# Royal Masonic Hospital

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Hospital in England

Royal Masonic Hospital Royal Masonic Hospital Location within Hammersmith and Fulham Geography Location Ravenscourt Park, London, England, United Kingdom Coordinates 51°29′47″N 0°14′26″W / 51.496333°N 0.240646°W / 51.496333; -0.240646 Organisation Care system Private Affiliated university None Patron None Services Emergency department No Accident & Emergency Helipads Helipad No History Founded 1920 Closed 2006 Links Lists Hospitals in England

The **Royal Masonic Hospital** was a hospital in the [Ravenscourt Park](/source/Ravenscourt_Park) area of [Hammersmith](/source/Hammersmith), west London, built and opened in 1933.[1] The Grade II* [listed building](/source/Listed_building)[2] became the **Ravenscourt Park Hospital** in 2002, but this closed in 2006.[3] As of May 2015 the hospital was expected to reopen in 2017 as the 150-bed London International Hospital, a centre for medical tourism.[4] However, London International Hospital Limited commenced winding up proceedings on 30 March 2017, and was dissolved on 28 March 2018, owing £15 million to the [Imperial College Healthcare Trust](/source/Imperial_College_Healthcare_Trust).[5]

## History

The **Freemasons' War Hospital**, was opened by London [Freemasons](/source/Freemasonry) with support from lodges in [Gloucestershire](/source/Gloucestershire) (Royal York Lodge, [Stroud](/source/Stroud)) and around England during the [First World War](/source/World_War_I) in Fulham Road, London, in the premises of the former [Chelsea Hospital for Women](/source/Queen_Charlotte's_and_Chelsea_Hospital), and treated over 4,000 servicemen by the end of the war. In 1920 it opened as the **Freemason's Hospital and Nursing Home**, but outgrew its premises. The new hospital was opened by [King George V](/source/King_George_V) and [Queen Mary](/source/Mary_of_Teck), and the king gave permission for the hospital to be renamed as the Royal Masonic Hospital.[1]

The hospital was re-built in 1933. The architect was [Thomas S. Tait](/source/Thomas_S._Tait), and the building was awarded the [RIBA](/source/RIBA) Gold Medal for the best building of the year in 1933.[6] The red-brick building "combines straight lines with spectacular curved balconies", and has large concrete relief figures of [Hebe](/source/Hebe_(mythology)) and [Aesculapius](/source/Aesculapius) by sculptor [Gilbert Bayes](/source/Gilbert_Bayes).[7] The adjacent nurses' home is grade II listed.[8] It was re-opened by King George V.[9]

The hospital treated over 8,600 servicemen during the [Second World War](/source/World_War_II) (including fighter pilots [Eric Lock](/source/Eric_Lock) and [Richard Hillary](/source/Richard_Hillary), who describes it in his book *The Last Enemy*) and remained independent when the [National Health Service](/source/National_Health_Service) was founded in 1948.[1] The Wakefield Wing, with new physiotherapy and pathology departments, accommodation for nurses, and a chapel, was opened in 1958, and a new surgical wing in 1976.[7] From 1977 it began to accept paying non-Mason patients, but financial pressures led to its closure and acquisition in 1992 by the Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust, not without controversy.[1][10]

The hospital reopened in 2002 as the Ravenscourt Park Hospital within the NHS, but closed again in 2006.[3]

In 2012 it was stated that the building was being redeveloped by the C & C Alpha Group to house the London International Hospital, which would specialise in cancer and diseases of the heart and brain.[11][12] In 2015 it was acquired by [VPS Healthcare](/source/VPS_Healthcare) who proposed to reopen it as the 150-bed London International Hospital in 2017, which would be "the centre for tourists to travel to the capital city for state-of-the-art medical care".[4]

London International Hospital Limited terminated the remaining site service contracts and returned the site to Imperial College Healthcare Trust on 4 July 2016; it commenced winding up proceedings on 30 March 2017, and was dissolved on 28 March 2018, owing £15 million to the Trust.[5][13]

## See also

- [Epworth Freemasons Hospital](/source/Epworth_Freemasons)

- [Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children](/source/Texas_Scottish_Rite_Hospital_for_Children), Dallas, Texas, USA

- [Shriners Hospital for Children – Canada](/source/Shriners_Hospital_for_Children_%E2%80%93_Canada)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-freemasonry_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-freemasonry_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-freemasonry_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-freemasonry_1-3) ["The Royal Masonic Hospital and its Jewels"](http://freemasonry.london.museum/os/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/The-Royal-Masonic-Hospital-and-its-Jewels.pdf) (PDF). Library and Museum of Freemasonry. Retrieved 26 June 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Historic England](/source/Historic_England). ["Royal Masonic Hospital (1192740)"](https://HistoricEngland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1192740?section=official-list-entry). *[National Heritage List for England](/source/National_Heritage_List_for_England)*. Retrieved 13 June 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bbc_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bbc_3-1) ["Hospital closes after four years"](https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/5296762.stm). BBC News. 29 August 2006. Retrieved 26 June 2012.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bbh_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bbh_4-1) ["Flagship international hospital to launch in London"](http://www.buildingbetterhealthcare.co.uk/news/article_page/Flagship_international_hospital_to_launch_in_London/110535). *Building Better Healthcare*. 3 July 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-morris_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-morris_5-1) Chris Morris (14 June 2017). ["NHS Trust Owed £15 Million After Private Firm Liquidation"](https://healthcaretimes.co.uk/nhs-trust-owed-15-million-after-private-firm-liquidation/). *Healthcare Times*. Retrieved 26 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Thomas Smith Tait"](http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/architect_full.php?id=200729). *Dictionary of Scottish Architects*. Retrieved 26 June 2012.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-handf_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-handf_7-1) Kimber, Jane (17 November 2009). ["From the Archives Former Royal Masonic Hospital"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120316152024/http://www.lbhf.gov.uk/Images/70-72_Comment_tcm21-134055.pdf) (PDF). *h&f news (London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham)*. p. 70. Archived from [the original](http://www.lbhf.gov.uk/Images/70-72_Comment_tcm21-134055.pdf) (PDF) on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Royal Masonic Hospital Nurses' Home"](https://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101269052-royal-masonic-hospital-nurses-home-ravenscourt-park-ward). *British Listed Buildings*. Retrieved 7 July 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Royal Masonic Hospital"](https://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/ravenscourt.html). Lost Hospitals of London. Retrieved 8 July 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Victor, Peter (7 May 1995). ["Freemason sues leaders for £23m to save hospital"](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/freemason-sues-leaders-for-16323m-to-save-hospital-1618528.html). *[The Independent](/source/The_Independent)*. Retrieved 26 June 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["London International Hospital"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120402021922/http://www.53k.co.uk/content/london-international-hospital-1?context=6). *53K*. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["London International Hospital"](https://web.archive.org/web/20101215021028/http://www.ccalphagroup.co.uk/london_international_hospital.html). *C & C Alpha Group*. Archived from [the original](http://www.ccalphagroup.co.uk/london_international_hospital.html) on 15 December 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["LONDON INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL LIMITED, Company number 05644554"](https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/05644554). *Companies House*. Retrieved 26 January 2019.

## External links

- [Historic England](/source/Historic_England). ["Royal Masonic Hospital, with associated boundary walls, gates, railings and planters (Grade II*) (1192740)"](https://HistoricEngland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1192740?section=official-list-entry). *[National Heritage List for England](/source/National_Heritage_List_for_England)*. Retrieved 5 October 2014.

- [Historic England](/source/Historic_England). ["Royal Masonic Hospital nurses' home (Grade II) (1269052)"](https://HistoricEngland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1269052?section=official-list-entry). *[National Heritage List for England](/source/National_Heritage_List_for_England)*. Retrieved 5 October 2014.

- ["Ravenscourt Park Hospital"](http://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/ravenscourt.html). *Lost Hospitals of London*. Retrieved 26 June 2012. *A personal website which includes 17 photos of the hospital*

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Royal Masonic Hospital](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Royal_Masonic_Hospital).

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