Local History

Hilary and Alison Nickell

In 1978, Royal Marine Hilary Nickell thought his career was over. Following an accident abseiling 200 feet from a Royal Navy Wessex 5 helicopter in Barnsley, Yorkshire, he broke his back in five places, and received fractures in his pelvis, foot and ankle.

Just weeks before he had been recommended for a Commission in the Royal Marines – and now he wondered if he would ever walk again.

Alison in her days as a Naval Nurse

He spent three months in Haslar, and as he slowly recovered he met the woman who would become his wife.

Hilary and Alison, a naval nurse at the hospital, met while attending a service at St Luke's Hospital Chapel.

Silver wedding anniversary

They were married in 1982, and now, the couple, who live in Basingstoke, have three sons and recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. 

Despite the discomfort of Hilary's recovery, they both have fond memories of their time together at Haslar, and are sad at the hospital's closure.

Hilary and Alison Nickell met at Haslar

Says Hilary, "I really believe military people heal better in a military hospital."

Alison adds, "Learning of Haslar's closing has opened up a whole wealth of memories for us. Although we have very happy memories, it's very sad that other people won't be able to make their own memories of Haslar."

David Askew: 'There was discipline'

David Askew and Hugh Brasnett

David Askew was a Naval Radio Supervisor until 1987, and his memory of Haslar, during several periods he spent at the hospital throughout 22 years of service, is one of 'a happy ship'.

He recalls, "You were expected to help out with the hospital's running. As a "walking wounded" patient I helped with the cleaning of the very large ward. This meant pushing all the beds to one side and sweeping and polishing through, and then pushing all of them back again and repeating the same for the other side of the ward.

"You were also expected to help fetch the hot meal trolleys from the main kitchens, serve bedridden patients, and wash up afterwards. But we did get an extra bottle of Mackeson [stout] for this!"

Hugh Brasnett fractured his skull

Hugh Brasnett, meanwhile, was admitted to Haslar after a near-fatal bike accident in which he fractured his skull.

He remembers how the ward sister would come round to his bed and slap his face - in order to help raise his levels of consciousness!

Edward Jelliss CPO RN retired

Edward Jelliss CPO RN retired, who lives in Petersfield, joined the Navy in 1964. These are his memories of Haslar in his own words.

"I joined the Navy in 1964 as a Junior Seaman 2nd class (you can’t get much lower than that). I did my training at HMS St Vincent in Forton, Gosport.

"During my time there I contracted severe tonsillitis which developed into a Quinsy (a large swelling of the tonsils) and I was transferred from St Vincent sick bay to RNH Haslar.

"I remember the ward being one long room with large sash windows and a polished wooden floor. The beds were the standard Navy issue battleship-grey metal with matching tin locker."

Blue day or a white day

"Every bed was covered by a blue and white Navy counterpane which had a large fouled anchor design in the middle. This counterpane could be placed two ways up, one side had more white than blue and the other more blue than white.

"The Ward Sister would decide each morning if it was to be a blue day or white day.

Haslar hospital was run as a tight ship

"There was always a Nurse present in the ward and at night after ‘lights out’ she would sit at a table at the end of the ward reading under a dim lamp.

"At one point during the day the beer trolley would come round. I remember this being mainly Guinness, but unfortunately I was UA, (Under Age) and not entitled.

Shipshape

"Everything was kept shipshape with all possessions stowed in the locker, the only thing allowed to be on the locker was a water jug covered by a napkin.

"Matron paid regular visits to not only inspect the ward but the nurses as well. The Nurses (QARNNS), were always immaculately dressed in the superb uniform which was starched to perfection.

Surgeon Commander

"The weekly visit of the Surgeon Commander was a formal occasion.

"He would enter the ward accompanied by the Matron, and the Ward Sister would call out 'Attention in the Ward'. This meant that those who could, would stand to attention - and the bedridden would lie to attention!

Haslar hospital opened in 1753

"If the Surgeon Commander pronounced you fit enough to get out of bed you became 'walking wounded'.

"This did not mean that you could sit around all day recuperating. This meant that you were fit enough to clean the ward.

Bumper

"I recall cleaning the windows with rolled-up newspaper and polishing the wooden floor using a 'bumper'. A bumper was a large heavy rectangular block attached via a hinge to a pole.

"A polishing cloth was placed under the block and this was swung back and forth across the floor to produce a gleaming result.

"I had other visits to RNH Haslar during my Navy career and always found it to be a well run organisation staffed by professional with the highest standards of care.

• Thank you to Edward Jelliss CPO RN retired.