The stable that became a hospital

From the basin moorings exiting where the little arm used to be brings you onto South Wharf road and facing the building pictured to the left. This is the building mentioned in the `Thirsty, try canal water` post about 10 days ago. Just a few steps indie the gate can be found the areas pictured below.


 It is now the Mint wing of St. Mary`s Hospital but when built in 1878 it was stables on three floors.
The stables, holding up to 600 horses, were for the Great Western Railway who`s trains arrived in next door Paddington station.
The site was it seems first occupied by a mint but I can find no reference to it.




Above and below the same view, just 88 years apart and some extra windows on the right.

© National Railway Museum  1926

Again then and now. These would have been strictly railway horses as an old map of the canal basin shows two stables along it`s wharves.



 

Left the horses worked in the goods yard moving wagons.

 

On the right the horses were used to pull delivery vans. 

 

Above an aerial view from; 

http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw039589

As I have mentioned before the `Britain from above` site is very interesting. Just sign up to be able to zoom in otherwise you can view the images at distance, not much fun. No catch in signing up and it covers the whole country.

There are 8 images around the station/basin this one is the 1932 image. On one you can zoom in and see the horse ramps in the stables.

 

A is the site of the original 1838 Paddington station. In 1854 the present day station was built at B.  The Yellow shaded part is the stable block and just to the left of it is the canal basin. The exit referred to is on the right of the bend in the canal.

If you look carefully to the far end of the basin you can see two other arms exiting to the left.

 

Writing this I wish I had entered the building to see if as I suspect the building is not full of patients beds but  just admin and stores.

 

Something else that came up while surfing the web is being reminded that growing up in Paddington meant I also grew up in Middlesex. This county has now disappeared but if being a Londoner of a younger age than yours truly you might be surprised to realise you grew up in what was Middlesex. What is now Greater London was once Middlesex. It was bordered by Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex.

Click HERE and scroll down to check if your part of London, or the suburbs, was part of this very old county.

More on Middx HERE.

 

Surgery tomorrow, Jaq will keep you posted on how it all goes.