THERE is now less than a year left before Essex County Hospital’s doors will shut for good and the beloved hospital will be resigned to Colchester’s history books.

Originally the Essex and Colchester Hospital, Essex County Hospital was an infirmary for the poor dating back to the early 19th century.

Since those early days, thousands upon thousands of patients have been treated there and received life-saving care.

For those patients and for the staff who worked there, the hospital holds a special place in their hearts.

And for them, the final closure next year, will be emotional.

One of those is former nurse Marion Ward.

“I can’t tell you how sad I am, I don’t think they should close it,” she said.

“It’s changed a lot up there now, but the care one gets is amazing.

“I have been in as a patient many times and the clinics there are fantastic.

“I’m pleased I can go back and see the changes that have been made.”

Mrs Ward, who is now 93, first joined Essex County Hospital in 1941, when she was aged just 17.

Gazette:

Starting out - Marion aged 17

It would prove to be the start of a long nursing career in which she formed ties which will doubtlessly live on long after the closure of her former place of work.

She said: “I started on £1 a month. We were in a training school for two weeks before I went on to the children’s ward.

“It was never work to me because I enjoyed it so much.”

Just a year after joining the hospital, Mrs Ward met her future husband, Roy Ward there. Mr Ward worked in pathology and he, like his wife, would go on to forge a successful career at the hospital.

The couple married in 1949 when Mr Ward was part way through a two-and-a-half year stint in the Army.

Mrs Ward herself took time out of her nursing career as she helped raise the couple’s young family.

A close tie to Essex County Hospital remained, however, as her husband returned and continued to excel in his work.

“We understood each other’s jobs. He was on call a lot but I knew whenever he was called out he was helping someone.

“Like me, he adored his job and was happy.”

Mrs Ward eventually returned to her nursing career in 1966 when she took up a role on the men’s medical ward at Essex County Hospital.

She continued to dedicate her time to helping sick patients and worked across a variety of wards.

“It had changed quite a lot, I had to have lectures for quite some weeks.” she adds.

“But I just slipped back into it and learned from other nurses as I went along.

“It’s been my whole life my nursing career.

“I like to think I have offered a lot of help to a lot people.

“It was rewarding because people respect you.”

Respect for Mrs Ward’s hard work and commitment lasted well beyond her retirement in 1984.

On her 90th birthday she was visited by a former patient’s daughter who knocked on her front door to thank her for helping look after her father in his time of need.

Mrs Ward’s dedication to helping others was demonstrated when she spent the first nine years of her retirement working voluntarily at St Helena Hospice.

During her lifetime of memories, one burns particularly brightly - the day she met Diana, Princess of Wales at the hospice.

She said: “Meeting Diana was one of my proudest moments.

“I spoke to her for quite a while when she opened the day centre in 1988. We were all told to wear hats but I was the only one who did.

“I think that’s why she spoke to me.”

And life at Essex County Hospital was not always just about work.

Friendships were forged as well as memories from her 30 years working there.

Mrs Ward said: “We also used to do pantomimes at Christmas in the outpatients hall at the hospital.

Gazette:

Reunited - a reunion with Marion and friends in 2000

“The patron used to watch our rehearsals to make sure we didn’t overstep the mark.

“We would do all sorts of stories such as Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty but with medical jargon to make it relevant.

“We used to thoroughly enjoy doing it and has such fun.

“Once I and the others had retired, we had reunions which I usually organised.

“Sometimes there would be 20 of us.

“Sadly now though there are only three of us left.”

But time has taken its toll on the hospital in Lexden Road, Colchester.

It is no longer fit for purpose and the countdown is on for its closure next year.

The remaining services offered by the hospital will be transferred to Colchester General Hospital.

Essex County Council is working with Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust to see if the soon to be empty site can be developed for housing.

A planning application could be submitted later this year.

But the spirit of Essex County Hospital will surely live on. There will be many people, like Mrs Ward, who will feel a sense of sadness.

Mrs Ward is grateful for all the hospital gave her and she believes it is still a much-needed facility.

She added: “I’m pleased I was part of it.

“I regret not writing a book actually.

“It should be kept open for something, even if it’s just for putting people in blocking beds.

“I think that’s what it should be used for.

“It would just be nice to see it stay open.”