20th Century Farnham

1930s

By the 1930s the workhouse had become a more caring environment and in July 1939 – St James’ replaced the old institutional regime.

The previous ‘inmates’ were now called ‘residents!’  The new home cost £33,531

1960s 1960s

Built in the late 1960s early 1970s two additional buildings were completed over a 7 year period, stage 1 (£525.000)
and stage 2 (£332,500) and included wards, a kitchen, a restaurant and day hospital. 

Maternity dept

At the same time refurbishment took place in Middle Block to provide an enlarged maternity department and
an additional operating theatre and a new x-ray department

The beginning of a move from a DGH to a Community Hospital

In 1974 the NHS was reorganised and the Hospital Management Committee was dissolved and the group renamed West Surrey and North East Hampshire Health District.  Also in 1974 Frimley Park Hospital was opened to provide improved services for the area and also to serve the increased local population.  

At this time Farnham Hospital took on a change of role to become the main supporting acute hospital to the District General Hospital (FPH) with casualty and maternity services moving to Frimley Park Hospital.   Over successive years other services were reviewed the outcome of which saw Farnham’s theatres close in the early 1990s. Continuing Care patients moved into community nursing and residential homes and with the closure of Weybourne and Crondall Wards in the mid 1990s, the number of available inpatient beds became reduced.

1990s

Land cleared during the 1990s. Middle Block and the two buildings built in the 1960/70s

Timeline