Gayton, Merseyside

Margaret Bevan Home Heswall

Sometime during the 1950s, as a child, I spent six weeks at the Margaret Bevan Home. It was located nr. the coast. It was a large detached house with a conservatory with wicker furniture. Other girls and myself were often taken on walks on the pebbly beach by one of our carers whom I adored. She was tall and elegant with long blond hair. We were taken to church every Sunday wearing matching coats and berets. I would love to hear from anyone who has photos or information about this house.

Dee View

The Dee View Hotel was one of our haunting grouds in our courting days

Tesco

During my last two years at school money was raised at Christmas time and Christmas presents were bought for the children who had to stay in hospital over the Christmas period. One little chap I remember was Tony. He was in hopital for a few years and he would now be about 32 years old.

Happy Days in Heswall (RLCH)

I guess I was on the same bus as Gina and her life long friends who I also remember. The Liverpool girls would meet up on a Sunday night to catch the ferry to Birkenhead and the bus to Heswall. If the girls from the Isle of Man and Ireland had been home for a weekend we met them too. Once back at Heswall we met up with the Welsh girls returning mainly from the North of Wales. We usually tried to escape for a late night out but would get caught by the Rotweiller, AKA 'Annie'. Now she was one seriously scary lady. Put one foot wrong and we'd be outside Mia Williams (matron) office 1st thing Monday.
We worked our way through all the wards before commencing training with the United Liverpool Group of Hospitals. If I remember correctly, there being ten hospitals and only Clatterbridge is still up and running today. My favourite ward being Lady Jones run by Sister Clarke. I can still visualise all the kids in their cots and remeber most of their names and all the staff who worked on the ward.
The fabulous Welsh Hills we overlooked from the hospital and feeling devastated when I returned to Liverpool many years later to find Tesco in my old home away from home.

Gina and I are still about at Alder Hey. I'm one of the few nurses left who worked in the operating department at Myrtle St. once qualifying.
Val Connell-Mir.