In those days, there were no antibiotics available, so if you were diagnosed with Tuberculosis the best cure was fresh air and rest. This meant sleeping outside.
In those days, there were no antibiotics available, so if you were diagnosed with Tuberculosis the best cure was fresh air and rest. This meant sleeping outside.
Great image David. I wonder if all that fresh air really helped cure TB?
I’d like to know more about the two annexes (summer houses?) to the Hospital that used to be on Tower Hill. One was at the top of Red Rock – concrete platform with small hut – and the other just behind the Tower (overgrown today).
must have been a good cure dad passed away jan 14th 2014 he was in the abergele sanatorium in 1944 with tb and never had a day sick till his death 70 years not bad going
Fresh air and sunshine apparently slow the effects down but not sure if it ever completely cured it. The is some interesting stuff on the web concerning treatment for TB in those days. There are stories of patients sleeping with sandbags on their chests. A doctor of the time said “Of course, you would also wheel them out when it was frosty, or in the snow, and the snow would pile up on their beds – but it was thought to be good for them.” Kill or cure I guess.
As to the building you refer to, we used to play in the remnants of the one on Red Rock but don’t recollect the one behind the Tower. A lot of kids from Abergele used to play in the hospital grounds and in the old, closed down, wards even though they were closer to the main building. This resulted in a few kids showing symptoms a few years later and some were admitted to the hospital for tests and observation.
David Hughes, Hello my friend, my name is Paula and i am interested in your article. would you like to hear my true life “experienced, opinion”, you see i was a little girl aged 5 yrs when i was admitted 1973-74, with TB, and eventually left there July 1976, I read your paragraph “Fresh air” slowed down the effects, i can never recalling having such an expierence, i wasnt allowed outside. and i never understood why being so young? was my TB. different, i would be very interested in swapping stories with you, as it sounds o me as if you have some of your own,! Regards, P,Parry,
Hello Paula, thank you for your comment. The photo was taken in the early part of the twentieth century when it was believed that fresh air was part of the relief for TB. Post second world war antibiotics were discovered that could effectively combat the illness and therefore the fresh air treatment was dropped. By the time you were in hospital antibiotics were widely used as treatment and methods of care of the patient definately changed. There are many interesting articles on the internet concerning treatment for lung infections prior to the use of antibiotics. I thankfully never suffered from TB but if you would like I can give you a link to the Manchester Sanitorium Group whose members stayed for a period of time in Abergele.
i was in abergele for tb in 1950s for a long time
If you are interested in the hospital can I suggest that you obtain a copy of “A History of Abergele Hospital – Confronting the White Plaque” which was first published in 1999.
I have been trying to find a copy of this book but have been unsuccessful. My father is interested in it. He was in Abergele sanitarium in the early 40’s and resided for over a year with tb in his stomach. Today he 91 and not doing to badly. He would love to read this book but I cannot find it. Any suggestions?
Hi Brian, so nice to hear from you. Many thanks for that, I’ll run one down. I have also contacted some ex patients still living in Manchester so hopefully I will get more material to put on the site.
Hi Brian, I have spent some time reading the book you mention. There is a reference copy in the library. Unfortunately it isn’t very clear about the existence of the building that Gareth spoke about. I’m still waiting for info from the people in Manchester. Any update and I’ll add it to this post.
The building on top of Red Rock was known as the Annex. Male patients from Plas Uchaf lived in it. There were no cooking facilities there and the road was so poor meals could not be taken up to them. A large bell was rung 10 mins before meals were served which could be heard at the Annex and all the surrounding chalets giving everyone time to get to the patients dining room for their meal. The bell hung under the front facing arch you can see on Rob Jinks photograph of Plas Uchaf.
It’s possible that the place near Tower Hill was, the Play House. Rachel Wrigley and her family lived there for a short while. If it is the Play House she will be able to tell you more about it.
Thanks for these insights David. I love the view from that concrete ‘platform’ where the Annex used to be. I’ll keep trying to make more enquiries about the building you say may be the Play House.
The old Playhouse was getting up near the top of Tower hill, just before the field with the tower.
David, thanks for coming on board and leaving this comment.
Hi all
Thanks for the pics of the hospital. My dad was a patient there in the mid-50s and your picture of the beds outside has rung a lot of bells for him! He can remember sleeping outside in the summer and the wards having large patio-doors type of doors which folded back on to the verandah so that the beds could be wheeled out. This also happened so that the floors could be cleaned – and many of the patients actually helped with the cleaning as part of their treatment. Dad remembers that some of the nurses had been patients there themselves. The teacher who came on to the ward was Mr Tomlinson, and there was a teacher of French from the village whose name might have been Mrs Bailey. Miss Hinds was another teacher. The children made trays out of basketwork and lamps using old wine bottles. There was also a cottage where cooking was taught to the children, both boys and girls. There was also a summer pageant where a play was performed to parents and Dad recalls a theatre in the hospital where a show was put on at Christmas. We do have some pictures of the wards and a souvenir booklet of the silver jubilee of the hospital (possibly) so do let me know if you would like to see these.
Hope that is of help/interest.
Best wishes
Justine
I was in abergele in 1945-7 and i am pretty sure one of the teachers was mr tomlinson. We slept outdoors some of the time even in the notorious winter of 1946-7.
Mr Tomlinson was a teacher at the Sani, his Son a retired chief constable from Greater Manchester now lives in Abergele.
Thank you Justin for insight into your Dad’s memories. If you have copies of the photo’s etc in electronic form you can send them to us at contribute@abergelepost.com and we will puplish them for you. We would be pleased to see them on this site. Regards, David
Appologies for spelling your name wrong Justine. Either old fingers or key board.
Hi David
Thanks for your note. [Don’t worry about the name misspelling, it happens all the time!] We’ll have a look for the photos and see if we can scan them and send them into the address you mention above. Glad to have been of help.
Best wishes
Justine
Iwas in abergele for 18 months 1946 47 thetreatment was fresh air and rest inbed 3 months without getting out bed for anythink complet rest then you were allowed one hour thenafter few months two hours and so on until went home I nether had it again im now in my eightys
Hi lawrence I remeber you I was only 12-13 and you were about 16 or 17 but i have never forgotten you. You came from withington i think. great to hear you are still going strong.
Thank you Justine, we look forward to seeing them.
Best regards,
David
Hi there David.
It has been a long long time since I was in Abergele Sanatorium, I was in their for quite some time, I am not quite sure when I went in but it was in the early 1950s, I can remember watching the Queens Coronation on TV in the hall, the patients who where allowed to walk could do so but the rest of us where pushed down to the main hall in our beds.
Her are some of the names that I can remember and who they where.
Doctors:-
Dr Morrison. I think he was the head guy or Superintendent.
Dr Day or (Dea) This doctor was from Asia I think maybe India.
“Sister King” on ward B4? A lovely larger than life Irish female nurse who stood for no nonsense.
“Sister Bonelle”. A male sister who came I think from Malta, I seem to remember him telling stories about the war and the part that the Maltese Air Force played in it. I think there where three aircraft called Faith Hope and Charity.
Male Nurse, Mr Smith, A rough looking chap but a nice guy.
Male Nurse, Mr Timothy.
Male Nurse, Mr Thompson a young chap who wore glasses and had an unfortunate walk that the lads in the ward made fun of, but again a nice chap.
Their was also a Staff Nurse we called “Chiefy” he was ex Royal Navy, and we all knew it, he would take charge of the floor cleaning every morning, out of our beds (all those who where allowed) push all the beds to one side, soft polish on the floor with a stick , wipe with a brush covered over with a cloth, then follow up with a twin brush electric polisher with the man himself in control.
Male Sister King, (no relation to female Sister King).
Mable Parks was the Head Teacher, she lived in a cottage just outside the hospital gates, there where tow cottages, one of them was Miss Parks and the other I think belonged to the hospital because we where sometimes taken down there for cooking lessons, absolutely fantastic we where taught how to cook all sorts of goodies and when we had finished we all sat down to eat some of what we had made, I do remember one Christmas that we cooked Christmas dinner, wonderful!.
Mr Tomlinson was the teacher he gave us books from a trolley that he pushed from ward to ward for those who could not attend the school at the far end of the wards, one day English the next maths,and so on.
Staff Nurse Eyeball, can’t forget her with a name like that and the rumers going around the wards that she was going out with one of the patients?.
Some of the patients David Bailey. Ken Hurstfield. David Parks. Jed Winterburn.
I better stop there . before we both get fed up.
One last memory and the one that stays with me is the visitors from all over the North who caught a special bus from Piccadilly Station in Manchester every week to come and see their sons and daughters in North Wales.
We lived in Bolton and my mother walked into Bolton to catch the early Sunday No 8 bus to Manchester every week, to be on the Abergele Hospital bus for 0900hrs to arrive in Abergele for around lunch time, she did this for about 6 years the that I was in Abergele Hospital, from 1951ish (I was about 8/9 years old until I was just 13 years old).
I also left part of my right lung in North Wales, removed by the most eminent of surgeons Sir Ivor Lewis, the same one who operated on the the King. I could go on but ….
A bit long winded, sorry if it is to boring but I can’t bring myself to delete it.
Regads
Walt Bond
Hi Walter,
Thank you for such an interesting insight into life at the hospital. Don’t worry, I never tire of reading peoples actual memories of their lives. Do you know that there is still an association of ex patients running in Manchester ? If your interested I will find the link and send it to you. I have a couple of e-mail addresses somewhere. You never know, you may even find people who were there with you at the time. Thank you once again for sharing this with us.
Very best regards,
David
Hi David
Sorry it has taken so long to reply I/we have had a few problems with computers and such.
I would very much like to take you up on your offer to send me the contact information you have.
I have some photos of the time I spent in the hospital that may be of interest.
Regards and thanking you for your help.
Walt Bond
I was very interested in this article as my mother (who sadly passed away in 2002) used to tell us about a TB hospital she was admitted to on the North Wales coast (she was from Wrexham) when she was about 5 or 6 – around 1930. I would love to find out if she was indeed a patient there and if so, try to get more information about her time there.
Hi
I was a patient in Abergele hospital about 1957 -1960 aged approx 7 or 8. I had been in various hospitals with TB meningitis and had a major operation at Manchester Royal Infirmary. I then went to Abergele for convelecent for approx 18 months. I have a photo of me and several other childdren taken whilst there if anyone is interested?. Can’t really remember much about being but would be interested if anyone else was there at that time.
Hi,I was there for 9 months in 1959/60, I was 6/7 at the time and only have distant memories, I remember that they would put a rubber tube down my throat once a week or so and syringe some liquid in, I also remember very large tablets that I had to take regularly.
I remember the cottage where we would do some school work. I would be interested in seeing the pic. If poss. Clive
This sounds as if would have been harrowing for someone who was so young Clive. Thanks for sharing these memories here.
Dear David.
My Aunt, Miss Sarah White, worked for a number of years at this hospital as a member of the nursing staff.
She retired, around 1960, as Matron.
I remember Dr. & Mrs. Morrison who were great friends of my Aunt.
I was born in 1943 and spent much of my Summer holidays at Abergele Chest Hospital.
I have many happy memories of those times when I was a guest in my Aunt’s flat in both Plas Uchaf and later in the main hospital.
As a small child the grounds were absolutely fascinating and I spent many hours exploring every part of them.
Wherever I went I was treated with the utmost respect and freely wandered, on my own, all over, what seemed at the time, a huge estate. It was certainly a small boy’s dream.
I have fought off the desire to re-visit the hospital because I know lots will have changed and I don’t wish to spoil those fantastic childhood memories.
Best wishes,
Timothy Wilkinson
I was in abergele hospital from about 1952-1956 app. Can’t remember any staff names but do remember doing concerts for family, also having to have a spoonful of malt everyday and being in my bed outside quite alot. My dad came to see me every Sunday and there was a girl I was very friendly with have forgotten her name but have photo of us sitting on a bridge we were probably about 4years old would love to know what happened to her she could’nt speak very well and was deaf if anyone can help me make contact with her I would be grateful. My family came from Collyhurst in Manchester but they had to move to Burnage so I could return home. I think my cousin was in the hospital before me his name is Brian Heap. I have just ordered the book on Abergele Hospital looking forward to reading it, might jog my memory a bit. Thank’s for any help Best wishes Susan Haywood
Hello Susan, liked reading your memories, do you mean Brian that lived in colwyn Bay and wnet to school in Abergele Grammar School ?
Hello David, Brian my cousin lived in Blakeley in Manchester he now live’s in Mostyn. I think Brian was on the commitee for the hospital and I remember him telling me there was a list of patient’s that had been in the hospital, don’t know if you know about that, don’t really hear from Brian only xmas cards as I live in Oxfordshire. Have managed to get a copy of A History of Abergele Hospital so am reading through it, very interesting.
Hi David,
I was born and brought up in Rhosgadfan. Apparently at 18months old , which must have been summer 1955, myself and my brother ended up in Abergele hospital. We both had TB. At the same time our mother was there in a seperate wing, again with TB. Apparently we were there for the best part of three years ( I cant remember since I was so young). However, I remember going to primary school at 5 years old after coming out. My mother stayed there for much longer and was there for years. I remember going to see her when I was 8/9 with my dad, but we were only allowed to see her at the windows. Since no contact was allowed. I think she came out when I was about 10 and I remember her coming home and the family was reunited.
I would be very interested in finding out more about the hospital during that era.
Are there any websites to visit ?
Thanking you in anticipation Gwyn
Hi David,
It’s been fascinating reading about the old ‘Sanny’ as many of us called the hospital in our youth, not least because my late father worked there as a male nurse. In his younger years, he’d lived in Barrow-in-Furness with his wife and two young children. Sadly, she died, aged 25, from TB & diabetes. Perhaps it was that which encouraged my father to take up nursing rather than continue working on the railway. The family moved to Bronheulog (Foxhole) in late 1947, my father retiring in 1966 after almost 20 years working on the TB wards. At least one of my brothers had the disease, something which only showed up on his X-Rays when he joined the forces. As a youngster, I would often visit Plas Uchaf & remember well the rambling old house as well as the newer ‘block’ across the road. My father once told us that some of the nursing staff were reluctant to go down into the dimly-lit cellar areas at Plas Uchaf at night. The lower walls were lined in white ceramic tiles, with a considerable area used largely for storage I believe. Several staff had experienced shadowy figures or walked through cold spots whilst down there, the inference being that the cellars were haunted apparently.
Walks on sunny days through the gardens around Fairy Glen were a delight in that the hospital grounds were always well kept, at least to a child’s eyes. I seem to recall soft-fruit bushes and orchards on the lower south terrace below Plas Uchaf as well. My father would often walk home across the fields after his night-shifts, collecting large horse mushrooms along the way. These we would then have fried for breakfast. In later years, friends and I would explore the woodland areas around the hospital whilst walking our dogs. The two annexes/summer houses were always places of interest. One which we called ‘the glass house’ was above Red Rock, the other I seem to recall was located in a clearing in the woods to the south-west of Tower Hill, accessed by the track which went behind the two L-shaped, conjoined bungalows where the Wrigley family lived.
My father died in early 1972 so I didn’t get the opportunity to talk to him much more about his work at the hospital. When I started researching our family history, I came across the book which Brian Haynes mentions above, as well as various interesting internet sites on both the hospital as well as TB itself. The recollections of those who were former patients has given me a greater insight into the topic.
I was interested by Susan Haywood’s mention of a Brian Heap as, like David, I went to Abergele Grammar School with someone of that name. He lived in Llanddulas in the 1960’s and on one occasion I visited him there, he told me that his family had originated from Macclesfield. I wonder what became of him after leaving school?
Hi your mention of the Wrigley family interested me as I have a very amusing original drawing which is signed by a male nurse named Frank Wrigley who dedicated it to Jack Cookson who was a long-term TB patient at the Abergele Sanitorium from the age of 14 until he died in 1960 of TB. Jack was from Manchester and lost most of his family to TB, but he met and married my late Mum Ida (nee Stirzaker) – an Abergele girl while he was there and they were very happy until his early death from TB in 1960. He also used to work in the lab there as an adult patient and was an avid photographer and accordion player. I recall my mum and Aunty Rosalie who were also nurses talking about the fun escapades, the dances and ‘Sister King’ etc and helping to cheer up and play with the children who were patients . When his TB wasn’t active they lived together in a bungalow by the playing fields in Abergele.
Hello Annie. hope all is well with you. I am reading you post with great interest. A lot of information on abergele families. A lot of the Wrigley family are still in Abergele and i will pass on your memories. Would it be possible for you to e-mail me a copy of the drawing that was done by Frank Wrigley as I’m sure the family would love to see it.Cheers. David
Sorry annie, forgot my e-mail address. It’s cdlhughes@hotmail.com. Many thanks.
Hi, The Brian Heap I mentioned is my cousin and he came from Manchester he was also on the committee at the hospital in later year’s. I was there from about 18 month’s to about 5yrs I have a photo of myself and about 5 other girls outside doing a concert for the visitor’s we had little apron’s and cap’s on holding flower’s the teacher was playing the piano if anyone remembers or was part of that photo I would love to hear from them. We had lesson’s on the ward and I also have a photo of myself in bed outside in the fresh air. My dad came to visit every Sunday but unfortunately it was to expensive for my mum and sibling’s to come, when I went home my dad said I cried to go back it must have been hard for them, but I didn’t know any other life then, I enjoyed my time there, but you wouldn’t be taken from your family like that nowadays. Regards to all
I have just found this website. How interesting! I was a radiographer at Abergele Hospital, just for 18 months, 1965-66. I remember Dr Morrison (“Jock”) well. The Orthopaedic Consultant was Mr Robert Owen, later to become Professor Owen. I would love to find a copy of his book. At the time I worked closely with the darkroom technician, then Myra Griffiths. We still keep very closely in touch meeting up a couple of times a year, even though I no longer live in North Wales.
Thanks for coming to share your memories Jo. If I’m thinking of the correct, tall, distinguished gentleman, Mr Owen went on to work in Gobowen.
Yes he also worked in Gobowen. As far as I can recall, he lived in Colwyn Bay, and in the summer he invited the whole theatre staff together with the radiographer and darkroom technician to a summer party at his home.
I was in Abergele Chest Hospital with TB in 1965. I was five years old. From Llangefni in Anglesey. My mother travelled on the bus a long way to see me on Saturday afternoons. I was very distraught at being seperated from my mother. Unfortunately it contributed to depression in later life. The attachment anxiety and fear of abandonment cast a shadow over my life. I wonder if any other adults have experienced this. I am 58 years old now and my mother frail and in her eighties. She will never talk about it.
My wife was at Abergele Convalescent Hospital from 1944 to early 1950`s would that have been the same hospital.She did not have TB ?
Yes, I thinks so Mike. The fresh air of the north Wales coast was believed to have special healing properties and taking in the air was seen as a key part of convalescence.
hi I am another who has only found this site,
I spent only a month at this hospital in 1965-6 aged 17 or 18
I never had tb but had bad broncitis since very young,
the ward i was must have been the male adult ward.
I certainly was by far the youngest there and we wereall kept
indoors at that time.
I don,t have many memories of that time are there any other sites
with more info.
Having just found the website I have been reading all the comments with interest. I too was a patient when I was 5yrs old from Nov 1951 until April 1953.
I have memories of Nurse Hughes Dr. Morrison but cannot remember any other staff names.
I can also remember taking part in shows that were put on [still have a couple of photos, wonder if anyone would recognise themselves].
My memories are good ones as most of the time I was there I was well. I enjoyed the lessons and the walks in the woods, going to the shop which was probably a glorified shed with my 3d pocket money.
The book referred to seems to be unavailable,I have tried libraries and Amazon [ any suggestions welcome.]
Hope this has stirred some memories.
My mum was Nurse Hughes and she told me many stories from her days at Abergele Sanitorium. I have quite a few photos of staff and patients at Abergele. She started there about 1950 I think and moved to Baguley Sanitorium around 1953. She often spoke of Nurse Clark (Knobby Clark) who also moved to Baguley.
Hello Linda
I have just accessed the web site again and saw your reply to my post,
The Nurse Hughes I remember went to live in Wythenshawe and I think the house was at the end of Maple Rd. At the time we lived very close just off Wendover Road. I paid a visit to the hospital about 6 years ago and was surprised to find it very similar to how I remembered it.
Hi Christine, our Nurse Hughes is the same. Margaret Doran (Nurse
Hughes) and the the rest of my family did on Maple Road. I can’t believe you only lived off Wendover Road. I have quite of few photos of my mum at Abergele and also photos of some of the young patients there. My mum was originally from Bangor in North Wales and moved to Baguley Hospital before she married and settled at Maple Road. Unfortunately my mum died back in 1997 when she was 65 but the summer she died she went back to Abergele and met one or two people from the time she was there. Do you know if there is any way I can post any of the photos I have?
Hi Linda
I am really pleased we have the right person but sorry your Mum died quite young.. I moved to Southport when I got married in 1968 but Mum lived in Blackwood Drive until she died in 2006
aged 96. I have noticed an address where you can send pictures attached to some other posts. I will get my photos together ( there are only a few ) and make some enquiries as to the best way to make them available.
I was in the hospital for three years with TB in my right knee until 1932 when I was eleven. My leg was in plaster and then when they took it off it was replaced with a caliper and I went home to Urmston, Manchester. Not very happy times.
Hi Joan,
I am also from Urmston and now own what used to be Plas Uchaf Sani, and would be very interested in any photos of the building or grounds as I would like to restore some of the gardens, not the house as this is gone.
Thanks
hi david
my sister namely Frances Carroll was a patient in the sanatorium in early
1950 and she had her photograph put in the Manchester evening chronicle
or evening news in bed dressed in a girl guides uniform but she unfortunately
passed away in 1953 if anybody remembers her or the photo will they please
get in touch with me by e mail carroll88@outlook.com.
kind regards john carroll
i would like to know y i was moved out of big ward and put in small one just two people my sister went home.can remember cold when waiting to get bathed
I was a patient from 1954 to 1955 and spent two Christmases in there. Although I was only two and a half to three and a half at 62 I still remember a lot about the ward and the beds with shelves above for you few toys. I have a photo taken with other children and nurses at Christmas time if there is anywhere I can post it
Thanks Doreen. We’d be happy to consider it for publication here. You would of course retain the copyright. Just email it to contribute@abergelepost.com.
Hi,
My mum June Hartley was a patient at the Abergele TB Hospital admitted as a carrier of TB from 1935 when she was 2yrs old until 1941 when aged 6yrs she returned home to Upper Dover Street, Bradford, Manchester. Her Mother Lily Hartley died of complications of TB when my Mum was 6mths old. She returned home to a new step-mum married to her Dad. She had memories of running down a really long corridor to wait for visitors who never came, too expensive and too far to travel for her Father and family. We visited the Hospital with my Mum, Dad and my own children in 1988 and we walked in a wood that my Mum remembers being taken for walks through. My Dad died in 2011 and Mum now has dementia how sorry I am that I never had time to really talk to her about them times. Ironically I practiced as a nurse, midwife and health visitor for 27years.
Wow Lesley, that’s a huge story you share in so few words. Being held in a hospital for four years away from her father must have been hard for your mother. It’s great that she took you back in the 80s so you could see where she’d been. Thanks for sharing this emotional memory.
I was at the Abergele sanatorium for TB at the age of about 3yrs at 1956/57 and would like to know if anyone else was nursed by sister Clovius (not certain if the spelling is correct),she used to take me walks when able in the grounds. I would love to know if anyone else remembers her?
hello linda like you I remember nurse clovius [again like you not sure of spelling] .
I was a patient for five and a half years and came home april 1945 six and a half. I had TB spine and yes I remember nurse clovius taking me for walks in the woods.Whenever I see primroses it brings those walks right back to mind.
I am now 77years old but still lead a fairly active life
regards Colleen Ratcliff neeRyan
Hi All,
Reading this page has been very interesting to me as I own the original site and some of the land where “Plas Uchaf” used to stand, the footings are still there, I also have been collecting as much info and photos as I can of “Plas Uchaf”, I hope at some stage to try and restore some of the gardens sadly I can`t afford to re-build the house.
If anyone has any photos of “Plas Uchaf or the grounds I would appreciate copies as this would help with restoration.
Many Thanks.
Why would both my mother (age 32) and me (girl age2) BOTH be admitted to Abergele Sanitarium in 1942 whilst 6 year old brother NOT admitted
Oops did. It leave email address.
Would I be correct in assuming that we must both been affected.
Incidentally, the. Vaccination on my left arm has never completely healed and I am now 77 – an existing immunity. Have oral lichen planus, which is anutoimmume disorder and wonder if there is a connection. Amongst several careers, was SRN on a Unit for theYoung Disabled for 20 years.
I was in Abergele in 54 I was three years old and was there for three years my mum struggled to get to see me but I remember playing out in the grounds when she brought a picnic
Would love to get the book and share with my children
i was in there about 1956/57 till 1959 sorry can not remember exactly ,tb of the chest , i’m 70 now ,i remember a lad called terrence wilcox , and my mam only visiting once a week on a sunday her buying small bottles of pop from a shed 7 and they had to last all week one a day and you had to return them or no more .and one sunday doctors told mam i could go home next week ,so bring some close with her, but on saturday got very excited that i was going home slid under the bed got great big splinter in my thigh off the wooden parquet tiles and had to stay another week ,the girls used to type in the wards opposite to the tune of william tell very loud ,elvis presley had just had big hit with jailhouse rock some one had taped it and i was minming to it on stage one christmas to packed audience threw the speakers .sorry can not remember any more .
This is a fantastic story Anthony. Many thanks for sharing it with us.
Hi All,
I have posted on here several times over the years, I am looking for info/photos of “Plas Uchaf” also known as “Plas Ucha” this was the original Sanatorium/chast hospital, I own the site where this used to be & I would like to collect as much history as possible.
Maybe someone reading this may be able to help you Craig.
John Hudson.I was a patient here for 2 years spending my 5th and 6th birthdays here.I remember arriving in an ambulance coming from Ashton,Lake Hospital as it was called,now Greater Manchester and the highlight of the journey was going to the front of all the cars waiting for the bridge over the river weaver to open at Northwicj
I remember the old naval nurse known as chiefly he was really strict.Also Sister Fran Sewell and a Welsh Sister who had contracted 11th a Sister Glennis Pritchard whose family came from Bethesda,she also wrote poetry.
These two lovely ladies lived together in Abergele,and eventually retired in the town,and we as a family remained in contact for many years after,eventually loosing touch.I am now 68,have touch wood remained in good health despite this horrible and cruel pandemic that is ravaging the world and at this time I thought that it is very fitting that I owe a huge debt of thanks and gratitude to all the staff at this institution that gave me the chance to go on and achieve everything that I have.My wife and myself have 3 lovely children and 6 grandchildren and I feel blessed that without the care and attention that was given to me all this would not have been possible.
A huge thanks to staff past and present.
My name is Mair Annette Thomas, I was in Abergele hospital in 1967 on ward 4 and later to ward 1 (isolation) and then back to ward 4! I remember Sister Lesh and a number of patients that were there too Mary (from Manchester), Colin (from Newport), Anwen (from Bethesda), David and his sister (from Caernarfon), Keith and a lovely guy from Abergele who’s surname was Booth and two baby boys – about 3 years old. There were happy and sad days there. I remember Sister Quarry (ward 4) and working alongside her was Victor (an Italian nurse), I fondly remember knitting a cardigan in occupational health for student nurse Andrew Bowen, the staff were lovely. I particularly remember nurse cosgrave and her daughters. We also used to look forward to the night attendant Mr. Rimmer visiting and my biggest thanks went to Dr. Morris for saving my life. The long walks down to Plas Uchaf were enjoyable and we all liked to play hide and seek in the building. I am currently reading the Abergele Hospital (confronting the white plague) book and wanted to post on here as it would be really nice to get in contact with anyone that was at the hospital at the same time as me.
Hi Mair, have only just come across this webpage. My mother was a student nurse in Abergele around 1967. You mention an Italian nurse called Victor. My mother had mentioned him in the past alongside stories about cooking midnight snacks for the children on the ward! Her name was Delphine Jones, maybe you might remember her?
My mother was a nurse at Abergele Sanitorium for about four years in the early 1950’s. She was from Ireland. Her name was Mary Tubridy. She was known as Maura. She is still alive and is 92 years old this year.
Hi! Does your mum remember anyone with the name Mary Jordan, possible nurse or visitor at all or John Stenhouse? Or patient John Brian Stenhouse around 1941-1948?
She wasnt there in the 1940s. She didnt go there until about 1950.
Hi, very interesting post, I used to play up in the old hospital buildings growing up in Abergele like most of the local kids.
When young we used to visit a lady called Mabel Parkes, a very well spoken old lady, seemed very old to us at around 7-10 years old, but expect at that time she was in her early 70’s?
She lived on her own in a bungalow in Compton Way, Abergele, and made us lemon curd sandwiches, which we loved to eat while playing bagotell in her lounge, we were allowed to visit every sunday after Sunday school, and she always told us about her ‘other’ children.
Of course being so young we did not know her back story, but when I was 17 after quite a serious motorcycle accident, after long stays in Clatterbridge and Rhyl war memorial hospitals, I was sent to Abergele to recuperate, I loved my time there, it was the summer, so they pushed the beds outside on the sunny days, and later when I was allowed a wheelchair, I could make my way to the ‘Manchester Lounge’ to play on the snooker table.
It was there I saw the plaque in the lounge to remember Mabel Parkes, the kind lady we used to visit years earlier, play games and enjoy lemon curd. I believe she was a teacher at the hospital for all the children patients? I would love to hear stories of her if anyone has any?
My father was a patient at the Abergele Sanatorium in the 1930’s. I would like to confirm when he was admitted and discharged. Does anyone know where the patient records are for the sanatorium?
when we used to play up there, some of the cupboard and cabinets still had all the records in them! Wouldn’t happen today but it seems that when the hospital was abandoned they just left it as was, files still there, theatre tools and beds! I expect all the records are lost?
Thank you Barry for your reply. As the hospital was owned by Manchester Health Service, I am hoping that the records went bank to Manchester somewhere?