Broadstairs And St Mary's Home 1957

A Memory of Broadstairs.

I was 6 years old and had had bronchitis and asthma and so I was sent away from smoggy London to St Mary's Home in Broadstairs. I was taken with other young children on a train by a nurse in a brown uniform.
We all slept in dormitories and every Wednesday we had early morning exercises. Sometimes we were taken down the steps to the beach which was lovely. A friendly nurse sewed me a smocked dress, it was very pretty.
All parents arrived every Sunday and took us out... it was so exciting to hear your mum calling you as the gates were opened. I remember feeling very lonely and I was moved from my dorm to another as unkind children called me 'ten ton Tessy!'
My best memory was the sweets. We had to put the sweets given by parents to the staff, but they were never seen again, so my parents told me to hide my sweets in my coat pocket and every day I would have a few.
My Auntie Tess and cousin Margaret came down to stay in Broadstairs for a week and took me out every day, it was brilliant.
I have mainly good memories. I seem to remember getting better. I was there for 6 weeks in June/ July 1957. One girl came with severe burns all ova her, a result of a house fire.

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Added 24 October 2009

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I had the pleasure of staying at st Mary's in about 1968 due to not having a good family life it was run by nuns but they never conversed with us children however the staff were very nice.
We were taken to the beach down some long stone stairs on warm summer days and I remember a big garden fete which was great fun. There was an area with Children's slide though do not remember if there was any thing like swings .
I believe it is now a nursing home.

By Sharon Pinder on Wed Aug 26th 2020, at 2:50 pm

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The reason the nuns never conversed with us, was because they were a silent order. I must have just missed you, I was sent their from hospital, from 1952-1956, where at two years old I was to stay until I was six years old. I Remember the girl that was severely burnt. There was a young baby of about 18 months who was in a metal cot, Sitting on a wooden made toilet structure, as she was in plaster caste from her ankles up too her waist, and therefore unable to lay down. Apparently she had spineabifida and they were trying to straighten her spine, to enable her to eventually walk. I too was Chronic Bronical Asthmatic. The staff were very nice as you stated. I remember my time of being in a metal cot in a room on my own, with what I now know to have been chicken pots. I remember it because it was birthday and one of the nuns, brought me in a boys fire engine with a fireman that went up a ladder and a monkey on a stick one pushed up and down. Plus the nun returned with a drink and a funny but nice tasting sandwich, plus my birthday cake to blow out. Never said a word 😊😅 That taste always remind me of St Marys, I now know, it was marmite. Lol. and a very Luke warm cup of sweet milky coffee. It was in a trainers cup. I remember the Sunray Treatments, where we had to strip to our knickers and was led into this darkened room with a tall metal pipe on top of what looked like a wood burner. It has all wooden slats against the wall we had to sit on, black goggles on. We had to sit there for about 45mins if I can remember that right, while radiotherapy penetrated our lungs. I use to hate the small as well as the experience.

By Christine Knight on Tue Mar 15th 2022, at 11:51 am

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I was there from 1952-1956 server CHRONIC BRONCHIAL ASTHMATIC IT WAS RUN BY A SILENT ORDER OF NUNS, ASSISTED BY SOME OUTSIDE that came in daily.

By Christine Knight on Tue Mar 15th 2022, at 2:50 pm

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