:
Sunderland

Map Sheet:
NZ35NE

Class:
Civil

Site Type: Broad:
Meeting Hall

Site Type: Specific:
Church Hall

General Period:
Modern

Specific Period:
C20

Form of Evidence:
Extant Building

Description:
Originally a Mission Church consecrated on 10th July 1901. St Gabriel's became a parish in its own right in 1904, and its growth was so rapid that very soon a fund was instituted for the building of a larger structure more in keeping with the needs of a parish of 10,000 souls. With the opening of the new church (situated adjacent), the Mission Church building became the church hall, a role it still fulfils to this day. The Hall known as St. Gabriel's Institute used as an auxiliary hospital during the First World War by the Joint War Committee (British Red Cross and the Order of St John of Jerusalem). The committee was ordered to raise and organise Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs) trained in First Aid and Nursing. The nurses were a mixture of qualified nurses and volunteers (mostly middle-class women). The Institute was run by the 20th Durham VA Hospital Unit. The church hall has a plaque to recognise its use as a VAD Hospital 'EUROPEAN WAR 1914-1918 THIS HALL WAS USED AS A WAR HOSPITAL MAY 24TH 1915-DECEMBER 31ST 1918. 1044 MEN RECEIVED TREATMENT'. Honours for service to this hospital were received by Mrs Margaret Shield (Matron) - Royal Red Cross 2nd Class.

Easting:
3791

Northing:
5640

Grid Reference:
NZ37915640

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
www.donmouth.co.uk/local_history/VAD/VAD_hospitals.html (accessed 2014); British Red Cross, 2014, List of Auxiliary Hospitals in the UK during the First World War; http://www.stgabriel.org.uk/st_gabriel's%20hospital.html