THE ST. JAMES' JOURNAL

By The Way
 
After a reasonably good summer, which kept the garden staff very busy, autumn arrived with heavy rains and high winds which curtailed gardening activities to a certain extent.
 
We weathered the gales fairly well, suffering only one casualty — an old elm tree adjacent to the football pitch, which was uprooted without causing damage or injury. The winds left their aftermath of twigs and dead leaves, although even these seemed to be widely and thinly scattered, and did not create the sense of depression usually felt at this time of the year.
 
The pigsties have now been demolished to make way for improvements that are planned for the Warren Avenue end of the Hospital. These include a new entrance opening on to Warren Avenue, and a road subsequently emerging near the western end of the Cook Wards. When completed, the existing entrance will be closed. A garbage compound is already under construction, which will not only hide the unsightly bulk rubbish bins, but will stop their contents blowing about the Hospital in high winds. This has been a problem for a long time. When the new road and compound is completed (this depends on the availability of funds and might well take a long time) it is hoped to brighten up the area with grass borders, flowering shrubs and flowering trees.
 
Work has started removing the hedges at the eastern end of the Hospital between Gleave and Devine Villas. Not only will their removal reduce the labour required in keeping them trimmed, but will also dispel the 'institutional' appearance from which this area of the Hospital has suffered.
 
The road connecting the front circle with the Out Patients Departments has been closed for a period during the winter months in connection with the building of the new Day Hospital. To avoid inconveniencing traffic, and creating unnecessary congestion on other roads, the entrance and exit drives from Locksway Road will each be temporarily opened to two-way traffic. The present exit drive past the Head Gardener's Cottage will provide access to the northern or back end of the Hospital, whilst the entrance drive will similarly cater for the main building and other parts. One way traffic will be re-established when work is completed.
 
Continuing the policy of maintaining an adequate tree population, orders have been placed and trees will shortly be planted in the area between the Children's Unit and Brunel Villa. Oak, beech, sycamore and horse chestnut will also be planted on the area previously devoted to potato growing, adjacent to the football pitch.
G. BAZLINTON
 
Spring 1968
 

Table of Journal Contents