Royal Naval Hospital - Malta (RNH Bighi)
 

During a lengthy drydocking three years ago, I got a good look round the former RN hospital in Malta. This closed in 1970 with the withdrawal of the RN shortly afterwards. Snippet here from wikipedia :-

RNH Bighi, also known as Bighi Hospital, was a major naval hospital located in the small town of Kalkara on the island of Malta. It served the eastern Mediterranean in the 19th and 20th centuries and, in conjunction with the RN Memorial Hospital at Imtarfa, contributed to the nursing and medical care of casualties whenever hostilities occurred in the Mediterranean.

ConstructionThe foundation stone was laid by Vice Admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm on 23 March 1830. The design of Bighi Hospital is generally attributed to Colonel (later Major General) Sir George Whitmore (1775 - 1862) who headed the Royal Engineers between 1811 and 1829 The works were completed on 24 September 1832, at a total cost of £20,000. The West and East Wings' architecture is in the modern Doric style and built with high floors. The Surgical (also known as the General Hospital Block) and the Zymotic Blocks were built in 1901 and 1903 respectively.

Bighi Hospital contributed to the nursing and medical care of casualties whenever hostilities occurred in the Mediterranean, making Malta "the nurse of the Mediterranean". During the First World War, RNH Bighi accommodated a very large number of casualties from the Daradanelles. During the Second World War, the Hospital was well within the target area of the heavy bombing since it was surrounded by military establishments. A number of its buildings were damaged or destroyed, including the x-ray theatre, the East and West Wings, the Villa and the Cot Lift from the Bighi Jetty to the Hospital. Among several Doctors and nurses of renown to serve here were Doris Beale DBE.

In 1967, during the second rundown of the British services and their employees in Malta, Bighi Hospital was on the brink of closing down. On September 17, 1970 Bighi was closed down indefinitely. In 1977 parts of the building were occupied by the former Senglea Trade School while other sections accommodated a secondary school

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Spectacular view of former hospital showing the cot lift which was used to take up casualties from the jetty at sea level during the WW2 conflict.

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Another external view showing the sheer size of the building

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Former gatehouse from main road approach. Note the wing to the right is now occupied by a secondary school.

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View from Former car park area

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Typical corridor

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Balcony - Note the old gas lamp piping! This would have been quite atmospheric I imagine during its heydays

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Roof space

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View on roof

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I very much doubt these syringes date back from its use as a hospital!

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Lost my composure shortly after the druggies den shot so the rest of my photos were pretty pants!

Skegheads everywhere! Must get back to Malta, such a beautiful country. There was a derelict hotel in Golden Bay last time I was there. Talkin' years and years ago though.

pic 11, you could get an awful lot of porn channels with a sky dish that big!
great pics though looks like a great mooch for a holiday wander

Looks quite good that, the columns and roof make it look like a great big Greek temple.