Since our research project commenced in 2014 we have been contacted by relatives of patients who were in the hospital during World War 1. This has provided fascinating learning opportunities for the pupils and brought history to life. It has also enabled us to meet with and speak to relatives of the patients which has been such a wonderful way to remember them. We have created a corridor in school which displays the information about people we know were in Albany Military Hospital. This page shows photos and information about past patients.
John Ford
We have been delighted over the past few years to welcome Cynthia to the school to tell stories about her father’s memories of his time in the hospital.
Cynthia was also interviewed by Wales online about her fathers time at the hospital. Click the link here to read the article – https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/world-war-one-cynthia-pulsford-8009203
Gordon Edwards
We learnt about Gordon Edwards from his Grandaughter who has also visited the school and met with the children as well as attending the exhibitions.
Here is a newspaper article showing a letter sent by Gordon Edwards from Albany Military Hospital.
Jack Sheehan
Billy Eynon
David Craig Cresser
H.G.Baxter
Comments from Ray Palmer (Cardiff Now & then). After metaphorically ‘chasing around the world’ a Canadian soldier who married into my family from Roath, I find him in Albany Road after being seriously injured by shell shrapnel in the Battle for Mount Sorrel, one of the Ypres Salient battles in 1916, just before the Battle of the Somme.
After being evacuated ‘down the line’ of military hospitals, he eventually reached the 3rd Western General Hospital in Cardiff’ one of whose units was at Albany Road School, a very short distance from his wife’s former home. He had probably never been to Wales before. Fortunately he recovered, and lived to the age of 72 with his family in Canada.
William Henry Rounsefell
Stephen Tomer
Stephen Tomer, a Maliseet Native North American, is buried a long way from home. He served in France with the Canadian Army Veterinary Corps. He became seriously ill in 1917. He died at Albany Road Military Hospital in 1918. Buried at Cathays Cemetery.
Edwin Archell
Corporal Edwin Archell, 3rd Labour Battalion, Royal Engineers, died at Albany Road Military Hospital in April 1918 aged 49. Edwin was from London and had six children. He enlisted in 1915 and was at the Battle of Arras on the Western Front. He is buried in Cathays Cemetery.
Thomas Foley
We were recently contacted by a relative of Thomas Foley who died 31st January 1915 at Albany Road School Hospital. His grave is in Cathays Cemetery. We are hoping to find out some more information soon.
Past pupils of the school also lost their lives in World War One.
George Henry Griffin
Gilbert and Sidney Scrivens
John Bryant Collins
Private, C Company, 15th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, (Service Number: 35213)
John Bryant Collins was born in Cardiff in 1895 to Samuel Henry Collins, a bus and van driver originally from High Ham, Somerset and Helen Collins née Young originally from Sutton Mallet, Somerset. He attended Albany Road school. Before the war Bryant worked as a milkman. His father died in 1905 and his mother remarried to Simeon J Wheadon. In 1911 the family were living at 143 Arabella Street, Roath. He enlisted in Oct 1915 and went to the front in Mar 1916. He was killed in action on 11 Jul 1916, aged 21, at the Somme, France. He is buried at Serre Road Cemetery No.2 in Somme (grave XXVI. H. 14). Commonwealth War Graves Commission record. His brother Robert E Collins was also killed in WWI.
Robert Edward Collins
Private, 49th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery (Service Number 737)
Robert ‘Rob’ Edward Collins was born in Cardiff on 22 Jun 1898 to Samuel Henry Collins, a bus and van driver originally from High Ham, Somerset and Helen Collins née Young originally from Sutton Mallet, Somerset. He attended Albany Road school. His father died in 1905 and his mother remarried to Simeon J Wheadon. In 1911 the family were living at 143 Arabella Street, Roath. He enlisted in Jul 1915 in the Royal Garrison Artillery and went to the front in Mar 1916. He died at the Somme, France on 14 Sep 1916 aged 18. He died at the base hospital from shell shock and injuries to the spine when a dug out fell in on him. He is buried at the Abbeville Communal Cemetery, Somme, France (grave: III. A. 3.). Commonwealth War Graves Commission record. His brother John Bryant Collins was also killed in WWI.
Reginald Williams
Reginald was born on 7th September 1890 in Pontypridd to William Williams, an insurance inspector from Aberdare and Mary Adams originally from Bristol. In 1891 the family were living in Wood Road, Treforest. In 1893 the family lived at 83 Albany Road, Cardiff where Reginald attended Albany Road School. By 1901 however the family had all moved to Headingly, Yorkshire. In the 1911 census most of the family had moved to Merthyr Tydfil but it seems Reginald moved to Cardiff and was living as a boarder at Strathnairn Street, Roath, and working as an insurance clerk.
Reginald Williams was a Private in the London Scottish Regiment – 14th (County of London) Battalion. He died on 1st Dec 1917 probably in the battle of Cambrai on the Western Front that marked the first large-scale, effective use of tanks in warfare. He is buried at Achiet-le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension, south of Arras in north-east France (Grave Reference: II. A. 3.)
Albany Military Hospital 1914-18 
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