Glynnwood’s history won’t be forgotten

Around the turn of the century, a large mansion situated at 131 Woburn Avenue was owned by Mr and Mrs Sceta.

Hazel, their daughter, qualified as a nurse and Mr Sceta decided to turn his house into a nursing home, which he called “Hazeldene”.

This was just before the start of World War One.

READ: War cottages still in use

Hazel became the first matron of Hazeldene and ran the nursing home until her death.

Her father sold out to the Athlone Nursing Home sometime in the early 1920s.

In 1928 the Germiston Athlone was demolished and only the Benoni Athlone remained.

During the World War Two, the Athlone closed its doors as a nursing home in order to house RAF families of men stationed at No 4 Air School.

Immediately after the war, the home was re-opened and was run by the Pageam Sisters until 1948/49, when it was taken over yet again, this time by a Sister Glynn, who changed the name to The Glynnwood.

It remained in her hands for only a few years and, on April 1, 1951, it was bought over by a group of 12 doctors.

Matron Strauss then took over the running of the nursing home, until her retirement in 1981.

Clinic Holdings, together with Afrox, acquired major shares in the nursing home in 1981 and, in June 1986, Afrox became the major shareholder.

The previous owners of the old Glynnwood had recognised the need for a new state of the art hospital.

In 1987, Chris Redfern was transferred from Afrox East London to the healthcare division and joined the project team as the hospital manager.

Building operations on the new Glynnwood commenced in April 1987 and the hospital opened its doors to patients in May 1989.

Information supplied by Glynis Cox Millett-Clay.