The Hahnemann Convalescent Home Bournemouth

The Hahnemann Convalescent Home Bournemouth (photo used courtesy  of Sylvain Cazalet Homéopathe International) was founded in 1879 with 32 beds, enlarged in 1883, and in 1913, a chapel was added.

The Home accepted patients with Tuberculosis, and convalescents from hospitals requiring medical supervision. Originally founded as a Dispensary for the sick poor not eligible for Parochial relief, the Home did not accept males under the age of 17, females under the age of 15, patients with infectious fevers, bronchitis or bronchial asthma, and the length of stay was restricted to 12 weeks for those who were admitted.

Hahnemann House (photos x 2 taken in 1967 and 1932 respectively, used courtesy of Francis Treuherz MA RSHom FSHom) is now part of Dorset HealthCare NHS Trust at Hahnemann Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 5JW, and it is role in the Mental Health Services is devoted to supporting individuals in their own homes rather than in hospital by providing a comprehensive and flexible service to enable them to live in the community, and its Assertive Outreach Team is still offering complementary therapies.

1868 - Bournemouth was considered favourable for the recovery of consumptive patients, and was already home to a Sanatorium, but the Homeopathic Medical Directory of Great Britain and Ireland records no homeopathic practitioners in Bournemouth at this time,

1869 - the Bournemouth Homeopathic Dispensary in Commercial Road, Bournemouth, was founded, Management Committee: Rev H B Clissold, Newton John Lane, M William, Physician: Bertram Wright Nankivell, Chemist: Henry Turner,

1870 - the Bournemouth Homeopathic Dispensary was located at Branksome Lodge, Avenue Road, Bournemouth, under the supervision of Nankivell (Anon, The British workman’s family guide to homœopathic treatment, (1870). Page 163).

1879 - the Hahnemann Convalescent Home and Homeopathic Dispensary was founded,

The Hahnemann Convalescent Home and Homeopathic Dispensary was established for such consumptive patients as may be recommended to Bournemouth with a fair hope of restoration or considerable improvement; for such convalescent cases of a non infectious character from the different Homeopathic Hospitals and Dispensaries as may seem to be suitable for admission into such an institution; and for any acute non infectious cases as may occur in the practice of the Dispensary, and which the medical officers may recommend as suitable.

Situated on the West Cliff, on a site granted for 999 years at a nominal ground rent by Mr. W Clapcott, Dean, the Home was founded on the 4th January, 1878, the foundation stone being laid by the Right Hon. Earl Cairns, and the building opened by the same nobleman on the 3rd June, 1879.

1883 - Dr. Dobell erected a Hydrotherapy Establishment in Bournemouth,

1884 - the Hahnemann Convalescent Home and Homeopathic Dispensary was a regular venue for homeopathic meetings,

1890 - the Annual Homeopathic Congress of England was held at the Dispensary on** ** September 18,

1895 - William Theophilus Ord was Visiting Surgeon and Physician to the Dispensary,

1904 - a bazaar was held in aid of the dispensary,

photo with no date on it, used courtesy of Francis Treuherz MA RSHom FSHom

1941 - The Hahnemann Convalescent Home and Dispensary in Bournemouth closed in 1941, and was incorporated into the NHS in 1948, and the Annual Reports for the years 1920 - 1940 are in the National Archives Dorset History Centre,

John Weir wrote The Hahnemann Convalescent Home, Bournemouth, British Homeopathic Journal 20, 1931, 200-201,