Accession Number

2014.010

Alternate Name

souvenir

Description

One sepia-toned photographic postcard a large stone house, titled: "Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Bearwood" The verso has been written on in ink, and mailed.

Narrative

The Canadian (Military) Convalescent Hospital at Bear Wood treated many injured Canadian soldiers during WW1. It was first a Victorian mansion built for John Walter, owner of The Times newspaper. It is very likely that some of the patients at Craigdarroch Military Hospital had been treated at Bear Wood prior to coming to the Castle.

One such patient has already been confirmed. He was #826790, Webber, F.W. His name was found at Library and Archives Canada in the Veteran’s Affairs Fonds (RG38-D2) Subject Files, 1915-1952. Volume 158 contained a file named: Matson Farm, Vancouver Island. In it, a document called “P.C.2328 cases Victoria, B.C.” refers to a number of men, including Webber, and his entry specifically refers to Craigdarroch, saying “T.O.S. 13/4/20 and kept under observation at Craigdarroch Hospital. S.O.S. 28/9/20 and referred to Vocational Branch for training."

A copy of Webber’s military service record is filed in Craigdarroch's Curator’s office. His home address was 1670 Dallas Road, Victoria and his profession was “fruit grower”. On October 30, 1919 he was examined and his condition recorded on a form titled “Medical History of An Invalid”. The form describes his “vacant expression”, shuffling and unsteady gate”, “yellow skin”, “defective teeth” and “small chest”. An earlier document explains his deafness and exposure to prolonged shell fire at Passchendaele and Amiens. He also spent time in a military hospital in Edmonton and “Bearwood” in 1918, and then Esquimalt Hospital, McCauley, and Resthaven Hospital in 1919. There are dental records. The general diagnosis for Mr. Webber was “debility”. He had two sons and a daughter. His service record file contains no reference to Craigdarroch but refers to many other hospitals. He died in Victoria on Feb. 29, 1940.

History of Use

This postcard photograph was mailed in England in 1917. It's history of use after that is not known. It was purchased by The Castle Society from a British EBay seller in 2014.

Date

1917

Dimensions

9 x 14 cm

Material

Paper, cardstock

Country of Origin

England