Buckland Convalescent Home facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Buckland Convalescent Home
Heritage boundaries
Location	39 Hawkesbury Road, Springwood, City of Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1881–1934
Architect	Thomas Buckland McPhee Smith
Owner	The Buckland Convalescent Hospital
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: Buckland Convalescent Home & Garden
Type	State heritage (complex / group)
Designated	2 April 1999
Reference no.	371
Type	Convalescence Home
Category	Health Services
Builders	Kell & Rigby
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

The Buckland Convalescent Home is a special place in Springwood, Australia. It's located in the beautiful Blue Mountains. This building used to be a home and a private park. Now, it's a convalescent hospital, which helps people recover after an illness or surgery.

The home was designed by Thomas Buckland and McPhee Smith. It was built between 1881 and 1934 by Kell & Rigby. It's also known as the Buckland Convalescent Home and Garden. The property is owned by The Buckland Convalescent Hospital. Because of its important history, it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.

A Look Back in Time

First Peoples of the Blue Mountains

Long ago, Aboriginal people lived in the Blue Mountains. Evidence shows they have been here for at least 14,000 years! In the 1820s, many bushfires were reported, which suggests Aboriginal people were actively managing the land.

Sadly, when Europeans arrived, diseases like smallpox spread. This greatly reduced the Aboriginal population. Despite this, some Aboriginal groups, like the Oryang-Ora clan near Springwood, quickly adapted. They even started wearing European clothes. Today, there are still known Aboriginal sites in the Springwood area.

Early European Settlement

The land where Buckland Convalescent Home stands has an interesting past.

• In 1876, James Bentley Corbin and John Thomas Ellison were granted land here.
• In 1881, Dr. James Norton, a member of the NSW Parliament, received 50 acres. He named his property Euchora.
• Dr. Norton built a cottage on the land in 1884. He loved gardening and nature. He even had a famous garden at his home in Leichhardt. He created a dam to water his extensive gardens at Euchora.
• In 1906, the land was sold to John Francis King. Later, in 1910, Frederick Henry GriffithBroughton bought it. He added another cottage in 1917.
• For many years, Euchora was a popular guest house.

Another important property nearby was Silva Plana. It was built in 1881 by John Frazer, a wealthy merchant and generous person. He helped fund many projects, including fountains in Sydney and the Frazer Memorial Church in Springwood.

The Buckland Convalescent Hospital Begins

In 1934, a kind and wealthy man named Sir Thomas Buckland had a big idea. He wanted to buy land and build a hospital. He offered to pay for the hospital, furnish it, and provide money to run it. His only condition was that the government improve Springwood's water supply.

In May 1934, a special agreement was signed. This agreement created "The Buckland Hospital." Sir Thomas wanted it to be a public hospital for women needing special care in New South Wales. He provided a huge sum of money to buy the land and build the hospital.

Building the Hospital

The hospital was designed by Buckland and McPhee Smith, architects. Interestingly, one of Sir Thomas Buckland's sons, Harold Buckland, was a main architect in the firm. The company Kell & Rigby built the hospital for a cost of £28,500.

As Sir Thomas wished, a new water supply system was built for Springwood in 1935. This included a huge concrete water tank that held 500,000 gallons! This helped the hospital and other towns in the Blue Mountains.

The First Years

Matron Rothery was the first head nurse of the Buckland Convalescent Hospital. Her diaries tell us a lot about the hospital's early days.

• On November 15, 1935, Matron Rothery visited the hospital for the first time.
• She and Sister Heard moved into the hospital on December 23, 1935. They worked hard to get everything ready.
• Sir Thomas Buckland himself visited often.
• The very first patient, Miss Beatrice Buckland, was admitted on February 3, 1936. She was Sir Thomas's daughter.

The hospital officially opened on January 25, 1936. The Premier of New South Wales, Mr. B. S. B. Stevens, unveiled a special stone. Sir Thomas and Lady Buckland were very involved in the hospital. Sir Thomas even helped choose the floor coverings! He visited regularly, even when he was 90 years old.

Sir Thomas Buckland passed away in 1947, just before his 99th birthday. He left a large part of his wealth to the Buckland Convalescent Hospital. This generous gift helped the hospital continue its important work for many years.

Growing into Buckland Village

Over the years, the hospital faced financial challenges.

• In 1971, some land was sold to help with costs.
• In 1977, the hospital decided to change how it operated. They wanted to use the land better.
• It was decided to explore turning the area into a retirement village. This would provide care for older people, especially those with memory problems.
• In 1983, the plan to create a "three-tiered facility" was approved. This meant the site could offer different levels of care.
• Between 1983 and 1992, many new buildings were added. These included self-care units, studio units, and hostel units. The old dairy was even turned into a community center.
• More buildings were added between 1992 and 2002.

Today, there are plans to build a new 62-bed nursing home. This will replace older care facilities and continue the hospital's mission.

What the Home Looks Like

The Buckland Convalescent Home was designed to be a peaceful place.

• It sits on about 129 acres of land.
• It has amazing views towards Sydney in the east. On clear days, you can even see the city and the Harbour Bridge!
• The building has a "U-shaped" design. The main entrance faces west, and the wings face east to capture the views.
• The architects wanted the gardens to be a very important part of the hospital. They believed a calm, stress-free location with fresh air and good food would help patients recover.

The main courtyard is a special feature. It has a fountain and a flagpole in the middle. Paths lead your eye towards the distant views of Sydney. The courtyard used to have different plants, including unique palms. Matron Rothery's diaries even mention buying shrubs and vegetable seeds.

The hospital aimed to be somewhat self-sufficient. It had a dairy, a chicken coop, and a vegetable garden. They even made their own jams! The hospital also won awards for its flowers at local shows.

The exterior of the hospital is inspired by the Georgian style. This means it looks dignified and simple, but also welcoming. It has warm red bricks with darker bricks used for details. The roof has rich-colored tiles. A small copper spire with a weathercock sits on top of the main roof. The entrance features beautiful sandstone arches and strong ironwork.

Condition and Changes

The Buckland Convalescent Hospital has been well-maintained. Over the years, several changes have been made to meet new needs.

• The hospital was built in 1935-1936.
• In 1971, some residential blocks were sold.
• New nursing homes were approved in 1987 and 2003.
• A new dining room was added in 2006.

Why It's Important

The Buckland Convalescent Hospital is very important for several reasons:

• It shows how mental health care facilities were established in the Blue Mountains.
• It has a strong connection to Sir Thomas Buckland, who was a famous businessman and generous giver. He started and supported the hospital. His son was one of the architects, and his daughter was the first patient.
• Its design is a great example of how old architectural styles were used for modern hospital buildings.
• It has been a big part of the Springwood community for a long time.
• It is an early example of a "nursing home" where each patient had their own room.

The Buckland Convalescent Home was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.

See also

• List of hospitals in New South Wales