The History of Our Veterinary Surgery

Early History

In March 1836, John and Thomas Pettit builders,sold Linden House to Mrs Elizabeth Collins for £320. After she died in January 1854, her sons Thomas and John Collins, one a baker and one a grocer in Broadstairs, sold Linden House to John Cooper, a Veterinary Surgeon in December 1878. So one can presumably say,this was when the veterinary practice started in Ash.

In May 1884, John Cooper sold the premises and the practice to Mr T.F.Hogben. who would have been seen visiting the farms and stables.by horse and trap. (ref.the accounts ledger he kept, destined to be gifted to the Ash Heritage Centre)

Hogben & Gallie

In 1938, Major James Gallie joined Mr Hogben in the practice. The title then being HOGBEN & GALLIE.

On 14th June 1940, Mr Hogben died, leaving his widow and four daughters, Edith, Winifred, Florence and Lilian. And a Son Frederic Leslie. Major Gallie took over the practice, whilst living next door to Linden House at Stuarts, renting it from the sisters Florence and Lilian who remained at Linden House; while Edith and Winifred went to live at 41 Shorncliffe Cresent Folkestone

During the war and immediately afterwards many people living in the coastal area round East Kent,vacated their homes because of the invasion scare. So the Major`s practice covered a large area, extending from Dover to Canterbury including the whole of Thanet. Thus he employed assistants to help him; one of these was Patrick Smalley, who subsequently became a partner.

1960s and Growth

Some time later, Major Gallie aiming to retire, advertised for someone to take over his half of the practice. I took up the position, perhaps attracted to the area with its excellent golf courses, in 1960.

Things were very different then compared with nowadays. The practice was run from Stuarts hallway; everything else happened in a room at the side, pet consultations, operations, recovery cage and drug store Major Gallie, before he finally stopped working, would chose from the Day Book a cushy visit which he thought would be the least arduous. Unfortunately it did not always work out like that, as when one of the Pfizer goats ate the sheet with the readings for the Tuberculin Test he was conducting. So he had to start all over again!

Hettie, his wife, kept an eye on the practice expenses; complaining when we vets were using too much electricity operating in the evenings.

Major Gallie stopped working a little later, and the Smalley and Blaxland partnership moved temporarily into Pat's front living room, until the new practice premises was erected up his yard.

In the early days when I first joined the practice, the small animal side of the practice was the poor relative compared to the farm and horse work. There were far more livestock on farms then, a resident hunt and weekly greyhound racing at Dumpton Park.

About the time we moved to the new premises, with our enhanced reputation for small animal work, the balance of our workload had changed. We took on a secretary, Alison Green being our first one, and employed a series of veterinary assistants.

Namely but not necessarily in order Anthia Robson, Geoff Clarke, Trisha Cornwell, Mick Smalley, Louise Kilbee and others over the years.

Veterinary treatment had changed enormously too, with the discovery of wonderful antibiotics. Powders and drenches were replaced by injections and tablets.

Around this time, John Aspinal, bought Howlets. Here he collected wild animals and asked us to treat them when necessary. This gave variety to our practice, coping with tigers, bears, chimps and gorillas. Fifteen years later, after opening up as a zoo,John was required to employ a resident vet.

Move to Sandwich & Today

Through the 70s and 80s, we were finding the surgery at 25 The Street too cramped, with things falling out every time we opened a cupboard, we were looking for alternative accommodation. We preferred, to stay in Ash with 100 years of history here, but after 3 applications for planning turned down, we eventually moved to our present premises next to the White Mill in Sandwich in 1992.

This solid building was constructed by the Ministry of Defence as a Ground Control Interceptor Radar Station in 1943.

When the war was over, the premises was used as a poultry rearing unit, and later as a car showroom by Leslie Colborn.

We adapted it, employing an architect who had designed the Veterinary Hospital for a friend of mine in Maidstone. It proved ideal, giving us that longed-for feeling of SPACE.

Now in the 21st Century, the practice has progressed in leaps and bounds.

Dennis Blaxland.