St Mary’s Hospital, London

St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London dates back to 1845. As is the way of old hospitals, it has been much altered and changed but the original building, now known as the Cambridge Wing, still exists with its main entrance on Norfolk Mews. It is a smaller entrance, where Norfolk Mews joins South Wharf Road, that I believe is the cause of the graffiti to be found on the wall along South Wharf Road. I believe that the oldest graffiti, deeply cut and blackened with soot and dirt from before Clean Air Acts where a thing, is queue graffiti scratched in the wall by people queuing for entrance in that door. Not all the graffiti now on the wall is the original queue graffiti but I think it is certainly there because of that older graffiti.

no images were found

There are many vertical scratch marks, some very deeply cut, a few coin marks where a coin has been ground into the brick causing a characteristic circular depression, the usual accumulation of initials and names and a few symbols.

I had high hopes of the coin marks. I thought if I could measure the diameter of the hole that could be matched to the size of coins and possibly aid as a way of dating the graffiti. Alas the marks all seemed to be about 20mm and that would match the xixpence, threepence and farthing of pre-decimilisation times and the current issue penny. From the dirt accumulated in the marks, I believe that the coin marks are before decimilisation in 1971 but it is difficult to get more specific than that. Another inference from the coin makes is that there are so few of them so that the implication is that the people queueing were not standing with coins in their hands waiting pay to get in as you find with queue graffiti by cinema entrances, for example.

no images were found

There are not many symbols in the graffiti. The most common one is the heart, not always with the accompanying initials, though.

no images were found

The single most common type of graffiti, outside of the names and initials, is the vertical scratch mark. I think these are evidence of boredom on behalf of the people making them. I also believe they are a direct descendant of the so-called ‘arrow marks’ found on old churches around the country.

Of the names and initials I would like to single out two. ‘Matron was here’ in 1945. I do hope that’s not the hospital matron! Also Maggie broke her leg in 1985. I hope it mended nicely.

 

no images were found


St Mary’s Hospital, Praed Street, London, W2 1NY

Report by: Anthea Hawdon

Search terms: YA, ALT, vertical scratch, horizontal scratch, coin mark, DA, RA, PETA, HA, FK, DF, RR, 16th/5/2006, SONYA, ZION, FRET, EL, ILIA, F, H, TI. N, SONIA Y ADRI 2022, SN, BN, VEK, FB, 85, Julie 2023, Ben Queda, Renae Bailey, AB, HI, AH, Ex, FP, 4, GM, CU, D, CD, RE, HH, LI, IL, AH, 17/6/10, DEB X, CB, R Ford, IL, AH, MAD, MID, PAT, AXN, TEWAS, RF, RAN AS, TEWAS, AC, AS, figure, RFCA, HU ,EAC, Y, dots, JOHN, 2001, HC,TED 1980, IF, GM, ASR, vertical scratch marks, Ran, coin mark approx 20mm, MCM, May, John 2001 Cooper, E MILL, CM LE, T, M, EON, MA, Nathan X Lauren, GFC, Gilling, ADI, BABY, ELVIS, AB, FW, FH, DE SHARD, WM, M, F, AB, BA, AD, WR, VA, BJ, RL, LEFT 31/6/2017, penis, JC, RM, IAW, WR, ME, JRL, RL. A, E, TOM, CD, MINSIL, STEVE, Abbie, SW, WHEERD, AM, JX, AMA, FKE, M, WT, AW, HC, W, WL, IA, AX, IBS, LN, LD, MP, AB, H, PX, BI, PA, H, PM, L4E, NA, PA, X, NAB, PX, grid marks, AK, P, N, A, A, T, H, W, DA, H, W, W, TG, D ,MH, GC, M, R, DA, M, AD, A, W, JH, W, heart, TG, V, V, coin marks, A, V, F, V, V, M, AD, JH, T, OR, TA, ZAYD, YG, twiggy, YGM, RD4, Thomas, MARK, A, FULLER 6-62, J, GH, JIH, R, K, IV, J, L, A, B, HL, IL, A, O, NC, M, THF, R, WH, HH, CR, JW, AR, IL, MUFC, ENEKA, star, 10 pointed star in circle, W, WHI, CP, AA, TE, TE, AA, cross, MK, GD, J BYRNE, SB, OD, LL, M, cross, ALT, RIZWA, OMAR, PAD, FRA, HI, MC, HR, AR, HI, MC, A, HH, IF, HL, HN, AJH, JL, WM, A, AI, E, MW, MATRON WAS HERE 1945, WM, PY, heart and arrow, DH, KH, LL, E, NN, MB,  1968, MM, 2018, EG, W, AM, J, HH, X, AL, AL, MARTIN, IS, JP, heart, AI, M, HB, JH, DE, 1980, ALI, KF, Mahmoud, E HENNESSY, 20/06/06 1 LOVE, DLO ,*NR GA*, H, JM, IL, HASSAN – 13, CLR, A HE, MAGGIE 1985 BROKE HER LEG, TW, V, R, UB RO, L HIN, MIA, DH, A H, BEN, KJ, HB, A, T, IR, BW, AL, L, TT, AJ, TC, NLS, RF, SB, EOR, GS, ADRA, CAL, WOT NO PATCHI, LM, JH, ADAM, LM, JH ADAMS AN, N, WW, B, WH, HH, A, VA, AA, AD, MAZ, M, cross, T, RT, ATES, PA, HD, WG, JOHN 2001 COOPER, TED 1989, W, Tony Ty 4 Ellsy, UF, BELTE, AC4MC, 2011 XX, BABY AMEDA, CAL WOZ ERE 7/3/08, WOT NO PATCH!, 2000s, 2020s, 2010s, 1980s, 1900s, 1960s, 1940s