These buildings opened in 1872–the year my paternal Grandmother was born.
This historic hospital with its striking Victorian facade, featured heavily in the news coverage of the attack in Westminster on Wednesday.
Nurses and medics rushed to help the injured on the bridge just yards away from its entrance.
“One of the most uplifting scenes amidst the whole tragedy was doctors and nurses rushing out of St.Thomas’ Hospital to help the injured,” said Abdi Duale, of London Young Labour.
Its proximity to the scene of the outrage reportedly helped limit fatalities, as the “catastrophically” injured were treated within minutes of being hit.
The hospital, on the south side of the river, faces the Houses of Parliament. The design was intended to complement the look of the newly-constructed buildings opposite–both puffing out their chests with imperial pride.
“Anything you can do I can do better!”
St Thomas’ was originally named for Sir Thomas A. Beckett (Henry II’s ill-fated Archbishop of Canterbury) and located in Borough High Street, Southwark. When the site was needed for the development of the railway link into London Bridge Station in the late 1860’s, it was moved to its present imposing site in Lambeth on the Thames, just off Westminster Bridge.
The design of the newly-sited hospital was influenced by the thinking of Florence Nightingale, whose fame spread during the war in the Crimea (1857).
Six “pavilions” were built facing the river, each connected by low corridors. These separate wings increased ventilation and reduced the possibility of spreading infection.
Three of the original six pavilions were destroyed in the London Blitz.
“No you can’t” “Yes I can !” “No you can’t!”…
St Thomas’ has been an occasional feature in my life–and I always prick up my ears when it’s in the news.
I feel proprietorial about it–“Tommys” belongs to me!
I lost my tonsils here when I was four–1946. (More common then to have them removed–penicillin not so readily available.)
I have a vague memory of being on a ward in one of the three iconic wings and standing on my bed–terrified, refusing to drink the orange-flavored potion aimed at knocking me out for the operation.
Not surprisingly, I don’t remember how the kind and understanding–if exasperated–nurses succeeded in getting the evil-tasting liquid down my poorly throat–but they did. I have no tonsils.
My dear brother Jack was born there–a triumph for the special Diabetes Unit. My mother was under their care–in the mid-fifties doctors were less confident of letting a woman with Type 1 Diabetes go to term.
This iconic hospital was also where Ma was taken by ambulance from Pinner way up in NW London in the middle of the night, after she blacked out at home. She’d had a hypoglycemic attack–low blood sugar/insulin imbalance.
Dad woke up–a miracle–called an ambulance and raced through the darkened streets to St. Thomas’ –where Ma was saved.
It happened more than once!
In 1959, I visited my beloved Grandma–Dad’s adoptive mother–in another of the wings and was distraught a few days later on hearing she had died.
“Tommy’s” will always be MY hospital.
And Tommy’s tradition of saving lives and caring for the sick and injured was impressively on display Wednesday afternoon.
Its motto is Sancte et Sapienter: with holiness and wisdom.
And a swift pair of heels…
Robin Ellis 
What a tribute! The hospital saved lives in your family, and continue to do so today. They have a truly magnificent tradition!
As an American, I feel so terribly sad for the British people. I stood on that bridge in September, while visiting my cousins in London. It’s hard to imagine, but I could have been a victim, too. My heart goes out to you all.
Great, fascinating commentary. I won’t get into the politics of the incident here.
I am watching Robert Bucholz’s Great Courses London lectures, the next one is on the Elizabethan West End…He just covered the East End and Southwark…
All the best
Thank you. A very moving history lesson and tribute to St. Thomas’ Hospital.
Blessing on these wonderful responders, both in crisis, and in daily care.
Thanks for this Robin
Hi Grahame and Wendy.
What an interesting and relevant story! I still plan to visit London as soon as I have enuf funds. Still have some euros and Scottish pounds from my visit a few years ago to Scotland and Ireland with my sister. I drove! Next time a tour!
I loved your tribute to St Thomas’s and it’s amazing staff – I only went there once to visit the Florence Nightingale Museum underneath the hospital – it’s a fantastic museum, very moving and they have the Lamp itself! Highly recommended.
Just lovely to read about your loving connection to this hospital and since I was a nurse for 35 years in San Francisco; I understand your connection. All the hearts in USA are with Londoners in this time of madness and rising hatred. Its a wonderful world we mustn’t let these haters take it over.
Beautifully written. And how wonderful that on a day of tragedy, they were able to so quickly help.
Both myself and my husband received treatment at St Thomas hospital for which we are very grateful. Our hearts go out to all who suffered on Wednesday. Humanity prevailed once again that dreadful day. If there is one thing us Brits are good at and this is ‘We come together when we are needed, we give and we love’ just think about how this Country held up during wars. We are here for one another, when that NEED is needed.
Shawdian
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I enjoyed the history of St.Thomas and your personal history in connection to it! What a beautiful building! And I add my thoughts and prayers to those of millions around the world for those personally devastated by this horrible attack. No matter where we live, we all feel some sense of grief. It is very moving to read about the men and women who immediately take responsibility for the wounded and do their best to minimize a catastrophe.
I always think of Tommys as my hospital too! I made many visits over many years as despite living in Woking, Surrey, I was treated at Tommys for my epilepsy.
My youngest sister trained here in the 1990s, very hard work and extraordinary winged caps on the uniforms. The thing that really stuck in her mind was being stuck in the lift for 3 hours!
St Tommys pulled out all the stops and we should be exceptionally proud of the work they did last week.
I was in Tommy’s for a couple of weeks whilst pregnant – they saved my lad who is now a strapping 24 years old. Incidentally, there is a fine view of the House of Commons bar terrace from my old room which kept me entertained for hours! Fantastic hospital and staff – wouldn’t have expected anything less from them.
A very interesting and heart-warming account,Robin.
Thank you for this post Robin. Not only for your tribute to St Thomas hospital but to the institution to which it belongs. I was so proud of our emergency services on Wednesday in the aftermath of the tragedy that had taken place in Westminster ; not least the NHS.
I was a nurse for 32yrs. I wore my uniform with pride and really tried to be conscientious in my care and I don’t know anyone working within the NHS who didn’t or doesn’t do the same.
When Bevan introduced the National Health Service in 1948 he couldn’t have envisioned the strides in medical research and treatment that would become the reality. We don’t get everything right and unfortunately it seems to be the bad news that becomes news. Reading your post reminded me of the part both St Thomas and the NHS have played in our history. I think we forget how much we have. I felt that pride all over again.
I said I was a nurse………… I think I still am at heart. Thank you.
Ros
Lovely comment, Ros, thank you.
The paramedics probably needed help prioritising but not too much can be done on street except CPR or stop bleeding. I assume they still had to go by ambulance to A & E. (Ever pushed a trolley on a good surface?)
The oldest European operating theatre of At Guys is now a museum with the added bonus of next to Borough Market in Southwark. It is a great museum and in the roof is a great display of the herbs used and syringes and medical bits and bobs through the ages. Surgery was so unbelievably crude. I few steps away is a terrific Spanish pub restaurant.
I enjoyed your post set to “Oklahoma”! Tributes to nurses and staff at St Thomas and let’s pray for those so angry and desperate and I’ll to have caused this mayhem.
Thanks for this info–if I can “summon up the blood” I’d like to visit.
My heart has broken more than a few times as I’ve read and seen footage from the London attacks. Indeed, much thanks to St. Tommy’s. They are indeed angels.