Douglas House, Southbourne: A Legacy of

Care and Change

Nestled in West Southbourne, Bournemouth, Douglas House began life as Stourfield House—an elegant Georgian estate with roots tracing back to the early 18th century. Originally acquired by Royal Navy officer Robert Stupart in 1764, the property was sold to Edmund Bott in 1771, who likely rebuilt it into the grand residence known as Stourfield House. Over the next century, the house passed through a succession of distinguished owners, including Sir George Tapps, the Countess of Strathmore, and Admiral William Popham, who added a two-storey annex in 1844. By 1898, the estate’s solid construction inspired its transformation into a Home Sanitorium for consumptives. In 1924, it became Douglas House Hospital, operated by the United Services Fund as a seaside convalescent home for ex-service men with tuberculosis. A British Medical Journal article from 1934 praised its regime, noting an average patient weight gain of 21 lbs and a supportive grant system for families. Douglas House joined the NHS in 1958 and later served as a care home for adults with severe learning disabilities until its closure in 1988. Despite public outcry, the historic building was demolished in 1991 to make way for housing development. Only the original front steps remain, a quiet testament to its storied past. Brackenhill Homes, the developer behind the demolition, was liquidated in 2007 and dissolved in 2010. Pictures from Alwyn Ladell Flickr