Hornsea Children's Convalescent Home

A Memory of Hornsea.

I was there with my sister 1964-65 for around 2 month, then after we went home 2 more members of my family were in there.
I remember all the children were taking into the school room, to the right of the massive staircase. Every child was doused with nit lotion weather they had nits or not, it ran down your face.

The TV/games room was on the left side of the staircase also the dining room, where we were made to drink a liquid, not sure what it was, but we were not allowed to go to the loo for at least an hour after drinking it, and when we were finally allowed we had to lift the seat and sit on the cold pot. I remember feeling sick but was warned I better no be or I would have to drink more.

I remember if we were sent anything through the post we had to put all sweets in a big square biscuit tin for everyone else to share of, and if we got a letter it was opened before we got it and things had been crossed out in black ..if we sent a letter home we had to buy our own stamp with money that had been sent to us

we were weighed each week and measured, I have no idea why we were sent there, my mother would never say and took the reason to her grave, I am thinking about getting in touch with the social services for our records.

I remember a Matron and a bitch of a nurse called Nurse Ebb she was so cruel did lots of things to us all, especially my disabled sister for wetting the bed, she was only 3ish and she was locked in the bathroom with the light off, crying her heart out, while my other sister was got out of bed and made to fix the wet bedclothes my other sister was only 6.

Contact Contributor

Added 20 March 2015

#337537

Comments & Feedback

I remember being at Hornsea children's convalescent home in around 1960. A boy called Cal was tied to a chair. The staff were not really cruel but not kind either. I think letters were censored and some not sent. There was a girl called Denise aged 7 there at the same time as me. We were once allowed to stay up really late unsupervised.

By ritakrig on Thu Sep 10th 2015, at 11:08 pm

Contact User

Report

Hi.i was in the home with my brothers from 1968 to 1970.To be honest i remember it been ok.

By markstork10 on Thu Oct 8th 2015, at 3:46 pm

Contact User

Report

I was there in 68, one large dorm on my own at age 6.
I used to sit on the windowsill crying all night, watching the bus station, waiting for my mother to take me back home. :(
I remember the sweets being in OXO tins in the cupboard at the back of the TV/Dining room near the back door.
Going to bed at the hour that matched your age.
Soup in a plastic beaker.
The queue waiting for a bath in the same bathwater.
"School" in the large room, I think it was a wooden extension of the building.
I also have no idea why I went there, Funnily enough my Health records are missing for that year, maybe something to do with the enquiry that shut it down?

By mjcooper on Wed Apr 19th 2017, at 4:56 pm

Contact User

Report

I was also sent to the home with my brother in 1962. we were sent from the childrens hospital in Hull, we both had suspected TB. what a terrible place I am now 67 but never forget being in that place. My parents came to visit on a week-end brought sweets but we never saw them again. I once at breakfast we had scrambled egg which I didn't like but was made to sit there and eat it never forgot and never eat scrambled egg. there for a month only went out once and that was summer, spent all our days in the play room with not very nice staff. My brother was only 5 and I used have to look after him as well dressing him, making his bed and generally looking after him. There also a downs syndrome girl who used to run round the rooms screaming and i tried to look after her as well. When our parents came to visit we were not allowed to say anything because one of the staff was there all the time. Horrendous Time Never Forgotten,

By bettomlinson on Wed Jul 25th 2018, at 6:20 pm

Contact User

Report

Im so glad i found this page,i honestly thought i had imagined all the abuse i endured as a child until i read your post . I was there the same year as you and you have better memories which in turn woke up mine . I remember a girl also being restrained with a straight Jacket and tied to the the big oak dining table leg because she wouldn't eat scrambled eggs . Also a disabled little boy with cerebral palsy being made to eat his own vomit . I am trying to find the papers from the enquirer to find out what reasons they closed this horrible place. Im sure we should have rights to fight for the abuse we all suffered in their hands . Many thanks for the added memories i thought i had imagined . kind regards, Kim a survivor of Hornsey Children's Convalescent Home

By Kim Bailey on Sat Mar 16th 2019, at 5:19 pm

Contact User

Report

A memory "from the other side of the railings" - We were lucky enough to have a caravan on the site at the top of the hill - every day my mother, and my brother and myself would walk down the hill to the town - and on our way back stop off at Wrights bread and cake shop on the corner - I always chose a custard pie - then back up the hill - I used to stop and peer thro the railings, covered with bindweed, and stare at the "patients " wrapped in blankets on the balcony - wondering about their lives and why they were there. If I remember correctly, there was a bus station opposite. I bet by now the cliffs have eroded so much, I wonder if the place is still there? Memories from late fifties- mid sixties.

By Jane Howden on Wed Mar 31st 2021, at 10:46 am

Contact User

Report

I spent a month there in 1953. I don't have any happy memories of that time. We were made to paddle in the sea every day come rain or shine, we had to eat sardines every tea time, I haven't touched one since. Parents were not allowed to visit as that would unsettle us. We had pj's on straight after tea and were always in bed in daylight. The staff were very strict and I was made to go stand in a corner several times not knowing why. I'm pleased it was closed to save other children my experience.

By Anthony Budby on Tue Jul 13th 2021, at 3:00 pm

Contact User

Report

I was sent to the home 1963 with my brother aged 12 ,I was 7, & our sister who had downs syndrome was 4, our mam had just died so we got sent there to give our dad a break, I cried one night for my mam & a horrible nurse tied me down in a straight jacket, it was requested that our sister be allowed to sleep with me but they refused instead they put her in the nursery I cudnt get to her & she used to cry out for me, while we were there nurses used to put this white lotion on our heads it stung & one week they got 2 little twin boys very blonde not much hair & just to be cruel they poured the lotion on their heads till the boys were crying in agony, I remember a young black lad called Clive he crawled out of the window onto the roof , after we had been there 3months we went home ,some time after some official looking man came & asked us questions about our treatment while been there , I believe the home was under investigation,, I never understood why the staff were so cruel to a bunch of unhappy sad little kids , one nurse called William's was nice to me but the rest pure evil

By Julie Duncan on Sun Jan 23rd 2022, at 3:16 am

Contact User

Report

I was in this home me my sister and brother think it was 1969 didn't understand why we was put in here because me and my sister was sexually abused by my dad and social services ti see if we would tell anyone but they would put me to bed with no tea because a boy pulled my hair and i slapped him and she dragged me in and sent me to bed they wasn't nice at all, went there a couple of times there then heard it was been closed down but never ask us about it, everyone that was put in there take care love Elaine X

By Elaine Pawson on Sat Jul 23rd 2022, at 6:06 pm

Contact User

Report

I was in Hornsea convalescent home in 1967 and I know the memories of cruelty to myself and other children
there has never left me and probably contributed to my poor mental health for the rest of my life .I we would have stay in one room most of the day with no toys except a radio on the wall and because we made too much noise we had a paper hanky stuffed into our mouths until small boy was sick and choked .I was so unhappy being there I couldn't eat except one day I did have some tea and was sick in bed so I had to stand in the toilet room for ages in my nightie with sick down it.They also kept my new shoes and pocket money and sweets.

By Davina Carrick on Thu May 11th 2023, at 1:45 pm

Contact User

Report

Hi
I was there in 1966-67, I remember a sister Hartley, and how cruel she was. I went to the toilet and a boy was stood outside, one of the 'nurses' shouted at us saying we were disgusting, we didn't understand what she was talking about. I remember another disabled boy being made to eat his own vomit. All our sweets were given away if we weren't "good" and our letters and any parcels were opened.

By Gaia Coyne on Tue Nov 14th 2023, at 2:02 pm

Contact User

Report