Local History

Before the inauguration of the National Health Service on 5 July 1948, Reading's ambulance service was operated locally by the County Borough of Reading Health Committee and the appointed Medical Officer of Health.

The modern ambulance service we know today developed as a result of the 1946 National Health Services Act, when local authorities were required to provide ambulances 'where necessary'.

Prior to 1946 the chance of being transferred to hospital in an ambulance depended upon where you lived, as ambulances were mostly only available in cites and large towns.

A horse-drawn ambulance

Reading's first ambulance

Reading received its first ambulance back in September 1882, obtained by the Royal Berkshire Hospital (which had been built in 1839).

The horse-drawn vehicle, known as a 'Dr Howard' ambulance, operated in the town and within a 15-mile radius of the hospital.

It had sliding side shutters and was kept in a specially-built shed in the hospital grounds.

A horse was supplied by horse-hirer Edward Targett, who had premises on the corner of London Road with Silver Street, at 1/3d per mile.

It seems in the late 19th century the ambulance service wasn't only used for emergencies. In 1892 documents show that people other than hospital patients could hire the vehicle for one guinea for use within the borough.

Around that time a second and much improved horse-drawn ambulance was bought by 'friends of the hospital' following complaints that the Dr Howard vehicle was too draughty.

Motorised ambulances

The two horse-drawn ambulances soldiered on until right after World War I in 1918, by which time the increased demand for ambulance services rendered them inadequate.

An ambulance during WWI

In fact very soon after WWI broke out in 1914, the Berkshire Branch of the British Red Cross Society are known to have funded two motor ambulances.

It's noted that in November 1914 a motor ambulance was presented by members of Reading's Wellington Club and was used to transport wounded soldiers from Reading General railway station to the Royal Berkshire hospital.

Also, affluent families had funded various motorised ambulances to ferry wounded soldiers from railway stations to various VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) hospitals around the town.

In 1939, before the outbreak of World War II, Reading's population was served by six ambulances.

World War II

After WWII was declared ambulance officer James McLennan Calder had the responsibility of requisitioning some 83 cars, vans and lorries to form an emergency ambulance fleet in the event of an air attack on Reading, and which would be based at various make-shift depots around the town.

A British-American Ambulance Corps supplied Reading with three left-hand drive vehicles in August 1940, with two more such vehicles arriving in 1941. The second of these carried the inscription: 'citizens of Reading, Pennsylvania to Reading, England and had room for two stretchers and 12 sitting passengers.

Staffed by bus drivers

Initially, ambulances had no professional medics on board. In 1946 the County Borough Of Reading Ambulance Service was initially staffed by bus drivers with a knowledge of first aid.

The service operated on a 'scoop and run' principle - getting the patient to hospital as soon as possible.

By 1947 a report stated that the Reading transport department were "operating a 24 hour a day ambulance service to deal with street and works accidents and urgent maternity cases".

Before and after the NHS

Services had evidently increased following the introduction of the National Health Service on 5 July 1948. Before that date ambulance services amounted to 27 miles daily. By March 1949 the daily amount was 154 miles.

During that month the service made a total of 660 calls, including 49 emergency calls, carried 822 patients and covered 6,541 miles.

By 1950 six ambulances were operating with 16 personnel.

Professionals were gradually introduced into the ambulance service and in 1964 a report recommended that the ambulance service should provide treatment in addition to transporting patients.